Peninsula Preparatory Academy
Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School (PPA) is a K-5 school in Far Rockaway, NY focused on academic excellence and whole-child development. Since 2009, PPA has trusted IDR Technology Solutions to design, build, support, and evolve their technology infrastructure across multiple locations and upgrades.
Peninsula Preparatory Academy
Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School (PPA) is a K-5 school in Far Rockaway, NY focused on academic excellence and whole-child development. Since 2009, PPA has trusted IDR Technology Solutions to design, build, support, and evolve their technology infrastructure across multiple locations and upgrades.
The Challenge
PPA teachers were facing persistent issues while wirelessly sharing their screens to classroom Smartboards. Mirroring sessions would drop unexpectedly, freeze mid-lesson, or fail to connect altogether — leading to classroom delays and frustrated staff.The school had already tried basic troubleshooting, but the issue kept returning. That's when they called us in to investigate more deeply.
The IDR Approach
Our team began by testing software-based fixes:
• Swapping out screen-sharing applications
• Trying both Smartboard-native and third-party casting tools
• Updating and downgrading firmware as needed
• Even recommending temporary hardwired connections
When none of those resolved the issue long-term, we shifted our focus to the wireless environment — a common, but often overlooked, root cause.
The IDR Solution
Leveraging our wireless diagnostics experience, we conducted a full spectrum analysis of the network. We discovered that the Smartboards were roaming between access points mid-session, causing them to drop or reset their connection during use.After confirming this behavior, we implemented a targeted wireless access strategy:
• Evaluated signal strength, channel overlap, and load balancing
• Tuned wireless parameters for better distribution of client devices
• Locked each Smartboard to a dedicated access point using network controller tools (in this case, Ubiquiti's UniFi platform)
This final step prevented Smartboards from jumping between APs, which stabilized their connection and fully resolved the issue.
The Results
This project wasn't about switching apps or replacing gear — it was about knowing where to look and how to solve problems at the wireless infrastructure level. With the right tools, training, and persistence, IDR delivered a clean, permanent fix that let teachers focus on teaching — not troubleshooting.
Client Feedback
"Their long-term commitment to our school community and their deep understanding of our technology infrastructure have made them an essential part of our success. Highly recommended!"
Why It Matters
This project wasn't about switching apps or replacing gear — it was about knowing where to look and how to solve problems at the wireless infrastructure level. With the right tools, training, and persistence, IDR delivered a clean, permanent fix that let teachers focus on teaching — not troubleshooting.
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