D-link wireless configurations

Hey Guys How's it going?

This is my scenario, I am a network admin at a school, and when i first started working at this school it was equipped with two types of access points the:

D-Link DWL 2100AP
D-Link DWL G700AP

I have a server with DHCP etc..

Can someone support me with the best form of configuration such as if to use static ips on the access points or use them from the dhcp, security and anyother form of configurations i may need?

Thanks guys

Hi there,

I also look after a school wireless network with about 15 to 20 AP's that are a mixture of 3COM and Linksys.
I have them setup with a fixed IP address so if I need to do any fine tuning on them I know the exact address of the AP and the classroom they are in.

Word of warning, I don't know how many AP's you have but only use a couple of channels with plenty of seperation as to avoid any interference.

One big Problem I have had when testing that the laptops were logging on ok was, if I went into 1 classroom logged on and everything was working ok I would then try the classroom next door and find that the laptops would try to log back on to the first classroom AP rather than the AP in the same room, which caused all sorts of problems ( slow + dropped connections). BE AWARE of this as it took loads of sorting out.

Hi,

Well they are placed far apart from eachother so it shouldnt be such a problem. Do you have a wireless router or all access points? did you do a generic login and password for all the users (as in you have a background and a login screen like at an internet cafe')?

Also are you set up with any form of encryption?

Thanks

All Access Points
All laptops are setup so getting an IP address, Default Gateway, etc is all done without any of the girls knowledge ( all they are interested in is logging on and getting to their user area)

So your wifi is setup with just access points right, meaning you dont have any wireless routers installed?

Did you created a general login screen for your users like a hotspot login screen?

No we don't have any wireless routers

The Laptops are setup to automatically join the wireless network

You should be fine with just using WPA encryption. Next just set all the aps in WDS with AP mode. Use the same channel and ssid because I think D-links WDS is the same as what Linksys calls repeater mode. Thats how I'm running my DWL 7700AP with two DWL 3200's (so 3 AP"s in tottal) with about 50 clients surfing at any given time. Just remeber never give out the encryption password it's better for you to imput for them. Atleast thats what I think somewone correct me if I'm wrong.