WLAN suggestions

[Domino]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking at installing a proper managed WLAN on one of our sites.

 

I really like the look of the bluesocket gear, but am a bit worried about pricing (anyone have any experience, suggestions?), and have looked at the cisco kit but I'm a bit concerned about complexity (do i need a certification for their wireless gear or is that just for their switches etc?)

 

Any help greatly appreciated

[Joedetic]

As an end user of a bluesocket captive portal I can safely say "DON'T GET IT." No one I know that is an end user of it actually likes it.

 

As far as I know the cisco APs are configured using a web interface not an IOS console.

[nicholab]

Aruba networks stuff is supposed to be good or you can get a d-link managed system.

[mattx]

I can vouch for the Aruba stuff.

See thread:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=11808&highlight=aruba

[plexer]

Many options subject been done many times before.

 

Do you have any existing kit you want to incoroporate or will you be buying all new?

 

Have you had a site survey done to decide how many ap's and where to put them?

 

I posted last week about a 3Com managed wireless poe switch that is available.

 

We use HP 420's and Airwaves AMP

 

Ben

[Oops_my_bad]

Yes we use a 3com managed wireless solution (WX4400 switch and 50x POE access points)

[Dos_Box]

3com Has just been brought out y'know. It effectively dead now.

[CyberNerd]

Have a chat with Cherry, they did some cabling for us and were very good. They specialise in wireless.

http://cherrywirelessandcabling.com/default.htm

 

3com Has just been brought out y'know. It effectively dead now.

They may have been bought but are they not trading ?

[Oops_my_bad]

Didn't know they had been bought out 8O Well the system is about 2 years old now so..

[rob.pettit]

Over the last few weeks we have had a managed 3com system installed. We initially has a few issues with the new wireless system but now works like a dream. We've got a wx2200 managed switch and 53 x AP. From the management console we can view all clients connect, kick clients off, block rogue access points, view AP coverage areas, increase AP power and many more features.

 

We previously has 21 x netgear AP's this worked but loads of corrupt profiles!! The 3com equipment manages the connections so no more dropped connections!!! Wireless from one end to another. Great system!!

[john]

3Com have been bought out last week as has been said, I wouldn't expect anything decent from them once it all goes through in the new year.

 

As for manged stuff, Netgear have launched there managed stuff recently, and that looks good stuff.

[Chris_Jones]

Rob, what model were the Netgear AP's and what have you done with them?

[rob.pettit]

We used Netgear Prosafe W102

 

More information below

 

http://www.netgear.com/Products/APsWirelessControllers/AccessPoints/WG102.aspx

 

We have about 15 access points currently sitting in a cupboard!!

 

We moved to a managed wireless system due to joining this laptop scheme...an extra 175 latops wanted to connect!! we found that realistically you can get between 16-19 laptops running off one of these netgear access points.

[plexer]

Why does 3Com being bought out make it dead?

 

Surely the people that bought it haven't done so just to swallow it up and kill unlike some other larger companies do.

 

Ben

[ConTheITGuy]

Dos_Box: What's that stuff in the training room at your place? round the walls - with little antennae on them? Are they wireless APs?

 

 

Andy

[Ric_]

I have a BlueSocket system and it works fine... it is a PITA as an end user if your computer isn't part of a system that allows for transparent authentication but in a domain environment it is fine.

 

I believe that the pricing has increased a bit since I purchased mine but IMHO the model is better than that of others because there is no concept of client licenses or separate modules for this that and the other.

 

IIRC the 3COM gear is/was Aruba hardware rebadged (the reason that I didn't go for it). 3COM are not going bust but have been bought by some investment company to become a private company rather than a public one... they sent me a lovely email for some reason :?

[bew79]

jumping in a bit late here but anyway. we are looking at implementing a managed wlan solution using hp procurve gear. the bit that gets me concerned is the config of the laptops. we'll have about half that are school owned so we can control the setup. but the other half will be student/staff personal laptops. how's the best way to manage the wlan settings on the laptops, i can see us setting it up, the user going home to their wlan and then the next day us having to reset their settings at school again. is there software that people recommend to do this?

 

thanks.

[m25man]

You simply let them find your ssid and allow them to attach using the authentication method of your chosen managed system just as they have always done prior to the managed wifi.

 

The management system will simply let you choose if you let them on or not!

[bew79]

ok so the hp procurve management software should provide the authentication for the clients also? sorry for my ignorance we've only just starting to investigate the rollout of wlan across the campus and i want to sort out each stage of the project so we don't end up with nasty surprises. i thought we may need third party software on the client laptops that we would use to setup and manage the laptops wlan settings.