Kipling

Wireless N can only achieve speeds of 300Mbps by using channel bonding, and more often than not if you have two or more access points close together you wont be able to channel bond. You can expect a speed of about 120Mbps throughput so the cable won’t be much of a bottleneck (at this stage). However like CraigP says if you think you’ll start to provide wireless in other areas (and that does have a tendency to happen once its in one area) its probably worth looking at a managed solution early.

I like the idea of using the event logs, that’s a blinder of an idea; you could effectively eliminate any client logging requirements. Are logon/off events logged with the computername information? For polling (serverside), all I currently do (in batch) is query any client that has an active open logon (that is to say – has a record in the share) to discover who (if anyone) is currently logged on. If the records match then all is well in the world. If not, I assume an orphaned file and delete it. I only check every 20 minutes, which means anyone who suffered a crash can a) log straight back on to the same PC, or b) wait a maximum of 20 minutes before logging on somewhere else. My logic was that 20 minutes would be long enough to be a punishment and short enough to make if not worth while tracking me down. So to pin those together maybe two timers one faster one taking care of forcing logoffs when multiple logons are detected (actuallt I’d hazard a guess that eventlog events probably trigger a hook-able event), and a second slower timer taking care of orphans. The whole thing could be totally server side then? It feels like a very elegant solution is bubbling to the surface in this thread.

In a sense that’s what my third script does; it checks periodically that the records are a true reflection of who is actually logged on. Though I agree a service would be nicer.

I had a stab at limiting logon sessions last half term and fixed the problem of crashed PCs leaving orphaned files behind (using a third script). I put the idea on the back burner and didn’t end up using it (fully) so it hasn’t be thoroughly tested in anger. It’s not based on those scripts but pretty much the same concept; I’ll tidy them up a bit and post them tomorrow if I get half an hour.

Does anyone have any experience with the Canon PIXMA iX7000? I’d rather not use an inkjet but this printer does claim to handle 300gsm (using cannon special media, whatever that may be)

Thanks yes, printing to our main colour copier is the current backup plan; which works well (up to 300gsm). The copier however is in another block across the school, so not ideal long term. I was hoping to avoid having to get another copier lease but from my research it's looking like it might have to be that way. Also toying with trying an inkjet but would rather not.

Hi all. Printing problems… Our DT department are having a lot of problems printing onto A3 heavy card (which they later cut up on a camm1 and fold into little boxes). They currently use an oki A3 laser, which doesn’t handle the 280gsm paper well (if at all). I’ve tried the obvious suggestion of using a slightly lighter paper – it just falls on deaf ears. Does anyone have any success stories with a particular printer or can suggest a printer that will handle 280gsm card without a hitch? Thanks.

Hi, Just to clarify; you have changed all the various address without any problems until you changed the address on one particular switch? And now you have no internet access (from either the admin or the curriculum vlans) but you can still logon to the domain? If so, maybe you’ve upset the default gateway on the clients (probably issued from the dhcp), was pointing to the original address of the switch you changed?

The best thing you can have in your favour is an officially licensed dropped curb. If you’ve got that then it’s my understanding that you have a legal right to be able to use it to exit your property. The PNLD is typically vague. https://www.askthe.police.uk/Content/Q440.htm

We’ve been running 64bit 2008 for a while now and have never really had a problem. Almost all our servers are virtual (running under hyper-V) with most of the virtual servers being 64bit too. The only two problems I can remember having were with installing sims, and with printer drivers (the print server is now happily running back as 32bit).

I don’t think there’s ever been just one stig, he’ll have been played by a plethora of drivers. I think that was the whole idea of him being a mystery in the first place. He’s the TV version of old Lloyd Mangram

Thanks, Yeah the DHCP for all vlans is server 2008, although we had the same problem last year before we upgraded to 2008 (it was a 2003 dhcp back then). Not sure I follow that; the vlan is set by the IAS before the DHCP discover is broadcast by the client so it shouldn’t ever change. You think it might be changing, causing the dhcp to send a nak and causing the client to start the whole dhcp discover again?

Hi all, I’m looking for some help with a slow DHCP problem. We’re using mac-based authentication, procurve switches and IAS. 30 vlans dynamically allocated, the 30 subnets managed by server 2008 DHCP. Everything works fine except DHCP is slow, not hideously slow, but can be 10 to 30 seconds or so. This was never a real problem and got put on the back burner; but we’re now running a few thin clients which ask for an address twice during boot (one for pxe, one for the thinclient os) and so its time to pin it down. In a nut shell, If a machine is put in a vlan dynamically then DCHP is slow. If the same machine is forced (port untagged) into a vlan then DHCP works as it should. IAS validates the machines immediately so the delay isn’t there (dhcp is slow even if I randomly /release /renew after a while). There’s nothing obvious shouting out of the DHCP logs – though I haven’t been through them with a fine tooth comb. I’ve had a Google around and nothing stands out. DMcCoy, I think we have a similar setup to you; did you experience anything like this? Anyone got any ideas? Edit: just found a slightly later firmware for the 2626’s (the changes log doesn’t mention fixing a dhcp problem but you never know…), I'll try that on monday...

