https://github.com/tlklein/college-apartment-network-design
A high-performance network architecture for a luxury college apartment complex - hospitality-grade connectivity, segmented security, and operational manageability.
https://github.com/tlklein/college-apartment-network-design
network network-design networking-concepts
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A high-performance network architecture for a luxury college apartment complex - hospitality-grade connectivity, segmented security, and operational manageability.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/tlklein/college-apartment-network-design
- Owner: tlklein
- Created: 2024-11-23T20:00:52.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2026-01-13T06:42:31.000Z (5 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-01-13T09:41:58.219Z (5 months ago)
- Topics: network, network-design, networking-concepts
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.51 MB
- Stars: 1
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
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Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
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README
# College Apartment Network Design Project
## Project Overview
This project covers a scalable, secure, and resilient network for a multi-unit college apartment complex. It applies enterprise network principles (layered routing, VLAN segmentation, and SD-WAN) to support thousands of concurrent users, high-bandwidth multimedia, online learning, and IoT devices while preserving management simplicity through cloud-based tooling.
The architecture designs a hotel-style, multi-tier network architecture for a high-density college apartment to address poor Wi-Fi coverage, insecure device mixing, and scalability challenges common in multi-tenant environments.
The network segments resident, guest, staff, and IoT traffic using VLANs, enterprise Cisco Meraki hardware, and cloud-managed SD-WAN for resilient connectivity and simplified operations. Deliverables included multi-floor logical and physical network diagrams, IP addressing and DHCP/NAT patterns, a costed hardware and licensing BOM, and security segmentation.
## Network Architecture & Technical Features
Key Architecture Decisions:
- Layered Design: Core → Distribution → Access for redundancy, predictable routing, and failover.
- VLAN Segmentation: Separate networks for Residents, Guests, Staff, IoT, Management, and Services, with ACLs enforcing isolation and security.
- High-Density Wi-Fi: Optimized MR53 and MR30H placements, channel planning (1/6/11), MIMO, and capacity planning for multimedia, online learning, and gaming.
- SD-WAN Resilience: MX appliances with active/active internet links and centralized policy enforcement for uptime and load balancing.
- Operational Management: Cisco Meraki cloud console for zero-touch provisioning, telemetry monitoring, and automated alerting.
- Cost & Resource Planning: Comprehensive BOM including hardware, SFPs, cabling, mounting, and Meraki licensing tiers.
### Tech Stack & Hardware
Network Hardware:
- Cisco Meraki: MR Access Points, MX Security/SD-WAN Appliances, MS/Catalyst Switches
- Routers/Firewalls: MX250 (SD-WAN & security)
- Core/Distribution Switches: C9300 / C9500 (Ethernet fabric & routing)
- Access Points: MR53, MR30H (high density, hospitality-grade)
Design Patterns & Best Practices:
- Layer-2/Layer-3 segmentation, VLAN isolation, and ACL enforcement
- DHCP scope planning, NAT configuration per VLAN
- Wi-Fi channel planning, band steering, and QoS for multimedia applications
- Monitoring & Observability: Meraki dashboards, SNMP, and integration with third-party tools
## Project Structure
```text
├── diagrams/
│ ├── diagram-1.png # Third to eight floor diagram
│ ├── diagram-2.png # Second floor diagram
│ └── diagram-3.png # First floor diagram
├── docs/
│ ├── Network_Design.pdf # Full report covering estimated costs, recommendations, and reasoning.
│ └── Floor_Plan.vsdx # File of the diagram in visio
└── README.md # Project summary
```
## Diagrams & Documents
Diagrams provide the main artifacts for reviewers. See the 'Network Design' PDF for further details.
### First Floor - Common Areas & Lobby
### Second Floor – Conference & Office Area Layout
### Floors 3 to 8 Floor - Apartment Layout
### Floors 3 to 8 Floor - Apartment West Wing Layout
