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Liveport Corporation, a provider of high-speed wireless Internet networks for the hospitality industry, created a record of sorts after installing wireless Internet systems in 100 hotels after having made the switch over to open-mesh technology.

Traditional wireless Internet providers rely on expensive servers, data centers and IT workers to provide Internet services but the totally different approach that Liveport (News - Alert) has taken ensures secure, fast, cost-effective Internet connections with no wires and no interruptions.

Open-Mesh spreads an Internet connection throughout the place where it is installed and creates low-cost plug and play wireless mesh network solutions that require no configuration. The network generally consists of two or more routers. One router is connected to the DSL or cable modem and the other routers are plugged into the area that is to be covered.  

Initially, Liveport had been using Meraki devices and although they worked well, factors like lower reliability, higher pricing and non-availability of certain features in their cloud controllers made it imperative for Liveport to make a transition to Open-Mesh (News - Alert) for the newer installations, and condition it to suit the specific needs of the hospitality market.

The Open-Mesh Professional Series router include a hardware watchdog circuit that makes the units extremely reliable even in installations with poor AC power that would lockup other WiFi (News - Alert) equipment. It also uses the Open-Mesh Wall Plug Enclosures so access points can securely plug-into a standard power outlet.

Open-Mesh routers include the Open-Mesh Cloud Controller, a hosted network controller that automatically configures all access points. Features like custom SSIDs for both public and private networks, bandwidth throttling, real-time and daily summary notices of any issues, an easy WYSIWUG editor and landing page templates add to its advantages. 

In addition to using Open-Mesh hardware for new installations, Liveport has been upgrading hotels running Meraki to new Open-Mesh technology, resulting in significant cost savings for ongoing service and support.

In a press release, Gerry Baker, Liveport's president, noted that the transition from Meraki to Open-Mesh had been faster and smoother than anticipated and said that he was satisfied about how the Open-Mesh units worked. They more than made up for the disadvantages of the Meraki device and after having installed it in several hundred hotels through Canada and the United States, Baker felt that the results that Open-Mesh had produced had far surpassed their expectations.

Elaborating on the technology Baker seemed particularly satisfied with the support standard and decora plugs because it left an outlet free, hid the router, power supply and antenna and gave out no blinking lights or fancy logos that could distract guests, making them targets for theft. 

In conclusion, Baker said, "The Open-Mesh Cloud Controller gives us greater flexibility in the landing page design, which our customers love and we also include reports and even Google maps into Web sites that provide customers with real-time data on their installation." 

Michael Burmeister-Brown (News - Alert), president of Open-Mesh, Inc., also made a statement regarding the successful transition to Open-Mesh. "We worked with Liveport for several months to optimize the product for the hospitality industry and their advice and suggestions have been invaluable. The Professional Series access points prove that robust managed WiFi systems can be affordable for any hotel.”

He also added that no one knew this business better than Liveport and highly recommended that hotels looking for a fast, reliable wireless solution contact Liveport to see just how inexpensive and hassle-free Wi-Fi could be.

In a related news release, Liveport Corporation  launched a new wired network management service to complement its wireless offerings.