Help with Network Setup

timmay805 · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2006, 05:58 PM

Hi there

. I am setting up a network at my office which is two buildings (2-story) each building is 5000 sf. My office has the cable modem and is centrally located on the 1st floor.

My question is what is the easiest way to set-up a wireless network. Mainly all I care about is having internet connections at each computer. My concern is having coverage to all areas and obviously I don't want to spend thousands of dollars.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Noodles · #2 (**permalink**) 08-04-2006, 01:35 AM

You'd probably need a couple of access points on each floor, and run a backhaul between them (i.e. connect them together with a wired network).

How many clients are you expecting to serve on this network?

timmay805 · #3 (**permalink**) 08-04-2006, 09:34 PM

There will be 50 clients. Is there anyway to do a completely wireless network and not have a signal drop?

I actually am thinking about doing internet only with no network i.e. cafe hotspots. If that is the case does that make things easier?

Noodles · #4 (**permalink**) 08-04-2006, 11:06 PM

You could use WDS to communicate between the access points, but the amount of usable bandwidth drops a lot

timmay805 · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 07:18 PM

Is the drop-off so considerable that internet browsing would be affected?

Noodles · #6 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 02:03 AM

It probably wouldn't affect browsing, but it depends on how many ppl are browsing at the same time.

Another option would be setting up a mesh network.

Wireless mesh network - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I can't give you any more information about setting these up as I've never done it myself, but it gives you somewhere to start using google.

Infact there's software called mesh ap from locustworld - LocustWorld :: The Information Revolution - mesh networking hardware and software

There's an article here: The Open Source WRT54G Story about using a linksys WRT54G and a third party firmware to do things like mesh/WDS, could be something to look at.

Quote:

So the Linksys WRT54G can be loaded with replacement firmware with exciting new features. Which raises the question – like what?

Of course, you can expect most replacement firmware to support the same basic functions Linksys provides out of the box for this wireless router. Often these features will be more stable, in cases where Linksys’ bugs have been fixed by other developers. But that’s not what makes open source firmware so exciting.

The real deal is what the WRT54G can do, with the right replacement firmware, that you’d only expect to find on a commercial-grade router costing several times as much.

You could use the WRT54G as a repeater or a bridge. Create a wireless distribution system (WDS) or a mesh network. Run a VPN server. Or a VoIP server. Or a managed hotspot with a RADIUS server. Manage bandwidth use per protocol. Control traffic shaping. Support IPv6. Boost antenna power. Remotely access router logs. Operate the router as a miniature low-power PC, running a variety of Linux applications.

I hope this helps

el · #7 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 03:47 AM

You could use something the Linksys Linksys WRT54GL Opensorce Wireless Routers flashed with a 3rd party software app like dd-wrt or Sputnik.
networkx.co.nz

timmay805 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-24-2006, 08:19 PM

Thought I would give you the results of what I tried.

I ended up using the WRT54G router. I couldn't flash the dd-wrt firmware on it since it was a v6.

I connected 7 WAP54G access points with static IP's wirelessly to the router. I was able to ping all 7 AP's and the signal strength was fairly good throughout the office.

The problem I am having is after 1 week of working I am losing AP's and I can't reconnect to them. Restarting the modem, router, and AP isn't helping. I even brought the AP's back to the router and hardwired them to check the settings and everything is fine. I can actually connect wirelessly to them when they are in the same room as the router.

The thing that makes it difficult is that the AP's have to go in specific locations. I even tried upgrading the router to the WRT54GX4 only to find out the WAP54G doesn't work wirelessly with any other router besides the WRT54G.

I need to know if I should just replace the whole setup with a Pre-N setup or is there something I can add to the existing setup to strengthen the signal to the AP's? I don't think I need much since it was working before, but I may be wrong.

Also is there a reason why the AP's were working and then some dropped off?

Thanks again for all your help

el · #9 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 03:37 AM

you could try the linksys WRT54GL or other Linksys units that are supported Router flashed with DD-WRT firmware and maybe installing 7dBi antennas on the units might also help News

timmay805 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-25-2006, 11:44 PM

I looked at their website and I don't exactly understand what makes dd-wrt so good. Can you explain the main benefits of having that firmware?

Thanks again.