Racing Against Time for Launch Event Connectivity

Racing Against Time for Launch Event Connectivity

Building a network from scratch can be challenging enough, but the task becomes even more difficult when doing so for an event in an unconventional location. Only an infrastructure with supercharged connectivity can ensure a functioning network. In Europe, an automobile enterprise was preparing for its launch of a new vehicle and was looking to hold a special event to build anticipation.

Challenge

For an exhilarating launch event, the automobile enterprise had planned to showcase its new electric car driving around disused hangars, with the event being streamed through various channels. There would be four different streams, each in a different language, and an additional four as a backup for each. The location itself would host over 500 guests, requiring guest Wi-Fi on top of the connectivity for streaming and production.

As the event approached, the company contacted a Peplink partner to establish the necessary network infrastructure to facilitate the streams. However, the Peplink partner discovered that the event was scheduled to take place within a tight timeframe of less than 72 hours. Furthermore, the chosen location lacked utilities to support any network infrastructure, including electricity to power the devices.

Solution

The Peplink partner first designed a complete Peplink ecosystem for the event. They began by setting up a connectivity solution for the streams in the communications trailer. For each stream channel and its backup, they connected a BR2 Pro router to two Starlink antennas and a Transit Duo Pro, which was configured in Synergy Mode to utilize 5G, 4G, and satellite connectivity. This setup established 8 SpeedFusion tunnels, one for each stream.

Two SD Switch 16-Port Rugged devices were connected to each of the two BR2 Pro routers to deliver connectivity to other wired peripherals. These switches were also linked back to the broadcast vehicle, with each switch connected to another SD Switch 16-Port Rugged via a fiber link.

For production and guest Wi-Fi, an EPX equipped with six 5G connections was set up. Additionally, four Starlink dishes and four HD1 Dome Pros were mounted and connected to the EPX. For redundancy and coverage, six SD Switch 24-Port Rugged devices were configured in a fiber ring topology via fiber cables. Multiple AP One AXs were then connected as needed.

All the main equipment was kept in a trailer outfitted with solar panels and a backup battery to power all the devices for the event.

Result

With a complete Peplink network infrastructure, not a single second was missed during the event streams. Each SpeedFusion tunnel established for the stream was configured to operate on a different VLAN and was untagged to efficiently segregate and manage the network traffic. Smoothing technology was employed to ensure jitterless streams, capturing every frame of the electric car in motion.

The EPX’s robust load balancing capabilities effortlessly and intelligently distributed network traffic. It provided abundant bandwidth for production requirements while simultaneously offering ample Wi-Fi capacity for the event’s attendees. From a previously empty hangar transformed into a connectivity-filled event space, the flawless streams and uninterrupted internet access were pivotal to the resounding success, leaving the client thoroughly impressed with Peplink’s supercharged connectivity and exceptional performance.