Client & Project Snapshot
| Client | Sandbox Centre, a Regional Innovation Centre (RIC) in Simcoe County |
|---|---|
| Engagement type | Network infrastructure redesign: hardware, segmentation, and access controls |
| Daily load | 100+ devices daily, 400 to 500 during major events |
| Core constraint | Unreliable sub-10 Mbps Wi-Fi with no segmentation, supporting a coworking space that also hosts large events |
| ACT360’s role | Educate Sandbox on the right hardware and architecture choices, then select and install network hardware, design VLAN segmentation, and lock down unmanaged device risk |
| Author | Adam Bowles, Partner & CEO, ACT360 |
Project Overview
Sandbox Centre, a regional innovation hub in Simcoe County, faced critical network challenges that threatened member productivity and event operations. With over 100 devices connecting daily, and up to 400 to 500 during major events, the existing infrastructure was unreliable, slow, and insecure. Video calls dropped out frequently as well, disrupting meetings for members and staff.
Why This Project Mattered
Reliable connectivity is foundational for Sandbox’s coworking operations, member satisfaction, and reputation as a business community resource. Previous network issues risked member loss, reduced event participation, and operational friction.
Key Challenges and Operational Complexity
Daily device load exceeded 100, with event peaks up to 500 devices: phones, tablets, laptops, and wearables all competing for the same network.
Unusable Wi-Fi in meeting rooms and speeds under 10 Mbps created frustration and limited productivity for members trying to get work done.
No network segmentation or port controls allowed unmanaged devices and rogue routers onto the network, posing both security and operational risks.
The previous infrastructure was also undersized for the demand, with only three access points covering the entire centre.
Solution and Architecture
Every equipment and configuration choice below was made to fit how Sandbox actually operates day to day and during events, not to sell the biggest available spec.
| Decision | Why it fit Sandbox’s situation |
|---|---|
| Meraki routers and switches | Reliability, remote management, and advanced monitoring, so problems can be seen and fixed without an on-site visit for every issue |
| HP Instant On access points | Cost-effective coverage across the space now, with a clear upgrade path as Sandbox grows |
| VLANs segmenting internal infrastructure, member, and guest access | Improves both security and workflow stability by keeping day-to-day operations, member traffic, and guest devices from interfering with each other |
| Core equipment specified for a 5+ year lifecycle | Matches the pace of Sandbox’s expansion plans instead of being outgrown within a year or two |
| Unused ports disabled and access controls enforced | Eliminates the risk from unmanaged devices and rogue routers that the previous network had no way to prevent |
Results
Direct feedback from Cameron Christie, Senior Director of Operations at Sandbox Centre, after Sandbox’s largest event: “It went fantastic, and never had an issue with WiFi! Great work man, you guys got us set up real well. We had 165 people in the space.”
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Network speed | Under 10 Mbps before, consistent 100 Mbps from the ISP after, with faster device connections throughout the space |
| Coverage | Reliable across daily operations and event peaks, eliminating the previous frustration in meeting rooms |
| Security and stability | Significantly enhanced through VLAN segmentation and port controls |
| Largest event to date | 165 people in the space with no Wi-Fi issues reported |
Strategic Impact
Sandbox Centre can now confidently host large events and support its growing member base without connectivity concerns getting in the way.
The new platform is maintainable and scalable, aligned with Sandbox’s mission to foster innovation and business growth rather than working against it.
Operational risk is reduced, member satisfaction is up, and the infrastructure is positioned to hold its value for years, not months.
Adam’s Take
A coworking space isn’t a normal office network problem, and treating it like one is how you end up here in the first place. The device count swings by 5x on event days, and the people connecting aren’t your employees, they’re your customers, forming an opinion about Sandbox in real time based on whether the Wi-Fi works. That’s worth designing for on purpose, not patching after the fact with a router upgrade.
The part worth noticing here isn’t the hardware. Meraki and HP Instant On are good choices, but plenty of networks run good hardware badly. What actually fixed this was segmentation and access control done properly, so a guest device or an unmanaged router can’t become everyone else’s problem. Good networks aren’t the ones with the best gear. They’re the ones where nobody notices the gear at all.
