Multiple Laptops Wireless Config

[jackvine]

Hi Im working in a primary school that has over 60 laptops on the network and they are all using open directory, When the staff computer are on there is not a problem, but when the childrens ones are on there are always issues login in 30 laptops in one class at a time.

We have airport extremes in all the classrooms but there still seems to be a issue when they all try to log on.

What do other schools do with this many macbooks and do they all use open directory or log them on as local users?

[fedora_explorer]

If they are all using the nearest AP to log on it could be the AP which is struggling under the amount of traffic. Not sure of a good way to test if this is the problem other than to either put more than one AP in the classroom to see if things improve or to test 15 in one room and 15 in another, at the same time and see if the same problems occur.

 

We used to have 30 macbooks which authenticated against AD rather than OD. We only had 6 access points across the entire school ( primary school ) and they all worked without a fault

[jackvine]

thanks for the reply, I do think its just the number of laptops that we are using in one location as we never used to have a problem!

Im trying to convince the teacher to try 15 at a time just to see if its better!

 

I did speak to someone previously about it and they said that they had 2 APs per room, but its a bit impractical in this school due to not enough network wiring!

[fedora_explorer]

We have similar problems. THere is only just enough network sockets for the amount of computers they have. To add the access points we had to add small switches to allow.

 

I think you're right, I think it's the AP's that are causing the bottle neck. Which would explain why it's ok for staff but now when a class load log in. One option, although again not sure how practical in your situation, is to purchase a more beefy AP and have it with the trolley and then plug the trolley into the network. This is a problem though if you're running low on free network sockets

[TechSupp]

Why not put a small switch on to the cabinet and have both AP's on the trolley? Thats what we have at the moment but we are looking to go down the Ruckus route.

[jackvine]

I think thats still going to cause a bottle neck as you need 2 full speed lans to the switch really !

I just wonder if open directory is a good idea with so many wireless laptops.

Anyone tried mobile accounts?