Case Study: The City of San José achieves top-ranked, high-speed airport Wi‑Fi with RUCKUS Networks

Transforming the lives of San José residents through purpose-driven networks

San José Mineta International Airport (SJC), a busy Silicon Valley gateway that serves over 12 million passengers a year, needed to modernize its network to meet tech‑savvy travelers’ expectations for fast, reliable Wi‑Fi in a high‑density indoor environment. The airport faced challenges providing pervasive coverage, consistent performance, and support for thousands of simultaneous users across terminals and curbside areas.

SJC partnered with SmartWave and deployed RUCKUS Wi‑Fi 6 (189 indoor/outdoor APs) managed by a SmartZone controller, using BeamFlex+ antennas, 12‑stream APs and IP‑67 outdoor units to boost capacity and coverage. The upgrade delivered up to four‑fold gains in speed and range, reduced AP requirements, and produced one of the fastest airport Wi‑Fi experiences nationally—helping SJC earn top rankings and recognition as the Best Midsize Airport.

The City of San José

Matt Mahan

Mayor