How Many cable Drops?????

[CISCODISCO]

Hello I know this may be a bit of a daft question.....

 

As part of my college project we have to design a network for a college and the network in question is to include 1 workstation in each 'normal' teaching room.

 

I was wondering how many Ethernet drops real classrooms have and how many you would include for expansion e.t.c

 

Thanks for any comments....

[Soulfish]

Well each vanilla classroom we have is given a minimum of 8 network points. 4 at the front of the room with the IWB, 2 in one of the rear corners (or alternative suitable position for 1/2 PCs or a printer) and 2 in the ceiling near to the projector. This provides us with points for IP Phones, laptops, wireless points, network connected projectors, network printers, the IWB PC and any other devices we may decide should be network connected (door access control being the next big one for us!)

[MatthewL]

We tend to say install at least a double per PC but if its a classroom personally I would say 2 doubles as it will allow for expansion.

[Linfit]

In our new build we have specced a minimum of 6 for each teaching space that does not have fixed computers; one for the teachers PC, one for a phone, and and 2 spare coming down the wall. The other two are in the ceiling void and these end up being used for various things as time goes on - projectors, wireless points stuff like that. Of course if we know there will be a requirement for some fixed curriculum PC's we add those in as well with a couple spare for luck, but the rooms are so small in our new building there is little space for desktops in many of the classrooms - hence the future proofing for wireless.

[plexer]

You trying to get extra credit?

 

If the brief specs 1 per classroom then why go to greater legnths?

 

Ben

[webman]

If the brief specs 1 per classroom then why go to greater legnths?

 

To allow for future expansion? It makes much more sense (from a financial and 'minimal disruption' point of view) to put a reasonable amount of spares in while the job's getting done, to save the extra expense and hassle when X months down the line you need another line in there.

[plexer]

It's a college project i.e paper exercise.

 

Ben

[featured_spectre]

We tend to say install at least a double per PC but if its a classroom personally I would say 2 doubles as it will allow for expansion.

 

 

I echo this. Paper project or not it makes sense.

[Guest Guest]

Na you're all wrong. You put a WAP in the middle of the building and thats it. Wasting tax payers money the lot of ya!

[Mr.Ben]

In my new classrooms I have:

 

1 at door height for wireless

1 in the ceiling for a projector

2 each side of the interactive whiteboard

4 along two sides of the classroom

 

That is 14 in each room. All are accompanied by a double socket.

 

As we are a special school our classrooms need a lot of flexibility, so far it has worked really well. Generally there are only 3 desktops in each room.

 

I don't have the switch capacity to cope with all of these, but only 6 are active in each room. It allows staff to arrange the room to suit the needs of the students.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Mr.Ben

[AngryTechnician]

Na you're all wrong. You put a WAP in the middle of the building and thats it. Wasting tax payers money the lot of ya!

 

Wrong still, all the pupils and staff will be running everything on their phones. No infrastructure needed! I mean what could go wrong, Gmail works fine on my Samsung Omnia on Vodafone...

 

I would also go for 2 double sockets per classroom, one at the front with the projector connections and one near the back.

[maniac]

Our new build specs are 7 per classroom split as 3 high level - 1 for projector and 2 more for possible wireless AP's (to give flexibility on locations for them, not all will be used) then 4 low level - 2 either side of the IWB. 1 will be in use for a fixed teachers PC leaving 3 for other possible equipment. Larger spaces such as science labs have more put in sensible locations around the room - usually 4 or 6 more. To go with every low level network point there's a double power socket - normal configuration is a double network point with a double power socket either side.

 

Fixed ICT areas are mapped out with the standard 7, plus 1 per PC and 6 additional spares in sensible places for printers and other equipment. Offices have 4 points per workstation - this might seem overkill but there's all sorts of office devices that could require a connection and you never quite know where it will all be.

[pete]

New build? 4 drops at teacher's desk (thin client, laptop, $random, $random). 4 drops in diagonally opposite corner. Sufficient ceiling-based points to give decent wireless coverage - where depends on wall & insulation type and neighbouring rooms.

 

Refit of existing build? Depends what the walls are made of (possibly adamantium in some of the older parts of the school) and how documented the service runs are.

[Jamman960]

I've always gone for 2 per classroom but would probably flood wire if we had a new classroom block built. If the specification says 1 pc per classroom I'd allow for 50% expansion(I've always been tought to include 50% as standard) and maybe recommend that due to the changing requirements of schools and colleges that more than 100% expansion could occur in the next 10 years so additional points could be required

[maniac]

I've always gone for 2 per classroom but would probably flood wire if we had a new classroom block built. If the specification says 1 pc per classroom I'd allow for 50% expansion(I've always been tought to include 50% as standard) and maybe recommend that due to the changing requirements of schools and colleges that more than 100% expansion could occur in the next 10 years so additional points could be required

 

I'd love to flood wire our new building, but the reality is under the funding agreement in place we only get to have a certain number of network points in the building (1.6 per student) so we have to be careful where we locate them.

[cpjitservices]

always ALWAYS have room for expansion and little downtime dude as minimal as possible!! In theory,on paper and in real life ALWAYS have extra mae will cost you less in the long run in more ways than one!

[dhicks]

As part of my college project we have to design a network for a college and the network in question is to include 1 workstation in each 'normal' teaching room.

 

From the point of view of expansion, you could always consider where, in future, you might mount a cabinet for a switch if someone suddenly decided they wanted a full suite of PCs in that room. Maybe a network point (or two, or whatever) plus power in one corner of each room, letting you add a wireless access point or a switch cabinet if needed.

[CyberNerd]

From the point of view of expansion, you could always consider where, in future, you might mount a cabinet for a switch if someone suddenly decided they wanted a full suite of PCs in that room. Maybe a network point (or two, or whatever) plus power in one corner of each room, letting you add a wireless access point or a switch cabinet if needed.

 

I wouldn't encourage adding too many cabinets in this way. It would be better to wire in new equipment to as few cabinets as possible, provided the length is 90M or less.

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/networks/71681-how-many-ports-do-you-use.html#post639418

[cpjitservices]

Ethernet all around the rooms, we always have staff and computer rooms changing around for whatever reason to another, helps if everything is already wired up, then in the patch panels just run a cable to the nearest free port on a switch.

[john]

I'm planning on having 6 at all teachers desks (1 for PC, 1 for Phone, 1 for VGA from Projector 6 spare for future use), a double in the ceiling for projector and projector VGA, then a normal classroom should have 3 doubles on each wall spaced in sensible places along with power (assuming its all in Daedo Trunking) this should give scope for moving rooms around. I'd also have a double at the ceiling for Wifi AP, and also potentially ones for speakers as they can be doe over structured cabling now. Whatever you put in will NEVER be enough.