Would my netbook / WAP idea work?

[Koocha]

Hi all

We're looking at getting a set of 32 netbooks all to be used at the same time by a class.

I'm thinking a mobile trolley with a wireless access point on top of it. When the teacher wants the netbooks they can be wheeled into the room and the WAP be plugged into a network socket.

My question is this: Will it work? can a single WAP handle 32 simultaneous connections? We already have wireless around school so what about channels and things? I've seen in other threads about Ruckus - what's that about then?

Any help would be appreciated.

Tim

[CPLTD]

Hi all

We're looking at getting a set of 32 netbooks all to be used at the same time by a class.

I'm thinking a mobile trolley with a wireless access point on top of it. When the teacher wants the netbooks they can be wheeled into the room and the WAP be plugged into a network socket.

My question is this: Will it work? can a single WAP handle 32 simultaneous connections? We already have wireless around school so what about channels and things? I've seen in other threads about Ruckus - what's that about then?

Any help would be appreciated.

Tim

Hiya Tim,

As a Ruckus Big Dog Partner and a Official sponsor of the Edugeek forums we would love the opportunity to help you with not only your netbook choice but also consultation regarding the benefits of Ruckus Managed wireles,
If you would like to pm me your full details I can contact you and discuss your requirements further ,

[tmcd35]

I think Simon as your (expensive) answer. I've run 30 laptops from 1AP before. It's dog slow and logon problems appear after the first 15/20 have connected. Even staggering logons doesn't help to any great degree.

[CPLTD]

I think Simon as your (expensive).

???

[tmcd35]

???

I'm guessing by that that Ruckus is cheaper than I'd imagine

[CPLTD]

I'm guessing by that that Ruckus is cheaper than I'd imagine

it all depends where you buy it fella lol

[nephilim]

Ruckus is very cheap in the long run. And it will easily handle all of your clients, we have had 95 netbooks, 20 laptops and 30 wireless PCs running from 2 AP's before (in close proximity to each other). Worked a charm!

[difinity]

We have several trolleys here, and they all have access points mounted in or on top of them.

The worst idea ever..the cables get damaged and if the laptops try to connect to the access point before it, itself is connected to the network then that causes problems to.

It's not good if the network cable gets pulled out of the trolley half weay through the lesson when kids have work to save either.

We are hoping to remove the access points from all of the trolleys and go for a proper managed system.