Tornado-Stricken Schools Deploy WiFi

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Nearly destroyed by an F5-class tornado May 4, Greensburg Unified School District in Kansas has reported that it worked with long-range WiFi networking technology maker Xirrus to deploy a wireless network to full operation in less than a day.

Covering 14 temporary buildings and 200 new computers that will serve 74 percent of the student population for 2007/2008 school year, the network will provide Internet access to students, faculty, and staff.

The tornado, which devastated 95 percent of the city, demolished all of the Greensburg Unified School District's schools. Just the same, superintendent Darrin Headrick declared the students would have a school by this month.

The networks' outdoor Wi-Fi Arrays were deployed using Xirrus Outdoor Enclosures, and were all the equipment needed to power the new network. Xirrus donated the installation service, and staff from Fort Hays State University helped with the deployment, as well.

"Rebuilding a school for these children has been a top priority," Headrick said in a prepared statement. "Everyone at Xirrus stepped up to the challenge to make the installation process of our network as quick as possible and we are extremely fortunate to receive the help and support from companies like Xirrus during our rebuilding efforts."

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About the author: David Kopf is a freelance technology writer and editor, and can be reached at [email protected].

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About the Author

David Kopf is a freelance technology writer and marketing consultant, and can be reached at [email protected].

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