Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the United States. It is home to over 6,000 inmates, most of whom are serving life sentences. As you can imagine, security is a top priority at this facility, and that includes the prison’s communication systems. In recent years, the prison has turned to Ethernet technology to help keep its inmates and staff safe.
How is Ethernet Used in State Penitentiaries?
State penitentiaries like Angola have traditionally relied on outdated communication systems, such as two-way radios, to keep staff and inmates connected. However, in recent years, many facilities have turned to Ethernet technology to improve their communication systems.
One way Ethernet is used in state penitentiaries is through the installation of Ethernet extenders. These devices allow Ethernet signals to be transmitted over long distances using existing telephone lines or coaxial cables. This means that correctional facilities can upgrade their communication systems without having to run new cables or disrupt their existing infrastructure.
For example, Louisiana State Penitentiary recently installed an Ethernet extender to connect its security cameras. The extender allowed the prison to upgrade its camera system without having to lay new cables or disrupt the prison’s daily operations.
A Challenge of Epic Proportions for the Louisiana State Penitentiary
At just over 18,000 square acres in size, the Louisiana State Penitentiary is the largest maximum security prison in the United States. For its IT staff, this has meant that, as the prison attempts to modernize and integrate the networks within its immense campus, it will constantly run up against the problem of Ethernet’s distance limit (just 328 feet).
For years, the State Penitentiary turned to wireless bridges to overcome this problem, but, due to their overgrowth of applications and frequency saturation, they’ve since become an unviable solution. The prison’s preliminary solution to the Ethernet distance limit had run short, so to say.
After some research, however, the prison’s IT Support Staff had learned about the tremendous cost and time savings of using Enable-IT Ethernet extenders to drive past Ethernet’s distance limit. Their technology would allow the State Penitentiary to use most forms of copper wiring and thought that the prison should give them a try.
Key Benefits
- Overcoming Extreme Distances – Enable-IT Ethernet extenders (Enable-IT 860 Kit’s) permitted the onsite IT team to expand their network across a massive 18,000 sq. acre prison campus.
- Cost Efficiency and Safety – Saved thousands of dollars over installing other kids of solutions by using existing basic category rated Cat-5, Cat-6, and the telco wiring they already had on hand.
- Security – Stronger network security by implementing a solution that drives data through underground cabling rather than wireless/over-the-air.
- Time Savings – Plug-and-play Enable-IT Ethernet extenders made deployment very quick, and very easy.
The Professional, Responsible Choice
The decision to use Made in the USA, locally supported Enable-IT Ethernet Extenders saved the State of Louisiana several thousands of dollars in infrastructure and administration.
Utilizing these products quickly and reliably solved the Ethernet distance limit problem. It has also saved the state thousands in the future, because, unlike other Ethernet extender manufacturers, Enable-IT’s ultra-durable Ethernet extenders are Made in the USA and come with an industry-dominating 4-year warranty. We believe consumers deserve better than cheap foreign-made equipment that only come with a 90-day warranty.
Educated customers that understand this basic value, are proud and able to make the professional, responsible choice.
Products Used
A Prison Success Story… Many Times Over
After receiving their first Ethernet extender kit, an Enable-IT 860 Ethernet Extender Kit, the State Penitentiary’s IT support team was very pleased to find out that it worked simply as advertised.
The first challenge was connecting two high-throughput networks together over 1,000 feet away.
Wireless was not an option due to inherent insecurities, fiber was too expensive and intrusive. But they did however have existing telephone wiring conduit and plenty of category rated CAT-5e to make a run.
Not only did the 4-port Enable-IT 860 Kit extend one network to another by plugging in and powering up, it did so without any headaches involving time and money. This is because the 100Mbps Enable-IT 860 Ethernet Extender Kit can actually reach as far as 1.13 MILES over a single pair of wire, with no bridging in between. Furthermore, it’s plug-and-play, so, aside from the installer’s travel time from one end to another, it literally takes just minutes to set up!
It was official: The prison’s IT Support staff had leveraged existing conduit and wiring to save the State Penitentiary costs over the long-distance hydra involving planning, trenching and installation. This proven method is working to connect the vast, sporadic landscape of the country’s largest prison quickly, easily, and affordably. Each new project requiring Ethernet at distance regardless of the type of use is now an easy choice for the IT staff and each installation has been a repeat success with the same ease of deployment.
“These things work great. They’re super easy to use,” – The IT Support Supervisor was quoted. “In fact, we’ve already installed them at distances ranging from 700 feet to over 1,000 feet, using category rated wiring, and our most recent installation used our already abundant telco copper wiring. That’s huge for us, ..and with a maximum security penitentiary that essentially encompasses four smaller prisons, we are looking forward to using Enable-IT’s Ethernet extenders whenever necessary.”
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the adoption of Ethernet technology, specifically Enable-IT Ethernet extenders, has been instrumental in enhancing communication and security at Louisiana State Penitentiary, demonstrating the effectiveness and versatility of modern networking solutions in correctional facilities. This advancement not only enhances overall safety for both staff members and inmates but also lays the foundation for further improvements in correctional facility operations. As technology progresses, it is likely that more state penitentiaries will adopt Ethernet and other contemporary communication technologies to enhance their capabilities.
- Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the United States, facing unique challenges due to its immense size and security needs.
- In recent years, Angola has embraced Ethernet technology, particularly Enable-IT Ethernet extenders, to enhance its communication infrastructure and improve security measures.
Ethernet extenders have allowed Angola to extend its network across the vast 18,000-acre prison campus, overcoming the distance limitations of traditional Ethernet solutions. - The use of Enable-IT Ethernet extenders has resulted in significant cost savings for Angola, as the prison has been able to leverage its existing infrastructure, such as telephone wiring and category-rated cabling, for network expansion.
- Additionally, the deployment of Ethernet technology has improved network security at Angola, providing a reliable and secure communication system for the prison’s operations.
- Angola’s success story with Ethernet technology serves as a model for other state penitentiaries looking to modernize their communication systems and improve security measures.
