Case Study: Grove City College achieves 50% faster Wi-Fi, expanded coverage and improved security with HPE Aruba Networking

Aruba 802.11ac wireless access points deployed to improve Wi-Fi security, coverage and performance

Grove City College, a small liberal‑arts institution founded in 1876 with about 2,500 students, faced aging wireless infrastructure that left older residence halls, meeting areas and the campus library with poor coverage and slow speeds. The college needed a cost‑effective, future‑proof solution to deliver high‑density, ultra‑fast Wi‑Fi that would support mobile apps and a modern eLearning experience.

Grove City implemented a phased upgrade using Aruba Wave‑2 802.11ac APs with 7200 Mobility Controllers, 5400R switches, ClearPass, AirWave and HPE IMC. A 22‑AP deployment in the library cut coverage complaints from dozens per month to zero; campuswide expansion aims for about 825 APs and full 802.11ac coverage. The upgrade increased Wi‑Fi performance by roughly 50%, improved security and management, and enabled Bluetooth beacon services and mobile app use.

Grove City College

Vincent DiStasi

Vice President and Chief Information Officer