I need a little advice on a network configuration. Any takers?

[Stinkfinger]

I'm hoping to take a job expanding a network at my friend's business. I'm not an IT professional, but what he wants done falls well within my comfort area. He has some professional IT equipment implemented right now and what I'm wondering is: what's the best way to expand his capabilities.

Here's the equipment that's being used now:

* Westell (not sure what this is) model# D90-28MA200K Rev. B
* Cisco 1721 Router
* Linksys SRW224 24 Port 10/100 +2 port gigabit switch with Webview


His boss wants the new computers hard wired to the switch, and if this is the way he goes he's going to bring in a company to hook it up since I'm really not comfortable with drilling holes in floors, ceilings, and running cable up two floors through walls and such. If I do the job I'll be hooking up the new computers wirelessly and saving them some money. My scenario below assumes he's going to want to go wireless.

The Westell box is where the connection comes into the house and runs into the router and is the only hardware here that I'm not familiar with (I'm guessing its a cable or dsl modem, but I've never seen one under lock and key like this one which leads me to believe it's probably some standard that Nationwide employs across all offices). If anyone can help me out with that one it would be appreciated.

The existing computers in the office are hardwired to the switch and would remain hardwired. What I'd like to do is use a wireless access point and wireless nics to get the new computers on the internet (which is all they want done). Are there any problems I might run into by running the WAP into the Linksys switch? I'm looking to eliminate any pitfalls I can before I agree to take the job if it's offered to me.

Additionally, the guy whose decision it is to go the hardwired or wireless route had a bad experience previously with dropped signals with his wireless setup. If he chooses to go this route, hardware reliability is paramount. What kind of hardware should I use? Let's say I get a Linksys WAP, I'm sure that Linksys wireless nics would be the best option, but would using a different brand result in less stability? Any help you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated to an unemployed nerd looking to make some scratch.

Thanks

 

[spidey07]

NO!

STOP!

Wireless is extremely slow and not the right thing to do here. It is NEVER to be used as a wired replacement in a business environment unless mobility is the primary concern.

-edit-
reread your post. You're in way over your head.

If designed properly a wireless network can be just as reliable as wired (just use a bunch of access points, business class gear and tune their radios accordingly), at the reduction of speed. It's slow. It will depend on what kind of internet connection he has if it will come into effect.

Unless you can properly perform a wireless site survey, guarantee wireless service delivery based upon this survey and design it using best practices........walk away. Because without that, you must do wired.

It also sounds like this is a corporate mandated standard, sticking your fingers into that pie is gonna hurt you from a support perspective.

 

[Stinkfinger]

Originally posted by: spidey07
NO!

STOP!

Wireless is extremely slow and not the right thing to do here. It is NEVER to be used as a wired replacement in a business environment unless mobility is the primary concern.

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not sure that breakneck speed is their main concern. My other concern is that I set it up, and eventually something goes wrong, now I have a client that may be without my services until I get out of work or what have you.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Stinkfinger

Originally posted by: spidey07
NO!

STOP!

Wireless is extremely slow and not the right thing to do here. It is NEVER to be used as a wired replacement in a business environment unless mobility is the primary concern.

I was thinking the same thing, but I'm not sure that breakneck speed is their main concern. My other concern is that I set it up, and eventually something goes wrong, now I have a client that may be without my services until I get out of work or what have you.

Read my edit.

walk away. You aren't saving anybody any money. You are increasing costs and lost productivity.