Preston Hollow Village

Luxury Mixed-Use Development Adopts Ruckus Wi-Fi

There are many apartment options in Dallas, but few are as high-end as The Preston in the newly constructed Preston Hollow Village. Located in the affluent neighborhood of Preston Hollow, 20 minutes north of downtown Dallas. The master planned community began with commercial and retail phases in 2014 and entered phase 2 in 2018 with construction of apartments and townhomes.

The Preston features 120 residences in a high-rise building with a variety of shared spaces: lobby, outdoor pool, gym, yoga studio, guest suites, even a wine tasting room and full-service kitchen. When general contractors were finalizing the interior, c2mtech was brought in to deliver wireless internet throughout the development.

As an Elite Partner with Ruckus Networks, c2mtech has connected a variety of complex environments to the internet. Historic schools, sprawling corporate campuses and industrial warehouses have tested c2mtech’s team and shaped the company into a leader in Texas. Ruckus was chosen for its award-winning wireless infrastructure and cloud service contracts.

Requirements and Challenges

“WI-FI requirements for a luxury apartment aren’t too different from a commercial office,” stated Ben Brinkman, President of Sales at c2mtech. “Connecting the entire space is critical, even outdoor areas. Our team analyzes walls and distance from access points to eliminate dead zones and deliver high-speed connections.”

One challenge for high-rise luxury apartments are thick walls, floors and reliable performance needed in all locations. A movement of residents work from home or telecommute, and a high percentage skip the cable package to stream movies and games. Finally, a growing number of internet connected devices from smart thermostats to refrigerators puts strain on wireless networks.

A second challenge are the variety of zones that need created. Guest networks provide separate and secure access for visitors in the lobby and shared spaces. An outdoor pool and ride-sharing area in front were connected via Ruckus Outdoor Access Points.

A third challenge are cyber security and monitoring requirements. Many condominiums and apartment complexes seek to lower liability and protect visitors from cyber criminals. Ruckus is frequently paired by c2mtech with Fortinet hardware and cloud services. For The Preston, FortiGate SD-WAN was installed as a hub for unified threat management (UTM).

Results

The Preston opened at the end of 2017 with luxury amenities and a reliable wireless network designed by c2mtech and Ruckus. A three-year cloud maintenance agreement will provide future support and analytics to the property management team at Preston Hollow Village.