Networking & Wireless | News

Xirrus Issues Common Core Wi-Fit Bundle

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/13/14

A major wireless network gear company has released a Wi-Fi bundle specifically targeted at school districts preparing for the Common Core online assessments, which will be implemented in most states during the 2014-2015 school year. Xirrus' $2,500 Common Core Wi-Fi kit includes the XR-2425, a four-radio wireless array; a tripod; a power-over-Ethernet injector; and software to manage the wireless network.

On its site, the company claims that one Xirrus array can service a computer lab or multiple classrooms of students testing at one time. Because the gear is modular, it can be moved from room to room or school to school.

The XR-2425 has four 802.11n radios and a maximum bandwidth capacity of 1.2 gigabits per second on 11n. The maximum number of "associated users" is 960.

"Cajon Valley Union School District has understood the need for and been keenly focused on developing robust wireless infrastructure for several years. The new method of Common Core testing has underscored that need," said Charles Allen, director of IT Services at Cajon Valley Union School District in Southern California. The district recently went out to bid seeking a company to implement a wireless network across its schools using equipment from Xirrus.

"The Xirrus solution was chosen after a year of testing and against other manufacturers," Allen noted. "Xirrus' expertise was crucial in implementing the needed upgrades for our infrastructure supporting Common Core testing. They uniquely understand the needs for electronic testing across the student body, and how to achieve maximum network uptime and performance for Common Core testing."

The company also launched online assessment resources intended to share best practices for preparing wireless infrastructure to accommodate the new tests. Currently, the site provides a whitepaper that covers issues related to testing over wireless that can be downloaded for registration and an infographic that explains the assessments, the technical underpinnings for supporting them and funding sources.