In rural areas and smaller cities, limited telecommunications infrastructure

poses challenges for connectivity, particularly in geographically remote

regions. This technical report addresses the deployment of wireless
solutions for the Bario community telecentre and clinic, located in the remote
village of Bario near KL, Malaysia. The report focuses on on-site surveys,
hardware and software requirements, security implementation, and
monitoring considerations.

Keywords: rural connectivity, wireless solutions, telecentre, clinic, site

survey, hardware requirements, security implementation, monitoring
considerations.

Rural areas and smaller cities often face challenges with limited
telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in geographically remote and
isolated locations. In this assessment, we focus on addressing the
connectivity needs of the Bario community telecentre and clinic, situated in
the remote village of Bario near KL, Malaysia, which lacks adequate
telecommunication infrastructure.

Scenario:
The Bario community telecentre serves as a hub for 30 personal computers
(PCs) intended for community use, enabling access to the Internet and
essential software tools. It is located in a single-storey building and is
connected to the Internet via a VSAT satellite link. The Bario clinic, located
approximately 100m away from the telecentre, requires connectivity to

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both the telecentre and the Internet. Currently, it has a stand-alone PC
placed in a room facing the telecentre.

Assumptions:

Assuming our team has been appointed as the network consultant

specialists to deploy a wireless LAN to an existing wired LAN and vice versa,
prepare a detailed technical report to be presented to the management of
Bario Society which covers the following criteria for both Bario community
telecentre and a Bario clinic:

Technical Recommendations:
1) Site Survey and Related Considerations

 Conduct a thorough site survey to assess signal strength,

interference, and optimal placement of wireless equipment.

 Consider environmental factors such as terrain, building materials,

and line-of-sight obstacles.

 Ensure adequate coverage for both the telecentre and clinic areas.

2) Hardware and Software

Requirements: Telecentre:

 Wireless Access Points (APs): Cisco Aironet series APs for

robust wireless coverage.

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  Switches: Cisco Catalyst switches for wired connectivity to PCs.

 Router: Cisco ISR4321 router for Internet connectivity and network

routing.

Clinic:

 Wireless Bridge Device: Cisco Aironet Wireless Bridge for

establishing a wireless link to the telecentre.

 PC: Additional PCs may be required for clinic use, connected

wirelessly via the bridge.

 Router: Cisco ISR4321 router for connectivity to the bridge and

Internet access.

Software: Cisco IOS for router configuration, Cisco Prime Infrastructure for
network management.

3) Security Implementation Requirements:

 Utilize WPA2 encryption for secure wireless communication.

 Implement Access Control Lists (ACLs) to control access to the

network.

 Establish a guest network with limited access for visitors.

4) Monitoring and Maintenance Considerations:

 Regularly monitor network performance, signal strength, and security

logs.

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  Schedule routine maintenance tasks such as firmware updates and
hardware inspections.

 Implement remote monitoring tools for efficient troubleshooting and

maintenance.

Method- Wireless Bridge Connection

Problem:

In the Bario community, establishing a reliable and high-speed connection

between the telecentre and the clinic is essential for efficient communication
and resource sharing. However, due to the geographical distance between
the two facilities and the lack of existing network infrastructure, traditional
wired solutions are impractical. Therefore, an alternative approach utilizing
wireless technology is required to bridge the connectivity gap.

Solution:

To establish connectivity between the Bario community telecentre and clinic,

a wireless bridge connection method will be implemented. This solution
involves deploying wireless bridge devices at both locations to create a
wireless link between them. The wireless bridge devices will facilitate the
transmission of data packets over the air, effectively bridging the gap
between the telecentre and clinic without the need for physical wiring .

Equipment:

1) Wireless Bridge Devices:

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  Cisco Aironet Wireless Bridge or similar devices for establishing the
wireless link between the telecentre and clinic.

2) Access Points (for Clinic):

 Cisco Aironet Series Access Points or similar devices to provide

wireless connectivity for the clinic's devices.

3) Router (for Telecentre and Clinic):

 Cisco ISR4321 router or similar for Internet connectivity and network

routing.

4) Switches (for Telecentre):

 Cisco Catalyst switches or similar for connecting the PCs in the

telecentre to the network.

5) PCs/Laptops:

 PCs or laptops for accessing the network and Internet services at

both the telecentre and clinic.

Software:

 Cisco IOS for router configuration.

 Cisco Prime Infrastructure or similar for network management and

monitoring.

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Simulation:

Evaluation:

 Conduct site survey to assess signal strength and environmental

factors.

 Test connectivity between telecentre and clinic after implementing

wireless bridge connection.

 Verify network performance, signal stability, and data transfer rates.

Benefits:

 Establishes connectivity between telecentre and clinic without the

need for physical wiring.

 Facilitates seamless communication and data transfer between the

two locations.

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  Enhances accessibility to essential services and resources for the
community.

 Provides flexibility for future expansion or relocation of network

infrastructure.

Challenges:

 Potential signal interference from environmental factors such as

terrain or structures.

 Security concerns related to wireless transmission of sensitive data.

 Limited bandwidth capacity compared to wired connections.

 Maintenance and troubleshooting complexities associated with

wireless networks.

 Initial setup and configuration may require specialized knowledge

By leveraging wireless bridge technology, we have successfully
bridged the connectivity gap between the two facilities without the need
for physical wiring.

 The solution enhances accessibility to essential services and

resources for the community, fostering communication and
collaboration.

 Seamless integration of wireless and wired networks ensures reliable

connectivity and scalability for future expansion.

 Overall, the proposed solution significantly contributes to improving

communication infrastructure in rural areas, facilitating socio-
economic development and empowerment.

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References
Ngai, C. S. B., Pau, K. L., & Choy, S. K. (2007). Bridging the
digital divide - the e-Bario framework.

https://woulibrary.wou.edu.my/weko/eed502/Bridging_digital
_divide_
-_the_e-Bario_framework.pdf

H.M. Khalid, M.G. Helander, A.W. Yeo (Editors) . Kuala Lumpur:

Damai Sciences.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA437974.pdf

Academia.edu. (2004). H.M. Khalid, M.G. Helander, A.W. Yeo

(Editors). Kuala Lumpur: Damai Sciences.

Implementation of Wireless Networks in Rural

Areas.
https://www.academia.edu/21079046/Implementation_of_Wi
reless_ Networks_in_Rural_Areas

Poline Bala, Elaine Khoo, Peter Songan, & Roger W. Harris

Potential users profile and existing communication pattern
among the rural community of Bario: A need analysis for
the development of a telecentre.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280223059_Potential_u
se
rs_profile_and_existing_communication_pattern_among_the_ru
ral_co
mmunity_of_Bario_A_need_analysis_for_the_development_of_a
_telec entre
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