Client Success Story · Higher Education
St. John’s College
A new fiber backbone and Wi-Fi 6E Campus, Delivered in a single summer.
Access points designed (roughly)
Strands of single-mode fiber
New civil work required
About the College
St. John’s College is a private liberal arts institution with campuses in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Annapolis, Maryland. The Santa Fe campus, established in 1964, offers a close-knit academic community focused on critical thinking, intellectual exploration, and lifelong learning.
The Project
St. John’s needed to replace aging network infrastructure with a modern single-mode fiber backbone and refresh wireless coverage across its Santa Fe residential and academic buildings. ANM designed and delivered the network, and it was ready when students returned at the end of August.
Project at a Glance
- Wi-Fi 5 replaced with Wi-Fi 6E
- Roughly 300 access points designed for the buildings in scope
- 144-strand single-mode fiber backbone
- Built in existing conduit, with no new civil work
- Completed inside one summer window
In Their Words
“I would definitely recommend ANM. Sometimes as a customer, I have to do the vendor’s job. That wasn’t the case with ANM.”
Afzal Asif, Network Manager, Information Technology Services, St. John’s College
What’s Next
St. John’s plans to upgrade additional buildings next summer, and has chosen to continue the work with ANM.
Challenge, Solution & Experience
The Challenge
- An aging wireless network: The campus ran on Wi-Fi 5, and students, tutors, and event visitors were raising complaints.
- One summer window: Work had to finish between June and the end of August to avoid disrupting learning.
- Older buildings, limited records: Some buildings are roughly 70 years old, with collapsed underground conduit, unmarked waterlines, and few accurate maps.
- Fiber lead times: Material lead times added pressure to an already aggressive schedule.
The Solution
- Discovery first: The College issued an RFP and shared 3D building maps. ANM’s solution architects ran a predictive wireless survey before any work began, modeled coverage, and worked through design sessions with the College’s team.
- A right-sized design: A Cisco wireless plan calling for roughly 300 access points.
- A new fiber backbone: A single fiber-fed path with 144-strand single-mode fiber to the residential and academic buildings in scope.
- No new civil work: Everything was built in existing conduit.
The Experience
The College chose ANM in part for the strength of its wireless solution architects, and the working relationship held up under pressure. When issues surfaced in the field, the ANM team stayed on campus until they were resolved, often well into the evening.
“Starting from the design and planning phase, they were telling me, ‘We should do it like this, we should select these devices, and here is how to plan for Wi-Fi coverage.’ I didn’t need to worry. Their engineers and solution architects took care of that.”
Afzal Asif, Network Manager, Information Technology Services, St. John’s College
ANM’s project manager and on-campus team lead were quick to respond to every request, so the College never had to chase them for updates.
“I dropped a single message to the team lead and he was quickly on it, and the same is true of the project manager. I don’t need to remind them several times. The whole team in the field was amazing.”
Afzal Asif, Network Manager, Information Technology Services, St. John’s College
“I don’t need to push them for anything. They are on campus doing the things they are responsible for. That was an amazing part for me.”
Afzal Asif, Network Manager, Information Technology Services, St. John’s College
The Results
Delivered Inside One Summer
An aggressive timeline, aging buildings, and fiber lead times made this a demanding project. Proper expectation setting during the sales cycle, and a strong delivery relationship between the College and ANM, made it a success.
Ready for students
The upgraded buildings were ready when students returned at the end of August, and students are happy with the speeds they are seeing.
A modern, stable foundation
New fiber, switches, and access points replace end-of-life equipment, moving the campus from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6E.
Built for growth
144-strand fiber is already in place, future phases need no new cable runs, and the network can support Wi-Fi 7.
Confidence for leadership
College management has a network that students are satisfied with and that is built to last.
A Partner That Went Further
When challenges arose or timelines tightened, the College found the ANM team ready to help.
“Whenever challenges arose or timelines became critical, they were always ready to help me and ensure we stayed on track.”
Afzal Asif, Network Manager, Information Technology Services, St. John’s College
What’s Next
The College is already planning its next phase:
- Upgrading additional buildings next summer
- Reusing the fiber already in place, with no new cable runs
The College has chosen to continue the work with ANM.
Get Started
Ready to get started? Contact us today to schedule a consult with one of our experts.