Most of us are learning remotely during this time. Here’s how wireless umbrella coverage can foster the support of a safe and secure learning environment.
Preparing students to be successful for the future – whether doing so within a classroom or from a remote standpoint – requires a robust infrastructure capable of supporting different engagement tools and providing ubiquitous access to technology that allows students to create, design and explore safely and securely.
In this day and age, it’s essential that students, teachers and administrators be able to connect to information in real-time, interact with one another using a variety of communication devices, and extend the learning environment beyond the classroom and into every student and staff members’ home. However, new tech capabilities create new demands on school networks, which must adapt to accommodate the unprecedented influx of users, devices and applications. The essential components of an infrastructure capable of supporting transformational learning experiences include the following:
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- Ubiquitous connectivity and persistent access to high-speed Internet
- Powerful learning devices that connect learners and educators to the Internet
- Constant facilitation of communication and collaboration
- High-quality digital learning content
- Tech tools that deliver engaging and relevant learning experiences
- Policies to safeguard students and ensure that the infrastructure is used to support learning
Many schools and educational organizations, especially in these days of COVID-19, are looking to protect their users operating in-home networks. These home networks are connected to the larger organization networks, and an educational institution’s IT department needs to provide continuity in security no matter where the remote student/teacher is connecting. One such technology capable of doing so is a wireless umbrella.
What is a Wireless Umbrella?
A wireless umbrella is an essentially widespread protection for a specified Wi-Fi network under the circumstances that a user is accessing a protected network under various access points. Now that we as a nation are completing many tasks from home, we are relying heavily on the internet and our wireless networks to keep us connected, informed, up-to-date and operating “business-as-usual” on a day to day basis. This holds true for our educational systems – the students and teachers of our nation – as well. Umbrella WLAN protects users and guests who are accessing the internet from various wireless access points (e.g. their homes). By enforcing this kind of security, connections to unsafe or malicious sites are not able to be established and malicious files – which might be mistaken for classroom content – will be blocked from being downloaded. The umbrella is the first line of defense in terms of computer, network and purpose protection.
More About Umbrella Protection
As explained, the user of a wireless umbrella security system will always be protected, even if they log on their computer away from campus and at home. The umbrella software operates continuously on the user’s (e.g. student or teacher) remote computer, keeping them within the school district’s standards of computer security and safety no matter their specific geographic location. The umbrella operates transparently to the user, protecting behind the scenes. The user can know that the technology has its back when on the Internet and can better protect against malware or security threats.
If a student were to stumble upon a malicious website, the umbrella would inform the user through a custom browser screen and safeguard their remote learning device from being compromised. Additionally, internet filtering protects the user from inadvertently going to websites that are malicious or contain content not approved for educational use.
Increasing Access
Beyond security, a wireless umbrella also grants more capabilities and accessibility to several applications beneficial to students and staff alike. Offer a complete wireless umbrella for students, teachers and faculty to have access to tools and resources anywhere on campus. Provide the foundation for programs such as one-to-one computing, schoolwide video solutions and applications like wireless intercom systems, video streaming and clocks. Essentially, an umbrella allows all applications or services that require a network connection to run without wires. This helps keep all users happy with safe internet access, while also protecting the educational resource’s purpose and intent.
Organization in One Space
The umbrella also allows for sharing amongst trusted users, which means that students, teachers, faculty and staff can share safe files, agendas and the like to their cohorts. Students, despite being remote, will be able to access their daily, weekly or monthly assignments within the network or the umbrella dashboard. Essentially, every task that will need to be completed will be able to be completed within such space and can be done with the surety of protection. That is why establishing a secure umbrella for the educational community is safer than simply asking students and staff to log onto singular, personal platforms without any enacted security measures.
Get Coverage Today
Uniti Fiber collaborates with educational operators to develop the safest possible assets while relieving them of the burden of mystique. Demand for umbrella connectivity and protection is driving growth in telecommunications, fueled by the urgency of new security measures and the surety of such. Our unique solutions for educational institutions provide vital connections that unlock the value of potential in this nation’s educational system – something which we care about firsthand. Contact Uniti Fiber for more information.
