Non-Stop Wireless and Total Coverage for Leading Japanese Manufacturer

Japan’s Leading Manufacturer of Television Antennas

Maspro designs and manufactures TV antennas compatible with 4K8K broadcasts, as well as security and IoT solutions equipment. With a leading market share in Japan, the company operates a network of sales offices around Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, as well as overseas production sites.

Maspro and Allied Telesis: a Successful History

Maspro has been a satisfied customer of Allied Telesis for several years. In 2017, Maspro decided to update the network servicing their head office, plant and distribution center in Nisshin City. “We hadn’t had any major issues, but we wanted to create a robust network, capable of fast recovery in the event of a failure,” explains Mr. Kazumichi Yamane, Assistant General Manager of the Information System Group at Maspro. Although standby equipment was available, Maspro needed a resilient solution that would automatically recover in the event of any failure.

The solution was simple—adopt Allied Telesis switching and wireless Access Point (AP) products. Maspro installed SwitchBlade x8100 Series switches in the network core, with x510 Series switches on each building floor for distribution. Edge switches connect endpoints, while Allied Telesis TQ4600 wireless APs enable mobile device connectivity in meeting rooms.

The chosen switches are compatible with Allied Telesis Autonomous Management Framework™—a huge selling point for Maspro. “We went to Allied Telesis and had them demonstrate how quickly and easily the network can be automatically restored with AMF, and that was when we decided to adopt the system,” says Mr. Takashi Sato, Finance Dept. General Manager and Information System Group General Manager at Maspro.

This proved to be a successful design—“It is a hassle-free system,” says Mr. Yamane. So, when the time came to further improve their wireless capability, Maspro once again looked to Allied Telesis.

Integrating Office and Warehouse Wireless Systems

In 2019, the company’s complex environment was ready for improved wireless performance. Maspro uses wireless handheld terminals to scan products into inventory at the main distribution warehouse, where they are then prepared for dispatch to distribution centers across Japan. “With our handheld terminals due for replacement, we decided to review our wireless environment at the same time since we had experienced some unstable communications,” explains Mr. Sato.

Allied Telesis worked with Maspro to investigate client connectivity and the wireless environment. These tests showed that Maspro’s wireless capabilities had been notably degraded by changes to the physical locations of items such as freight, shelves and other equipment. With varying needs for its distribution warehouse and other locations such as meeting rooms, Maspro decided to install a cutting-edge hybrid wireless system. “From the test results, we could see the new Allied Telesis system would solve all our issues—it was an easy choice,” recounts Mr. Yamane.

The Solution: a Hybrid Wireless System, With AWC-CB

Allied Telesis developed a high-performing hybrid wireless network for Maspro, using Allied Telesis Autonomous Wave Control (AWC). AWC enables wireless solutions that are self-tuning, and which automatically analyze traffic patterns to optimize the wireless network for maximum performance and reduced operating costs. Additionally, the world’s first hybrid Access Points (APs), Allied Telesis TQ5403 Hybrid 3-radio 802.11ac Wave 2 Wireless APs, simultaneously support single-channel and multi-channel wireless architectures, ensuring both seamless roaming and maximum throughput from a single design.

The AWC single-channel mode is called Channel Blanket, or AWC-CB. It provides seamless roaming for clients, as the entire wireless network acts as a single virtual AP, eliminating any unstable connections or poor performance for warehouse workers using handheld terminals. Now, even if the physical layout of the warehouse changes, Maspro will continue to enjoy seamless wireless access.

For office space, meeting rooms and other environments requiring high-speed communications with capacity for many clients, multi-channel AWC provides maximum performance for all users and devices, since AWC automatically optimizes throughput and reduces interference.

The Allied Telesis Vista Manager™ EX network management and monitoring tool was implemented to provide a single-pane-of-glass view of the entire AMF wired and AWC wireless network, reducing infrastructure complexity and costs.

“We haven’t had any network complaints at all from staff, including those who use handheld terminals,” says Mr. Sato.

Seamless Connectivity and Easy Management

Today, Maspro’s office areas continually benefit from AWC’s ability to self-tune and optimize wireless performance, while AWC-CB provides seamless connectivity in the dynamic warehouse environment. This innovative solution from Allied Telesis ensures the best possible wireless experience for all staff, as well as helping enable efficient business operation and smooth product distribution.

Maspro enjoys AMF network automation with zero-touch recovery, and AWC wireless optimization—while Vista Manager EX allows a complete view of the entire network infrastructure, with powerful features like traffic monitoring, and wireless floor and heat-maps to visually monitor operation and performance. Easy graphical management reduces the burden of network administration, as well as ongoing operating costs.

Timely support and training from on-call Allied Telesis engineers ensured a smooth installation and ongoing operation. Allied Telesis looks forward to supporting Maspro with world-leading products and technologies for many years to come.