A Toughbook Learning Lab - Analysis Wanted

I have a project in the final stages, and was wondering if anyone here would take a look at it and tell me what I’m missing or forgetting. I freely admit I’m no network engineer and have only a basic knowledge of network hardware.

As this will be our first full functioning learning lab, I’m afraid I might miss something.

If I do, there wont be a quick trip to a Best Buy or CompUSA, as we’re building it an hour outside the capital of El. Salvador, so I need to get it right the first time. I also need to prestage the components.

I’ve come to realize there are some very smart cookies on the forum and I’m looking for some collective brainpower here.

We are building a computer-learning lab at an orphanage. It will be housed in an existing classroom, one that was prepared by other volunteers years ago, a group that put new outlets and CAT5 cable in the floor (15-17 outlets) but never returned to build the tables or deliver the computers. The room dimensionally is 18’ wide by 26’ long.

We are going to build three computer tables out of wood, each about 11’ by 2’, then complete the wiring, and set up the lab. They will use chairs from the library.

To accomplish this we are using the following:

Twelve (12) surplus CF-28 Toughbooks, a mix of 800mhz and 1000mhz units, loaded with Windows XP sp3, (in Spanish) Office 03, and free learning software from Cnet. They’ll run off the power supplies plugged into the outlets, though most will have batteries. Each will also have an external mouse attached.

I’ll take a box of the RJ45 plugs to attach to the bare wires in the floor, the ones that will plug into the CF-28’s. (I still need to order these, so if you know a vendor, please let me know)

The other end of all the individual cables exit from a hole in the corner of the classroom.

We have several different surplus router devices, so I’ll connect the bare wires to:

A Panduit T568A data-patch cat5 48 port patch panel, overkill but all I have.

I’ll then use the small cat5 cables out of the patch panel to a multi port Ethernet switch.

I have several from a realty that downsized and not sure which one I should use. I have the following:

1. HP Procurve switch 2626
2. SMC EZ Switch 10/100 1024DT (I have three of these)
3. D-Link DSS-24 10/100 Fast Ethernet Switch
4. Linksys EF4124 24 port 10/100 Ethernet switch

The Ethernet switch will plug into a wireless device of some type, and I’m leaning towards two of Engenius wireless access points.

The only Internet at the orphanage is a cable modem that comes into the main office, and it’s one building and several concrete walls away. My thought was to hook into the cable modem using a small four-port switch, and run the cable through a hole next to the office window, and then outside to the hallway, were we’ll mount one of the Engenius outdoor wireless devices, like the EOC-5610. It’s the big white one that has the 600mw card. We would then mount an identical EOC-5610 outside the window of the classroom, a short distance away but if mounted outside, it wont have walls in between them. We’ll then cable in through a hole by the window and into the Ethernet switch.

Unless I’ve missed something, this should give the lab computers access to the Internet.

Our next step is going to be hooking up a ceiling mounted digital projector, a home theater speaker set, some type of Internet camera, microphone, and mounting a screen on the far wall.

We are going to create a classroom that they can use for live Internet conferencing or watch educational videos over the net. With Skype or something similar, they’ll be able to log on and interactively participate in classes taught by our volunteers back at home, or anywhere in the world.

I estimated a decent projector could be had for under a $1,000. a set of home theater speakers for $200. the camera for less than $200, the microphone for $50, and the mounting screen, either material and a wood frame or just paint one on the wall.

If anyone has any experience with these items or recommendations for what projector, net camera, microphone, speakers, etc, please let me know, as I have to get them very soon. We only have a little money for this, so quality but affordable would be high on the list.

I figured on using another donated laptop, a nice Dell E1405, as the connection point and server of sorts for the projector and Internet for the live classroom. With its dvd player, the room could double as a movie theater, small, but then its better than what they have which is nothing.

