Wireless solution, ideas, tips for pre-school area

[Attic]

Two buildings, left and right, with playground between and extending out. Wifi access is needed as far as corner of room 8 and wifi is going to be used for sending videos as well as email. Router is in room 3 and a hardline exists to room 2 where I have the "X" as proposed spot for wireless AP that will connect to hardline. If that's a desirable spot does it matter if AP is placed high (near cieling) or medium (on desk) for coverage spread? It will be close to a window.

No Ethernet runs exist to the building on the right.





Previously a wifi AP in the "X" spot didn't extend coverage well enough.

Any reccomendations for a good AP to put there. Is apple airport extreme a solution? Should I put a second one in room 6 or 7? and if so what's a good extender that will grab wifi and spit out a bubble with simple to use and adminster solution. Total network devices will be <50.

I need something that existing teachers can use and that won't require advanced tech skills, I'd like 1 wireless network name (2.4 and 5ghz band fine but I don't want more that 2 wireless SSID's for teachers to have to mess with). If things drop there will be no Tech on site, i'd like the drops either mitigated or easy to reset.

Will be very price concious for hardware, best case get solution done and setup for under $300. But a priority above cost is great coverage and simple to use and minimal wifi drops due to hardware.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

You're going to need to run some wires.

Those are fairly small classrooms, but I would probably want a WAP in 3, 1, and 7. (Your router may already have an antennae?) It depends on the materials used in construction, as well as the number of devices attempting to connect. But if you can't get a signal 70 feet from 3 to 8 as it is, there's probably interference from another source.

You can run conduit underground to the other building easily enough, and then run cabling through the ceiling, probably (depending on construction style) but that's going to be your main expense. Ethernet allows up to 300 feet between devices. Make sure you get it below the frost line or use flexible conduit with plenty of slack. (Like for a sprinkler system)

I would expect that one of the dads probably has a hose digger in his garage. Calls for volunteers are often successful.

Once that's done, you can use any old $20-$50 WiFi router in bridge or WAP-only mode to broadcast a signal. Set them all to the same SSID and the computers should figure out the rest. I wouldn't spend the extra money on Apple hardware for this. It's nice enough, but you're not using most of the features you might benefit from.

 

[Attic]

Agree regarding apple device, overkill and way to expensive.

So in your solution all the hardware responsible for spitting out wireless bubbles would be connected via hardline back to room 3? At that point just setting the hardware to same SSID and using same encryption and password should create a solid roaming network for this area?

Yes room 3 has wifi from the router.

Running line to the building on the right presents issue because I don't have it shown, but there is parking lot in the corner and cement between these buildings. Getting underneath with conduit may be difficult. Is going with wifi repeater in building on right vs hardline to building 2 present any other issues beyond possible material interferance in walls? I hear mixed results from WDS bridging, but may good option here.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Agree regarding apple device, overkill and way to expensive.

So in your solution all the hardware responsible for spitting out wireless bubbles would be connected via hardline back to room 3? At that point just setting the hardware to same SSID and using same encryption and password should create a solid roaming network for this area?

Correct!

Yes room 3 has wifi from the router.

Excellent.

Running line to the building on the right presents issue because I don't have it shown, but there is parking lot in the corner and cement between these buildings. Getting underneath with conduit may be difficult. Is going with wifi repeater in building on right vs hardline to building 2 present any other issues beyond possible material interferance in walls? I hear mixed results from WDS bridging, but may good option here.

***hiss***

Yeah, using repeaters isn't great - if nothing else, it kills your throughput. Assuming they work right.

Here's an article about them. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/

I suppose your alternative is just to get a really, really, awesome-sauce WiFi WAP in room 2/3. Depending on what base station you're using, that might be enough.

I would also forget about 5GHz for now. It's faster, but it's short-range.

If any of the parents mention that they work in construction, ask if they have a minute to offer an opinion. Keep thoughts in the back of your head. Copper wires are preferable, when possible.

 

[Attic]

Correct!

Excellent.

***hiss***

Yeah, using repeaters isn't great - if nothing else, it kills your throughput. Assuming they work right.

Here's an article about them. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/

I suppose your alternative is just to get a really, really, awesome-sauce WiFi WAP in room 2/3. Depending on what base station you're using, that might be enough.

I would also forget about 5GHz for now. It's faster, but it's short-range.

If any of the parents mention that they work in construction, ask if they have a minute to offer an opinion. Keep thoughts in the back of your head. Copper wires are preferable, when possible.

Got it. I'll get in touch with some construction guys in that area, good community here.

I'm considering Amped wireless hardware.

Powerline networking offer anything? I looked at that while I was there, but noted there were separate breaker boxes for each building.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Got it. I'll get in touch with some construction guys in that area, good community here.

I'm considering Amped wireless hardware.

Powerline networking offer anything? I looked at that while I was there, but noted there were separate breaker boxes for each building.

Powerline networking probably wouldn't work with separate breaker boxes. I tried it once a long time ago and was unimpressed, haven't kept up with it.

I suppose it's cheap - you could try it and return the equipment if it's a no-go.

 

[azazel1024]

Correct!

Excellent.

***hiss***

Yeah, using repeaters isn't great - if nothing else, it kills your throughput. Assuming they work right.

Here's an article about them. http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-wi-fi-extender/

I suppose your alternative is just to get a really, really, awesome-sauce WiFi WAP in room 2/3. Depending on what base station you're using, that might be enough.

I would also forget about 5GHz for now. It's faster, but it's short-range.

If any of the parents mention that they work in construction, ask if they have a minute to offer an opinion. Keep thoughts in the back of your head. Copper wires are preferable, when possible.

No get a couple of inexpensive Wifi bridges. Setup one on the building with Wifi running a wire to it, then setup the other one on the other building with a wire running in. Just check somewhere like Amazon, you can get a couple of N300 Engenius outdoor wireless bridges for ~$50 each. Stick them both on a channel not used by the access point(s) used inside each building and you are golden.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Oh, so it's more like a point-to-point link, rather than a repeater?

Yeah, I could see that working.

 

[azazel1024]

Yup. http://www.amazon.com/EnGenius-Techn...eywords=enh202

A couple of those set in 20MHz on channel 1 say, and the actual access points used to connect to the wireless network set on channel 7+11 40MHz mode, or else set seperately on channels 6 and 11 to keep congestion down and you are golden.