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Surveillance & Security Installation

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At Mount Atlanta, we provide comprehensive network installation services tailored to both residential and commercial clients:

 

Wired and Wireless Network Installation: Our solutions are designed to align with your specific needs and budget. We collaborate with you to develop a network that ensures reliability and security, encompassing services such as Ethernet drops, structured cabling, fiber connections, and outdoor Wi-Fi setups.

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Network Configuration and Optimization: Our experts design, configure, and fine-tune your network to operate at peak performance. This includes creating heat maps, enhancing wireless coverage, setting up routers and switches, and safeguarding your network against external threats.

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Network Troubleshooting and Support: If you're facing issues like slow speeds or connectivity problems, our team is ready to diagnose and resolve them promptly. We offer both on-site and remote support to keep your network running smoothly.

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Network Installation Services

A dependable and secure network is crucial for both businesses and households. In today's homes, multiple users often require high-speed internet for entertainment, learning, or remote work. Even with a top-tier internet plan, you might still face connectivity issues. If your provider's support hasn't resolved these problems, we're here to help.

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​Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | Gateway

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) supply customers with gateway devices that connect to their infrastructure via coaxial or fiber-optic cables terminating at your home or office. These gateways serve as all-in-one solutions, combining the functions of both a modem and a router. They receive the incoming signal from your ISP and convert it into a format that your devices can understand, distributing the internet connection through Ethernet cables or wirelessly via Wi-Fi.

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Scenario 1:

Small Apartment | The Combo Router

A combination gateway, often referred to as a combo router, integrates three essential devices into a single unit: a modem, a router, and a Wi-Fi access point. This all-in-one solution is particularly suitable for smaller living spaces, such as one- or two-bedroom apartments, where only a few devices are connected simultaneously. In such scenarios, a combo gateway can efficiently meet your internet needs. However, it's important to consider factors like bandwidth, speed, and network traffic to ensure optimal performance. For larger homes or environments with multiple users and devices, a more robust setup with separate devices might be advisable to maintain network efficiency.

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Understanding Internet Performance: Bandwidth, Speed, and Traffic

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Bandwidth
Often mistaken for speed, bandwidth defines the capacity of your internet connection, determining how much data can be transmitted per second. Measured in Megabits per second (Mbps), it represents the width of the data channel provided by your ISP—wider bandwidth allows for greater data flow.

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Speed
Speed refers to the actual amount of data being transferred at any given moment. While ISPs advertise specific speeds, in shared networks, your connection speed is only a fraction of the total bandwidth, as multiple users share the same resources.

 

Traffic & Rebooting
Internet speed fluctuates based on bandwidth availability and network traffic. The system prioritizes the most recent connections, which is why restarting your modem (disconnecting for about 30 seconds before reconnecting) often helps improve speed.

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There are two key speed metrics: download and upload speeds. In most residential plans, download speeds are significantly higher, catering to users who primarily consume content. For reference, Full HD video streaming requires around 5 Mbps, while 4K streaming needs approximately 25 Mbps. If multiple users stream content simultaneously, bandwidth demand increases. Additionally, online gaming can consume even more bandwidth than streaming.

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Scenario 2:

Expanding Wi-Fi Coverage in Larger Homes

In homes with more than two rooms, a combo gateway may struggle to provide a strong and consistent Wi-Fi signal throughout the space. Think of it like a combo meal—it might be convenient, sometimes even great, but it often lacks the highest quality in every component.

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A combo gateway combines three devices in one (modem, router, and Wi-Fi access point), but their individual performance is often inferior to standalone devices. Just as bandwidth applies to your ISP plan, each device has its own bandwidth limitations. The built-in modem-router communication in a combo gateway is typically slower than what top-tier standalone modems and routers can offer.

Key Factors Affecting Wi-Fi Coverage

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🔹 Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi technology evolves over time, with standards like Wi-Fi 5, 6, and 6E offering improved performance. While Wi-Fi 6 provides faster speeds and maintains compatibility with older devices, Wi-Fi 6E is even more advanced but not backward-compatible. As technology progresses, upgrading to these newer standards will become inevitable.

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🔹 Transmission Power (TX Power): The strength of a Wi-Fi signal depends not just on distance but also on obstacles like walls and furniture, which can weaken connectivity. Tools like Airport Utility or Wi-Fi Analyzer can help measure signal strength. Ideal levels range from -30 dBm to -67 dBm; anything below -70 dBm indicates weak coverage that needs improvement.

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🔹 Wi-Fi Extenders: While extenders can help boost a signal by retransmitting it from a different location, they often create additional network names (SSIDs), causing confusion and reducing efficiency. As a result, extenders are often an imperfect solution rather than a true fix for poor coverage.

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Mesh Networks: Smart Wi-Fi Expansion

Like Wi-Fi extenders, mesh network nodes extend Wi-Fi coverage rather than increase speed. However, they do so intelligently, maintaining a single, unified network name and dynamically optimizing connections between nodes to minimize speed loss. Due to the additional communication between nodes, some bandwidth reduction is inevitable, leading to slightly lower speeds than the original signal from the gateway.