SO WHAT AM I MISSING OR FAILING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

 

i have set up a few corporate enviroments with roof mounted projectors and HD web cams and 50+ inch pasma for monitors. The roof mount can be a little pricey along with the extended cable to run from your computer up the wall and through the roof. there are some VGA to cat5 converters that make cabling easier but they can get expensive too. The last roof mounted projector i did was an LG an i pu tthe roof mount together at home depot and was made out of a shower flange and 3 inch pipe. it sounds redneck but actually turned out really nice and costs less than 20 bucks. Since your going across skype i think you will just be using basic web cams and computer mikes since they dont allot huge amounts of bandwidth to carry the data. Unless you are trying to build a true theatre you can just use cheaper home speakers or book shelf speakers for sound. How clean is the power there? are there spikes and brownouts? The projectors can be really sensitive and a power loss while the bulbs are hot can cost you a replacement bulb ($200-$500)

 

WO, WO WO WO! First of all, I'm an EXPERT in networking and The first issue here is that you don't have a router! YOU NEED A ROUTER! I would recomend a Netgear VPN router (They are new for about $75). Hook the cable modem to the WAN port of that and then from the LAN 1 port I would use that HP 2626 switch, as that is the best of the 4 that you listed.

Switches 2,3 & 4 are crap switches that are worth like $25/each... keep them as a standby in case the 2626 fails.

If you don't have a router and you simply hook all 12 of those machines to one switch that is connected to the cable modem then only ONE will be able to access the intertubes at once and it will just go haywire!

One other thing you are failing into taking into account is that you are LIMITED to 5 INCOMING connections with XP... I'm assuming that the E1405 Dell will have XP on it? With that said only 5 laptops will be able to access it at a time so it won't work worth BEANS to use it as a "server". For that you would need server 2003 or 2008.

 

I am no expert but could this be set up using a wireless router? Seems less complicated to me.

Ted

 

The problem with consumer grade WIFI boxes is that they really don't do much of anything at all after about 10 computers are connected... You would need a lower end enterprise AP (Access point) such as the Linksys WAP200 to handle that many connections.

We have a just a basic WRT120N we're using as an AP at my office and it really does suck... after we connect about 10 - 12 computers it just crashes... (Same with our backup line which has a WRT54G on it)

 

OK, now I'm a little confused, but I probably didn’t explain it correctly.

The cable modem is located in the main office building, and the learning lab is in the building next door, on the second floor.

I need to tap into that stream, but not cut off the office access to the net, and get it wireless over to the building with the classroom.

Once at the classroom, I need to split it to the twelve CF-28s, so they can use the internet for school work and surfing.

I also want to hook up one laptop to the signal (Dell E1405, WinXP) the laptop also connected to a digital projector and home theater system, so they can connect to skype and we can do live video training.

I think we are going to just put the projector on a small purpose built shelf on the opposite side of the classroom, as its a small room. I'll use a simple webcam with built in mic, I think now the Logitech pro 9000 or something like that.

Thanks for the tip on the brownouts, I cant say if they do or don’t, but I've never been to one that didn’t have power issues, so we will get a dedicated UPS just for it.

Rob, If I’m understanding you correctly, I need to add a router to the mix.

I think I understand now, and this is in reverse, I go CF-28 network jack to the wires in the floor. Then the other end of the wires connect to the data patch panel. The data patch panel connects to the Ethernet switch (the HP2626) and that then connects to a router( netgear VPN)

The Netgear router connects to the Engenius wireless access points EOC-5610, and it connects wirelessly to an identical Engenius 5610 that is mounted at the main office. That 5610 is connected to a simple 4 port switch that comes off the cable modem.

Is that correct?

If you think it might not work, I was thinking I could just connect 5 of the CF-28s live to the net, and designate the remaining for working on projects offline.

This way, I could just take five and do the hack and install some 8602 Plus S cards with the ufl to sma connectors, and they would connect to the wireless access points, without the need to use all the wires and switches.

Thanks again,

Sam

 

THIS IS CORRECT.

Correct would read as follows:

The Netgear router connects to the Engenius wireless access point EOC-5610 from one of the 4 LAN ports, where the cable modem is plugged into the WAN port. On the other end it connects wirelessly to an identical Engenius 5610 that is mounted at the main office. That 5610 is connected to a simple 24 port HP 2626 switch.

I didn't realize that you were going to use a wireless bridge setup as you never said that. This is a more complex set up (nothing over my head), but more complex than I initially thought you were trying to achieve.

Hey, if you want to call me my cell is (630)-300-8877. I'd be glad to talk to you on the phone as you are NOT setting up a simple network... you are using wireless bridges, and, if not set up correctly, NOTHING will work.