Outpost

Hi, I keep getting asked numerous times from staff/Heads about accessing school networks from home. CLEO is our provider and they have said that technicians may be able to VPN by Easter but certainly not staff. I understand the security risks but isn't it common practice in business?? I just wondered if this is common around the country or do some schools/colleges etc have access from home. GT

Unfortunately I have had no information about the meeting which must have been planned for some time, I don't even know where it is. I'm surprised by the CLEO tech as well for not letting me know (governer at one of the schools) Perhaps they know best

The Primary schools have no Managed Network, they are not tied to the secondary school in any way apart from exporting kids. It was an act of goodwill from the secondary and pressure from the primarys to have me look after them.

Hi, I've just been informed by my Network manager that there is a meeting with CLEO, Dell and the heads of primary schools that I look after on the 26th Jan. Apparently Dell would like to put in place a Network Management system for my primary schools, similar to RM and others but much cheaper and without being tied in (Allegedly) CLEO are pushing video conferencing :?: :?: Whats really peeved me off is that I'm not invited, so I have no input or can give any guidance. I will be told what I need to know! I suspect there are politics involved. Interestingly my employers are a secondary school using RM. 8O Has anyone else had Dell doing a trial network system.

Thanks for the info I didn't realize they were so troublesome! I have upgraded the firmware already. Luckily it wasn't me that put them in Many thanks

Hi there, In this problamatic school there are 3 D-Link 2100+AP's. They have different SSID's and are transmitting on channel 1,3,6 (ah should be 1,6,11 will change that on Monday), they are solely used as Accees points but every so often they stop transmitting. Its as if they crash and the only way to get them operational is to power them off and back on again. You can't even browse to them once they crash they are completely dead but lights are on and blinking. This can occur after 10 minutes or 6 hours, its completely random as far as I can tell and it happens to all AP's at different times. Assuming it isn't the small gap between channels I'm stumped, I don't think its interference from outside as just down the road I set up a wireless network a month ago with no problems (yet). Any help please would be a god send.

Hi, Self study is definately the way to go. The Mike meyers books are great but you will need to buy a few others (like from Sybex) as one book never covers all the topics. Be prepared for the exams as you will come across material you will have never heard of. But study well and with experience on hand you will pass. I found the A+ harder then the Network+ personally. I paid £100 each for the A+ OS and Core then another £100 for the Network+. Try http://www.examnotes.com/ there is a tremendous amount of help there, ignore the braindumps you won't need them anyway. Good luck

Ric CLEO absolutely hate it!! But they have done it for a nearby secondary school, so what goes for one must go for all? It took the school and RM some years I believe to get the go ahead with constant badgering, but credit to them its now up and running and from what I've seen works really well. I think you're absolutely right on this and I will look around, thanks to this board I have now other options to look at.

Fantasic feedback, thanks everyone!! I have seen a RM managed network in action and was quite impressed by it and it still seems to be ticking over quite well but I do have my reservations. The cost which I'm told would be mega high and the primarys just can't afford that luxury. Luxury I feel is a good word for the whole idea, yea its great but is it really that necessary, I don't feel it is. Then of course you are tied to RM and its way of doing things, whose to say a better cheaper solution isn't round the corner. It could be out of my hands, the powers at be may try and push it through but I think I have gained the trust of the primarys and feel sure they would listen to my thoughts and act on them. I'll stay on the fence for now and watch closely. Thanks again everyone

I must admit some of their systems are pricey from what I've seen but also they can be competitive ie mini macs for £264 ex vat. I gather its the tech support that cripples? GT

Ok Thanks Here you go http://www.realpopup.it/ Its only for LAN purposes as its unsecure but teachers found it a useful way to contact staff instead of walking to the other side of the school but the systems need to up and running. Downright lazy really. GT

Hi, Terrific site, well done (read PC Pro) I have recently started a job based at a secondary school but I am employed soley to look after 10 primaries in the area. 8O Until just a few weeks ago I have never heard of RM. On my second day I was taken to a RM seminar and shown the wonders of their products. I have also visited a neighbouring? secondary school that has a RM managed network that extends to its primaries, basically the schools are just one WAN. This is the route my secondary school would like to take as they are heavily into RM using CC3. Although I am based at the secondary my commitment is to the primarys and I would love to here comments or opinions on RM. Some of the primarys have been stung in the past so I want to tread carefully and do the best for them. My apologies if I should have posted this elsewhere, I know there are other posts in this forum on RM but they are mostly old and I didn't want this to be missed. Regards GT

I have dealt with Novatech in my previous job and they were excellent. Fast service, very helpful and great with returned goods, can be a bitch to get them on the phone sometimes. GT

Been testing RealPopUp seems to work well. GT