Wireless Network Survey and Proposal
Brookfield Primary School
Swindon
Client’s Requirement:
To update wireless system to ensure that a set of class laptops (30) would be able to be used simultaneously as well as Staff laptops totaling 14.
Site Overview:
The site is split into two major buildings, plus two further ‘temporary’ classrooms housed in Portakabins. The cabling infrastructure has recently been upgraded and this has significantly improved the speed of the connection between the two buildings although the layout is unusual in that it was originally a daisy chain configuration with numerous CAT5 patch panels and single 100MB/s switches around the two building. Traditionally it would have been logical to have just the two data cabinets, one per building. Therefore we understand the infrastructure costs may be slightly higher as a result of the increased number of CAT5 ‘shelves’ and switches around the school buildings.
The wireless system currently installed in the school amounts to a small number of poorly located and slow ‘domestic grade’ Netgear access points on 2.4GHz only.
General Observations / comments:
A full wireless signals survey has been performed and substantial number of interfering signals on 2.4GHz was observed. These strong signals were traced to every burglar alarm motion sensor located in each of the classrooms radiating on various channels between Channels 5 and 10 of the 2.4GHz 802.11b/g radio bands. We have been advised that this therefore reduces the ability for any wireless solution to operate on this frequency band with any reliability Operation on 5.6GHz is unlikely to be a problem as
no interference was observed operating on this band.
There is plenty of room in the various data cabinets for the extra equipment required and by replacing the existing old slow switches installed in the shelves around the school.
Some classrooms will require the use of ‘splitters’ on the CAT5 faceplates to
accommodate the new wireless solution, as there is a lack of free available network sockets and in this way, a significant saving in labour costs is achieved, as no new data sockets are required to be installed to provide the fixed wired infrastructure for the new wireless system.
Due to the nature of the slow build up of the wireless usage over the next few years, the proposal needs to use a wireless system that can be upgraded and added onto as required without having to significantly replace any of the items already installed. Therefore providing a long term cost saving.
1. Wireless Network Requirements
To supply, configure and install a Netgear Wireless System using 15
brand new Triple Mode, Dual band, metal cased, plenum rated, Netgear
WAG102 Wireless Access Points in all the Bottom building classrooms, Year 3 Mobile, Old Library, Bottom Assembly Hall, all the Top building classrooms,
Library, Top Hall and Staff Room.
•The new WAPs will be powered via the CAT5e cabling from new 24 port
Switches (with 12 ports PoE and 1GB/s ports) to be installed into the three main data cabinets and shelves around the school and a limited number of PoE Injectors where it is not practicable or cost effective to use a PoE switch.
All WAPs will be configured and installed so that they provide the optimum wireless signal at the time of installation, taking into account, where possible, the interference from the motion sensors on 2.4GHz. A comprehensive radio survey will be taken immediately after installation to show that all the above teaching areas are covered with a wireless signal of sufficient strength, quality and bandwidth to support multiple logons in any one confined area on the 5.6GHz 802.11a Wireless Radio Band.
The WAPs used will be compliant with all relevant current wireless and networking standards, such as 802.11a/af/b/g/x and have an inbuilt RF Management system where they will automatically optimize the wireless network environment by continuously reducing signal power levels and changing radio channels to minimise interference and thus provide an optimum service to the client PCs.
All WAPs and antennae fitted will be installed and configured to ensure full compliance with all appropriate United Kingdom legislation, especially with regard to the European R&TTE Directive and Ofcom Interface Requirements IR2005 and IR2006.
Wherever possible, all WAPs will be installed at a height that will discourage
physical access by both children and adult staff. Typically at 2.0 metres.
Wherever possible PoE will be utilised thus reducing the opportunity for anyone accidentally switching off any WAPs.
2. Wireless Security
It is proposed that the system will be so configured with a high level of data
encryption, dynamic signal levels and placement of each WAP as to make it
difficult for any unauthorised access into the existing data network, especially from outside of the school grounds. Making unauthorised access completely
impossible cannot be guaranteed, however it is as secure as it can be, using
current technology and industry standard methods to secure the network without the addition of any further server based equipment which would significantly increase the costs and be difficult to justify for this proposal.
Labelling
All new equipment will be labelled to aid future diagnostics by Technical staff.
Electrical Safety
No changes to the existing site’s electrical wiring will need to be made.