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While some mesh nodes can integrate with an existing combo gateway, the most effective mesh systems typically include a dedicated wired mesh router along with wireless nodes. These systems support multiple frequency bands, including 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and the newer 6 GHz band, ensuring better connectivity and performance.

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Every ISP provides customers with a gateway device that connects to the provider’s network—whether via coaxial cable or fiber optics—before distributing the signal within your home or office. This gateway translates incoming data signals into a format suitable for Ethernet cables or Wi-Fi transmission, enabling seamless connectivity across your space.

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Scenario 3:

 

Enhancing Security with a Dedicated Router and Access Points

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When prioritizing network security, a standalone router acts as a specialized security officer, effectively managing data flow with advanced safety measures such as firewalls, VPNs, access control lists, and encryption. Implementing these security features at your network's entry point ensures comprehensive protection for all connected devices.

To achieve optimal performance and security, consider the following configurations:

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  1. Disabling the ISP-Provided Router's Wi-Fi: Many Internet Service Provider (ISP) combo gateways offer the option to disable their built-in Wi-Fi functionality. This approach allows you to use your dedicated router's Wi-Fi capabilities, ensuring a more secure and efficient wireless network. For instance, you can disable the Wi-Fi on AT&T's BGW 320-505 Gateway by accessing the device's settings.

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2. Using a Separate Modem: Alternatively, you can connect your dedicated router to a separate modem provided by your ISP. This setup can offer superior bandwidth and performance, as the modem's ports are dedicated solely to your network, reducing potential bottlenecks.

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By implementing a dedicated router and managing your network's security settings, you can create a more robust and secure environment, regardless of your home's size.

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Then, separate stand-alone Access Points are connected after the router through ethernet wires:

  • There's a wide range of Access Points flavors, from indoor to outdoor rated form factors.

  • Combo gateways' antennas usually offer less than 80% of a standalone Access Point's transmission power. Mesh nodes usually provide half of the bandwidth of a regular Access Point (using the other half for the “smart” routing of the mesh).

  • Using ethernet wires to broaden the signal strength minimizes complexity and bandwidth loss.

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Ethernet Standards

Category 6 (CAT6) cables are an advancement over earlier Ethernet cables like CAT5, designed to support Gigabit Ethernet, offering internet speeds up to ten times faster than traditional Ethernet. RMS Installs provides various CAT6 subcategories, including noise-shielded cables and those suitable for outdoor or burial applications.

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Access Points

A standalone Access Point is a Wi-Fi antenna connected to the network via an Ethernet cable, bridging wired and wireless devices. It features embedded software and hardware tools that offer intelligent connection diagnostics and advanced noise management.

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PoE Injectors

Network devices like Access Points, IP cameras, and VoIP phones typically require separate power supplies. A Power over Ethernet (PoE) Injector combines power and data transmission over a single CAT6 cable, simplifying installation and management, especially in locations without available power outlets.

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By utilizing a dedicated router, access points, and high-quality cables, you can achieve comprehensive Wi-Fi coverage that is both secure and efficient, with minimal bandwidth loss between devices.

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Scenario 4:

The job site | Managed switches and structured cabling

In complex networking environments, such as commercial facilities or luxury homes with interconnected systems, maintainability becomes a critical factor. Without the capacity to expand or support intricate networks, issues with reliability, speed, and security are inevitable.

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To achieve consistent, professional-grade maintenance, it's essential to understand the nuances of the required equipment. RMS Installs offers certified installers, programmers, and a professional line of Layer 2 and Layer 3 network equipment.

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Layer 2 and Layer 3 Switches

Layer 2 switches operate at the data link layer, handling traffic within a single network segment. They are ideal for simple, flat networks where devices communicate within the same subnet. Layer 3 switches, on the other hand, function at the network layer, enabling routing between different subnets. This capability is crucial for larger, segmented networks requiring efficient data traffic management.

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Structured Cabling

Structured cabling involves organizing and installing network cables systematically to support various systems, including data, voice, and video. This approach ensures that all network components, such as routers and switches, are connected in an organized manner, facilitating easy maintenance and scalability.

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By integrating managed switches and structured cabling, RMS Installs ensures that your network is not only efficient and secure but also scalable and maintainable, meeting the demands of complex environments.

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Business Hours
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Monday            8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Tuesday            8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Wednesday      8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Thursday          8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Friday                8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Saturday           8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Sunday             11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

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Service Areas​

Acworth
Alpharetta

Atlanta 
Austell
Buckhead
Cobb County
Conyers
Dallas
Decatur       
 
Doraville
Douglas
Douglasville
Duluth
Dunwoody
East Point
Fayette County
Fayetteville
Forest Park
Forsyth
Fulton County
Griffin
Henry County
Hiram,                Jonesboro
Johns Creek
Kennesaw
Lawrenceville
Lithonia
Marietta
McDonough
Midtown
Newnan
Norcross
Peachtree City
Powder Springs
Roswell
Sandy Springs
Smyrna 

© 2024 by Mount Atlanta

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