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The cost-effective range of secure Wi-Fi APs makes it ideal for venues like this - places that need reliable, professional networking but don't have big budgets. 
Scott Wentzell,
Principal Solution Architect, BT Group
Background
The Lion at Ickleton is a traditional public house that has recently come under community ownership, giving it a new lease of life as a vital local gathering place. Like many historic buildings, the pub presents unique challenges for modern technology installation, particularly when it comes to Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Scott Wentzell, Principal Solution Architect at BT Group, specialises in Communications Solution Architecture, including secure Wi-Fi solutions. When the opportunity arose to support the community-owned pub, Scott recognised the need for a thoughtful approach that balanced technical requirements with practical constraints.
ChallengeThe Lion at Ickleton, a historic
community-owned pub, needed reliable Wi-Fi for both business operations and customer use throughout the premises and garden area. Low ceiling heights in some areas ruled out traditional ceiling-mounted access points, while a limited budget meant the solution needed to be cost-effective without compromising on performance or security.
SolutionDesigned a tailored Omada by TP-Link network using wall-mounted access points suited to the pub's physical constraints. The solution included indoor wall APs, an outdoor AP for garden coverage, a 10 port PoE switch and a controller for easy remote monitoring, all within budget and meeting the needs of up to 100 users.
ResultThe Lion at Ickleton now enjoys reliable Wi-Fi coverage throughout the building and garden, supporting POS systems, music streaming devices and customer connectivity. The intuitive Omada management platform allows Scott to monitor and manage the network remotely from his phone, ensuring consistent performance for this thriving community venue.
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Challenge of Connectivity in a Historic Setting
"This was a new installation for a newly community-owned venue,"
Scott explains. We needed to provide Wi-Fi deployment inside the pub and throughout the garden area for both business operations and customer use.
The project came with specific physical constraints that would shape the technical solution. "The building has low ceiling heights in some areas, which immediately ruled out standard ceiling-mounted access points," Scott notes. "We knew from the start that wall-mount access points would be preferred for this environment." -
Budget Constraints Meet Technical Requirements
As a community-owned establishment, The Lion at Ickleton operated within tight financial constraints. The Wi-Fi solution needed to deliver professional-grade performance without the premium price tag typically associated with hospitality networking. "The budget was limited but the requirements weren't negotiable," says Scott. "The pub needed reliable Wi-Fi to support their point-of-sale systems and music devices for business operations and they wanted to offer quality connectivity to customers throughout the premises" The garden area presented an additional challenge, requiring outdoor-rated equipment that could extend coverage beyond the building itself whilst remaining within budget parameters.
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Leveraging Existing Expertise
Scott's familiarity with Omada by TP-Link products gave him confidence in the brand's ability to meet the pub's needs. "I was already working with TP-Link and was aware of their cost-effective but secure In-Wall AP solution," he says. "That existing knowledge meant I could move quickly to design an appropriate system." Rather than starting from scratch with multiple vendor evaluations, Scott engaged directly with the TP-Link sales team to ensure he selected the optimal hardware configuration. "The account manager advised on wall mount AP options to ensure budget, performance and longevity were all considered," Scott explains. "It was a collaborative process that helped us get the specification right first time."
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Smooth Installation Process
The installation process proved straightforward, with Scott utilising both mobile and web-based management tools. "It went very well," he says. "I primarily used the Omada App during installation but also used the web login for advanced feature configuration. The flexibility to switch between interfaces made the setup process efficient."
The combination of user-friendly mobile management and comprehensive web-based configuration options allowed Scott to optimise the network without requiring extended site visits or complex commissioning procedures. -
Supporting Essential Business Operations
The new Wi-Fi network now serves as the backbone for The Lion at Ickleton's daily operations. "The pub uses the network for their point-of-sale systems and two Sonos music devices," Scott explains. "These are mission critical systems - if the Wi-Fi goes down, they can't take payments or provide the atmosphere customers expect." The reliability of the Omada solution has proven essential for maintaining smooth business operations with no disruptions reported since installation.
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Enhanced Customer Experience
Beyond business systems, the Wi-Fi has become a valued amenity for pub visitors. Customers throughout the building and garden can now connect reliably, whether they are checking messages, sharing photos on social media or working remotely over a pint.
"The coverage extends throughout the entire premises and garden area," says Scott. "We designed it to handle the needs of at least 100 customers, so even during busy periods, everyone can connect without performance issues." -
Intuitive Remote Management
For Scott, the Omada cloud management platform has made network administration simple. "Access from my phone is easy and convenient," he notes. "I can check on the network status, make configuration changes, and monitor performance from anywhere - I don't need to be on-site or even at a computer."
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Cost-Effective Performance
The solution has delivered professional grade performance at a price point appropriate for a community-owned business. "The cost-effective but secure wall mount AP into standard single gang back-box was the main project driver," Scott explains. "Omada gave us enterprise level features without enterprise pricing."
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A Solution Worth Recommending
"Yes, I would recommend it," he states. "The cost-effective range of secure Wi-Fi APs makes it ideal for venues like this - places that need reliable, professional networking but don't have big budgets."
For community-owned venues, independent hospitality businesses and any organisation requiring quality connectivity within budget constraints, Scott's experience at The Lion at Ickleton demonstrates that Omada by TP-Link delivers both performance and value.
