These solutions utilize the company network to enable laptops and other devices to mirror a screen. They use a receiver hub that is connected to the corporate network, similar to the receivers used in the hardware approach used by Barco and BenQ but relies on specialized software apps to capture and transmit the signal to the correct screen over the enterprise WiFi network.
For a visitor to use a system, they will need to:
Some devices have special passcodes to ensure that the correct screen is connected – which prevents confidential information, such as HR data or sensitive financial information, from being routed to the wrong screen. The other security feature - encryption - is either optional or not available so a presenter may not be aware that if a presentation is being recorded or viewed outside the room.
The primary advantage of this approach for WiFi based screen mirroring systems is that it eliminates the button transmitters used in the hardware-based solution. The cost of the receivers and software is similar to the button-based solutions like InstaShow and ClickShare. However, the total cost of ownership may be higher for this type of system than hardware-based solutions, since they require special network configuration support from IT to use your own network - and annual subscriptions for network security and maintenence updates.
There are two primary disadvantages of the WiFi network hub-based approach for screen mirroring:
1. The system typically requires a proprietary app to be loaded onto the laptop. Many companies “lockdown” their notebooks from third-party software to remove the threat of malware. This could delay a meeting – or cause the system to be unusable to a visitor.
2. These devices need to be installed and managed by IT staff - along with a more complicated network configuration setup. Since visitor’s notebook used for presenting is typically logged on to the same network as the presentation receiver hub, most of these systemes have extensive network configuration guides to ensure both network security and sufficient bandwidth. You also want to keep in mind that WiFi network solutions are completely dependent upon the performance of the corporate network.
There are many vendors that offer these types of screen mirroring systems, including Crestron, Airtame, and Mersive.