Las Vegas airport launches U.S.' largest free Wi-Fi network

- by Gary Thayer, News Editor

Las Vegas, Jan. 4, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport has launched free airport-wide wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) service. Covering nearly 2 million square feet of the airport's domestic and international terminals, the deployment is the largest free Wi-Fi network in the U.S.

McCarran is the seventh largest destination airport in the United States, and is experiencing monthly double digit growth in passengers. Over 36 million travelers that pass through McCarran airport each year will be able to take advantage of the free service from anywhere within the airport.

"Our implementation of wireless is clearly unique and somewhat controversial," says Sam Ingalls, director of Information Systems for Clark County Department of Aviation. "We looked at the current business models out there but just didn't see charging consumers for Wi-Fi as the answer."

The airport plans to make the wireless network available to different users in phases. The first phase, now complete, provides travelers free Internet access. Future phases will unwire some of the airport's passenger processing applications such as flight information display systems and reservation kiosks in order to more efficiently move people into and out of the terminals.

Ingalls says that McCarran can also look into the future use of roving attendants armed with wireless handheld devices and pocket printers that can check in passengers while they are waiting in line. The airport also plans to offer carriers customized wireless services tailored for their specific needs.

Unlike other airports, McCarran is able to provide the free service because it owns and operates its own airport-wide telecommunications infrastructure.

To set up the network, McCarran deployed single and dual radio 802.11a/b/g access points (APs) from Aruba Wireless Networks. The grid points are managed using the Aruba 5000 modular WLAN system. The network is centrally managed by Aruba's flagship Aruba 5000 modular wireless LAN switching system in the main terminal along with the Aruba 2400 switch for distribution management.

Both switches are equipped with Aruba's AirOS VPN and intrusion prevention software modules. These modules have built-in policy controls that can be used to enforce security and access controls for each user and the ability to automatically detect and eliminate rogue APs, wireless interference sources, ad-hoc networks and to block wireless intrusions and attacks.

"While most airports have to fix their air space, we don't," says Gerard Hughes, network manager for McCarran. "Aruba's systems let us partition our RF environment so we can give each carrier or vendor with their own virtual wireless network along with the requisite services and security they need. Other airports have service providers that charge people to get online. We don't because our system gives us the flexibility and controls to realize ROI in other ways such as providing service to companies doing business within the airport."

Hughes says that eventually the airport will have different types of users with different applications. To avoid airspace contention and interference, the Aruba APs automatically search for channels with less interference. If they find one, they alter the central controller and make the change. "Because the APs are low-cost thin APs, I can deploy lots of them everywhere so a smaller number of users are contending for access any given AP," says Hughes.

For quick contact information for Aruba, see the company's case study page on MobileVillage.

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