Airports form the focal point of one of the most complex industries both within the US and internationally. Between crowd flow, vendor variety, and fulfilling stringent security and safety standards, airports networks require robust, security-conscious solutions that can handle varied and constant network traffic. As airports strive to continually create efficient, effective and industry-leading environments, RG Nets has designed a suite of networking features to ease and improve network management and performance. Transportation uplinks face specific, complex demands – even a short slowdown can cascade into hundreds of millions of dollars in loss. RG Nets understands these needs well; two of the largest airports in the United States currently run their networks through the rXg. The rXg does more than simply provide a top-tier networking experience at the greatest value on the market – it transforms more than the network it is on. RG Nets’ rXg gateway is designed to elevate and improve every aspect of Airport functionality, from crowd control to vendor sales.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the rXg features designed to improve the Airport experience.

Feature Walk-through

Our traveler, Daniel, arrives at the airport several hours before his flight. Having already checked in at home, he immediately attempts to connect to the Wi-Fi in order to pull up his boarding pass on his device. He selects the airport Wi-Fi and is taken to the airport’s Custom Captive Portal, which has the airport’s logo and allows him to provide Personally Identifying Information (PII) to connect to the network. Thanks to the network’s SD‑WAN intelligently streamlining network usage, he is able to pull up his pass immediately with no delay.

After passing through security, Daniel is momentarily stumped on where to go. He remembers a feature he saw on the airport’s Wi-Fi Portal and pulls it up again, opening the terminal map provided. Using Wayfinding, he can easily see where he is and where his departure gate is located in the airport. As he moves towards it, the map periodically updates his location, helping him easily reach his goal.

Along the way, he notices that in addition to the Digital Signage informing travelers about incoming and outbound flights, several are Advertising deals at various shops around the airport. He decides to grab the advertised sandwich and drink combo from one of the vendors. Service at the shop is quick and efficient – the airport vendors are utilizing the airport Wi-Fi, but have their own, dedicated channel. They also have Neutral Host Access. The airport has uplinks from several Internet Service Providers, to ensure the network is outage resistant. While the rXg intelligent divvies travelers between the networks to ensure the best performance, vendors are given the option, via Neutral Host Access, to pick a preferred provider as part of their lease package.

Sandwich and drink in hand, Daniel reaches his gate. He eats and decides to inquire about gate-checking his bag. As he does so, he notices the gate agent adjacent to the one he is speaking to checking her device. A few minutes later, she leaves and returns with a mobile scanner. She was utilizing the rXg’s device Location Tracking feature to track down the mobile boarding pass scanner that a coworker accidentally misplaced. Daniel successfully gate-checks his bag and sits down to pass the time until his flight.

Pulling up the Wi-Fi Portal once again, Daniel notices that there are several tiers of Internet access offered. He has already unlocked the basic tier by providing his PII, but can access several higher tiers providing greater access to bandwidth for activities like streaming video or mobile gaming, all for small hourly rates. With the rXg’s Integrated Billing, it’s easy to pay directly through the portal, without the need for third party software. Satisfied, Daniel sits back to stream a game to his phone. If he had business to do on the go, he could also access a dedicated VPN channel for secure business communications. Several of the airport’s lounges include this option on their dedicated channels at no extra cost. This network segmentation and division of features between end-user pools is all easily managed by network administrators through the rXg’s dashboard.

Daniel is frustrated to learn that, due to weather conditions, his flight will be delayed for several more hours. Shortly after receiving this news, he receives a notification on his phone. The network administrators have configured an Event for this scenario. Whenever a traveler’s flight is delayed more than three hours, the Event is triggered and they receive a coupon for a free snack. A coupon is created using the rXg’s Dynamic QR Code Generation that Daniel can scan at the participating vendor’s restaurants.

Placated, Daniel returns to his seat with his complimentary snack. Texting a friend, he comments on how well the network has been performing – he is used to sluggish, overloaded Wi-Fi at airports. This is in no small part thanks to the Fair Share Equalization feature, unique to the rXg. Instead of relying on basic QoL methods, like simply prioritizing voice traffic or operating on a first-come-first-serve basis, the rXg intelligently and automatically parcels bandwidth to users based on need and current usage. This ensures a reliable, stable connection across the board for users, while making the most of available bandwidth to optimize speeds. Additionally, Content Filtering ensures that travelers are not able to try and use the airport Wi-Fi for illegal activities or bog down the network with massive downloads. The SD‑WAN utilizes dedicated back channels for large updates and slower network features, and separates travelers, airport staff, and vendors into their own networks, allowing each to access the network features that best suit their purposes.

Even when a large plane deboards, flooding the network with new users, Daniel’s experience stays balanced. The rXg’s remarkable Scalability comes into play here – it flexes with short and long term increases in end-users. Comprehensive and configurable End-User Analytics and Cognizance means network administrators are able to understand exactly how their various groups of end-users are navigating and utilizing the network, improving both user experience and security. Paired with the rXg’s myriad inbuilt Security features, all end users can expect a fully secure, federally compliant network experience.

Finally, after a couple hours of waiting and streaming games to his phone, Daniel boards his flight. He is just one of several thousand travelers to pass through this airport today, but all share the same positive network experience. The features listed above are only an overview of the dozens of features RG Nets has designed to improve airport experience, from the administrative to the end user level. In a rapidly evolving industry, you need a network that will evolve with you. The rXg utilizes the latest technologies to maximize your profitability and minimize overhead. Versatility meets value in this feature-rich gateway product. The rXg is the perfect platform for total control, clear communication, and complete cognizance over your RGN end-user population. To learn more about the rXg and what it can bring to your airport, visit www.rgnets.com or speak to your RG Nets representative today.