As part of our technology plan for the next few years, I've taken the task of implementing wireless technology to our school to broaden our education needs. Looking for some help or advice from people in the education system first that understands our situation. Talking to vendors, they will just try to take as money from us as they can. We have a 3k budget for this. I've setup small home wireless networks but I know with this project, it's going to require a more secure and managable system.
Site Overview: Already an existing LAN system with firewall/AD/exchange/file servers so the wireless will just be an integration. Location is approximately 210ft x 75ft. Plan is to cut the school into three zones (70ftx75 per zone). There is an upper and lower floor per zone. There are a mixture of concrete and dry wall throughout the building. Depending on how strong the wireless router is, I plan to put one or two AP per zone.
These are some of the things I've figure out from research below that I'd like.
AP requirement:
1. Wireless N, G, B compatibility
2. Level of setup: moderate as I'm planning on researching and doing it myself.
3. POE if available
4. Seamless roaming through different APs
5. VLAN to separate internal network. Guest account capabilities. (Multiple profiles: student, staff, admins, contractors)
6. Need Wireless Access controller to maintain all APs
7. dual band.
8. gigabyte APs
I've looked at the HP ProCurve brand but it seems to be way out of the budget. I've also look at the Cisco WAP4400N and it seems to be what i'm leaning towards (can't seem to find a controller to match with it). Are there they other products that you guys have used that has worked really well. What is reasonable with my budget?
Any help or input would be appreciated.
Thanks,
KY