Case Study

How we future-proofed the IT Infrastructure at Guildford Baptist Church

A Brief History of Guildford Baptist Church

Founded in 1824, Guildford Baptist Church began as a small gathering in Quarry Street, later moving to a chapel on Commercial Road due to growth.

By the 1960s, a larger space was needed, leading to the construction of the Millmead Centre in 1972. From the 1990s onwards the church further expanded, planting three congregations and becoming more internationally diverse.

Ian Stackhouse (2004-) led the church through further transitions, including the 40th anniversary of the Millmead Centre (2012) and renovations completed in 2020. The Open Grounds Café (2020) was launched to engage the community. Today, the church is intergenerational, multicultural, and bigger than it’s ever been.

Highlighted Issues

Project Overview

Guildford Baptist Church, a modern and technologically engaged religious institution, required a significant upgrade to its IT infrastructure.

Although the building had gone through major reconstruction and modernisation not so long ago, the existing Cisco-based network, which was over eight years old, only supported 1Gbps throughput, limiting scalability and efficiency.

The church approached Syn-Star, a leading IT support provider, to modernise their infrastructure with a future-proof solution.

Project Scope

Syn-Star was tasked with replacing the outdated network with a cloud-managed solution that would enhance connectivity, security, and performance.

The key components of the upgrade included:

We Installed 8 new switches to improve network performance, Deployed 20 Wi-Fi 7 access points for enhanced wireless connectivity and implemented 10Gbps network infrastructure to support higher data throughout the site.

We installed Fibre optic cabling to connect previously isolated areas within the church and upgraded the existing router with a Unifi security firewall for improved cybersecurity and cloud-based management.

Improvements Implemented

The Syn-Star Team

Syn-Star appointed Stuart Stokes, our expert Solutions Specialist to lead this project.

Stuart liaised with the church’s operations manager and third-party specialists to ensure seamless coordination.

For the on-site installation, Stuart required additional support from Alistair Hunt, one of our Support Engineers.

Implementation Timeline

The initial inquiry and site survey took place in February 2024. Due to the church’s internal approval processes and budgetary considerations, the project was only greenlit in December 2024.

Once approval was secured, Syn-Star revalidated the project scope, placed orders in January 2025, and successfully implemented the new infrastructure by mid-February 2025.

The installation and configuration were completed within a month, ensuring minimal disruption to church activities.

Challenges & Solutions

Minimal Downtime Strategy

The new infrastructure was installed alongside the existing system, allowing for a phased switchover without operational disruptions. This will be managed by the church’s Operations Manager at a pace that they see fit.

Stakeholder Coordination

Given the church’s governance structure, multiple parties were involved in the decision-making process. Syn-Star ensured clear communication and alignment with the church’s technical lead and operations manager, Duncan Stonehouse.

Third-Party Collaboration

The fibre optic cabling was outsourced to a specialist provider, requiring close coordination to integrate it seamlessly into the overall network infrastructure.

Project Outcome

Enhanced Network Performance

The transition from 1Gbps to 10Gbps infrastructure drastically improved speed and efficiency.

Future-Proofing with Wi-Fi 7

The deployment of cutting-edge access points ensured that the church remains technologically ahead of the curve.

Seamless Transition

Thanks to meticulous planning and documentation provided by the church, Syn-Star was able to map and replicate the existing network efficiently.

Robust Security Management

The new Unifi security firewall enhanced protection against cyberthreats while allowing for cloud-managed oversight.

Key Takeaways

The success of this project was largely due to detailed pre-planning, a phased migration approach, and effective collaboration with the church’s technical team.

By investing in modern IT infrastructure, Guildford Baptist Church has positioned itself for long-term operational efficiency and digital readiness.

This case study highlights how we effectively modernised legacy systems in complex environments while ensuring a seamless transition and minimal disruption.

Our expertise in network upgrades and security solutions played a pivotal role in delivering a smooth and future-proofed implementation for Guildford Baptist Church.

Client quote

“Did what I needed, Excellent Service!”

Duncan Stonehouse – Operations Director

How happy are you with

the project timescale?

10 / 10

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Case Study

How we future-proofed the IT Infrastructure at Guildford Baptist Church

A Brief History of Guildford Baptist Church

Highlighted Issues

Project Overview

Project Scope

The key components of the upgrade included:

Improvements Implemented

The Syn-Star Team

Implementation Timeline