Wired & Wireless Juniper Mist Network Upgrade

End‑of‑Life Network Refresh Delivering Reliable Connectivity and Cloud‑Managed Visibility for Private High School

This Maryland-based private high school faced growing operational risk as its wired and wireless network infrastructure approached end of life and end of support. Aging ethernet switches and wireless access points limited performance, reduced reliability, and created challenges for future growth. To ensure continued uptime, modern connectivity, and centralized management, the school partnered with Data Networks to upgrade its campus network with Juniper Networks switching and Juniper Mist wireless technology.

The Challenge

This Maryland-based private high school faced growing challenges due to aging network infrastructure, including Ethernet switches and a wireless LAN system nearing end-of-support. These limitations created risks to performance, reliability, and long-term supportability. To address these concerns, the organization partnered with Data Networks to execute a comprehensive Juniper Mist network upgrade, modernizing both wired and wireless connectivity across the facility.

The Solution

Data Networks delivered a full network infrastructure refresh, replacing five (5) legacy Ethernet switches with Juniper Networks EX4100 series switches and deploying twenty-seven (27) Juniper Mist AP43 access points. This 1:1 replacement approach ensured a smooth transition while significantly enhancing network speed, coverage, and centralized management capabilities.

The engagement began with a detailed assessment and design phase. Data Networks engineers reviewed existing configurations, including SSIDs, authentication methods, encryption standards, IP addressing, VLANs, and routing. Using this information, the team developed standardized templates within the Juniper Mist cloud platform to ensure consistent configuration and streamlined deployment.

As part of the Juniper Mist network upgrade, all new switches and access points were provisioned within the Mist Portal, with subscriptions applied and configurations aligned to the customer’s environment. Switch templates were customized to reflect port-level requirements and network segmentation needs.

Installation was carefully coordinated to minimize downtime. During a scheduled maintenance window, Data Networks engineers removed the existing switches, properly labeled and transferred all cabling, and installed the new EX4100 switches in the same rack locations. Once powered on, each switch successfully connected to the Mist cloud and automatically received its configuration.

Wireless upgrades were completed concurrently, with all 27 access points replaced using existing mounting hardware and cabling. Each Juniper Mist AP43 was installed in the same physical location and orientation as the previous devices to maintain consistent coverage. Configuration and optimization were completed through the Mist Portal, ensuring seamless integration into the upgraded network.

Following deployment, Data Networks conducted end-to-end testing to validate LAN, WAN, and Internet connectivity. This ensured the upgraded environment was fully operational and optimized for user performance across both wired and wireless networks.

Ongoing Value

As a result of this Juniper Mist network upgrade, the organization now benefits from a modern, cloud-managed network with improved reliability, enhanced wireless coverage, and scalable infrastructure to support future growth. Ongoing monitoring and management are supported through Data Networks’ Managed IT Services, providing continued visibility and operational efficiency.

Tags: K-12, K12, education, networking