If you can do without the ports you could give these a try USB Port Blocker - Pack of 4

I see, that makes more sense. But then it becomes a futile regulation really; there’s no real onus on the producers as they can simply price themselves out of the game so it becomes your own problem again. Luckily private firms fill the gap.

My thoughts exactly, it’s flannel. Imagine trying to convince Acorn-computing that they have to come and collect that old BBC that you’ve found at the back of a cupboard in the admin office! It’s ridiculous.

Got this emailed through a while ago... ------------ Disposal of Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment – The WEEE Regulations If you bought equipment before 13 August 2005, and are going to replace it with new equipment then the producer of the new equipment is responsible for the collection, treatment and recycling of the old equipment, regardless of whether they were the original manufacturer. If you bought the equipment before 13 August 2005 and are not replacing it, then you are responsible for financing and arranging treatment in accordance with the WEEE regulations and existing waste management legislation. If you bought the equipment after 13 August 2005, then the producer of the equipment is responsible for its collection, treatment and recycling when you eventually dispose of it, regardless of whether it is being replaced or not. ------------

Just a comment on RMones… We don’t get much vandalism in the school – a few mice here and there and the 6th form have their fun with the PS2 pins. However, we’ve got a room full of RMones and at least half of them now have completely useless USB ports; all physically damaged just by daily use. On a side note, they have also been technically inferior to our other PCs, with a higher percentage of hardware failures. I certainly won’t be buying any more.

Personally I’d say wait. It’s impossible to gauge how your letter will be taken, so to boil it down... 1: Sending a letter after you know the outcome can only be a good thing, it can’t do any harm. 2: Sending the letter before you know the outcome could do some good or could do some harm (although the chance of harm is very slim). So… Option 1 = all good, Option 2 = not all good. I’d say wait until you know the outcome.

I couldn’t agree more. Thank you Michael, We’ve been using the packs here for a little while now and they are a real time saver; but more importantly - they just work, simple clean and consistent.

I use the Microsoft tool IfMember.exe within my logon scripts to check group membership and act accordingly. It’s very useful when installing printers or displaying the correct AUP etc.

I’ve just done a few timings, might be interesting to anyone considering wireless. Single machine test: Config Wired: cabled to HP switch at 100Mbs, no other traffic on switch. A single laptop domain logon when connected via cable averages at 11.378 seconds (average of 5 consecutive logons with 5 newly created users all with same mandatory profile) Config Wireless: ‘g’ laptop connected to a ruckus ‘n’ AP. AP connected to same HP switch as wired tests. A single laptop domain logon over wireless (with no other wireless traffic) averages at 16.58 seconds (again average of 5 consecutive logons with 5 newly created users all with same mandatory profile) Group test (16 laptops): Config wireless: wireless ‘g’ laptops connected to a single Ruckus wireless ‘n’ AP. Laptops position at a distance giving an average signal strength of 20% 16 laptops all logging on simultaneously with a newly created user averages at 246.5 seconds (just over 4 minutes) (average of 2 constitutive logons with 2 newly created users both with same mandatory profile) A bit of maths… Average Megabytes transmitted during logon (including protocol overhead and retries) was 368.24 Megabytes. average time of logon was 246.5 seconds Megabytes per second = 368.24MBs / 246.5s = 1.49 Megabytes per second. 1.49 Megabytes per second = an average throughput of 11.92 Megabits per second. There’s play in all those figures – it was me with a stop watch Hope that’s useful to someone…

We use Ruckus and authenticate using 802.1x and a radius server, but you can pretty much authenticate anyway at all, you can simply have it open or use a pre-shared-key or you can use a PSK manager built in the zone controller. Or any combination of all.

I bought a Ruckus system over summer, didn’t have time to trial them first but read everything about them on here and to be honest there was no competition. Having got the kit all I can say is its amazing, it just works faultlessly. If I were Ruckus I’d be kicking myself for not pitching it in a higher price bracket. If you go for a 6 access point zone-controller and the ‘G’ access points you’ll have change out of your 2k (If you go for the ‘N’ APs they are about £140 a point more than the ‘G’) I’ve never used the D-links so can’t compare them but in real use 10 laptops on one AP ‘feels’ much the same as being cabled at logon, and in daily use we have around 30 laptops mostly hitting one or two APs (depending on which classroom they are in) and its perfectly useable. You’ve got me curious about the actual logon speeds now – if I get chance I’ll do a few timings on Monday and let you know. Net-Ctrl are the people to deal with for Ruckus, we dealt with Tony Pullon. They couldn’t have been more helpful.

This is the PDF they emailed to me explaining their current trading “style”. letter.pdf