Wireless ... Give me your brains

[Ric_]

@Russdev: What do you propose to run on the Linux box? Have you found a combination of packages that will go some way towards mimicing a bluesocket box?

[Rozzer]

We have only just gone to wireless and its been nothing but hell. Just one access point in a room and it just is causing us hell.

 

We are near the point of saying we don't want wireless at all.

 

I say stick with good old data points

 

Ross

[Geoff]

What do you propose to run on the Linux box?

 

He's probably talking about HostAPd

[nuttygeek]

@ theshirt, ok you are the exception to my rule with regards the Usb mouse. Well done indeed.

 

@everyone I dident know about the becta recommendation of 50% but we have 95% coverage although it doesent replace wired it just gives a connection in areas that its 2 expensive or difficult to wire, for example we have a remote build that we would have to put fibre into for 5 machines so we used 2 AP's in bridge mode which gives us our connection in there and with excellent results all for under £600. I would never replace wired with wireless but wireless is good for giving access everywhere. We have found that with are trolley of 32 laptops that we get a max of 15 client to an AP. So in my view wireless has its uses but is still a new technology that has its issues.

 

Nuttygeek

[Netman]

What wireless APs are you guys using? I'll be needing some decent ones this year - any suggestions?

 

Ta!

[nuttygeek]

Hp procurve kit, if you can afford it get it is the best kit for money out there (HP procurve 420)or go with linksys as its a cheap version of cisco systems kit (WAP54G-UK)great AP.

 

We also use 3com kit which is cheap and cheerful but does the job

 

Nuttygeek

[barryfl]

We are very near the end of the installation of our site wide wireless network. The company that did it for us are one of the best companys i have ever had to work with (AVC) If you need details let me know. The consultants are very much in the know and have been there everytime we have just a slight problem.

 

They recommended the kit that we are using (Senco AP's and Cisco Cards) works a dream and allows us to do SIMS.NET registration over wireless for over 170 laptops. All secure. All stable (Well as close as you can get) Its been a fun project even though i wasn't involved from the very start

 

Barry

[SpuffMonkey]

allows us to do SIMS.NET registration over wireless for over 170 laptops.

 

Is that Bromcom issue sorted now then??

[barryfl]

mmm Bromcom? Googling that brings up a supplier of a MIS solution but not the one we use, SIMS.NET is a Capita Product. Forgive me if this is not what you mean.

 

Baz

[GrumbleDook]

The issue was that Bromcom supposedly had a patent for electronic registration over a wireless network.

 

The legal case of the Govt vs Bromcom was hailed as a success on both sides ... Bromcom reckon that it asserted their right to say that the patent is theirs but the DfES have marked it as a success for opening up electronic registration. I have yet to find someone that can work out who won.

 

Needless to say there are a few products now the do electronic registration over a network, including wirelessly, and I have yet to hear of them being taken to court.

[barryfl]

Oh i see. Well as far as im aware Capita do a lot of business with schools in our LEA and in fact all over the country and ive never heard of them being taken to court. Mind you haven't really been in this game long enough to know about the legal case of the Govt vs Bromcom. How could they patient something like that all it is a relational database pretty user frontend that communicates using bulk standard TCP/IP, Its not like they have developed anything new, Just something compatiable.

 

Baz

[E1uSiV3]

Concerning the Bromcom vs the DfES issue, our LEA sent out a note basically saying ignore Bromcom and just do it anyway...