We have been resisting the addition of Wireless to large classrooms simply due to the user factor. How are you going to communicate to hundredes of users which access point they should connect to. They will be able to see all of them and as the Wireless Card drives get better and better the automatic connection to an AP woudl overload the AP. I like the idea of wiring to the seat, but that also is a hassle (need to make sure everyone has a cable, make sure there is power for those who did not charge their battery).
Just my $0.02..... Brad ---- Original message ---- >Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 09:14:45 -0500 >From: Tom Marentette <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Wireless Networking in Large Classrooms >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Arnie - we have a new science building that is just > starting construction. We have two auditoriums with > 250 seats each in the design. The decision was made > to pull cable to each seat; as convenient as > wireless is, it still has limitations related to > host-to-access point connectivity (read - shared > medium). There is no hard number but I had always > heard about 20-30 hosts per AP when planning for > capacity. This all depends on the expected apps that > will be running in those locations. Any way you > slice it 100Mpbs/full duplex capable jack is much > better than sharing an AP (11b/11g or 11a) with 20 > other users. It may cost a little more on the front > end, but it will save the headaches later when users > moan. > > BTW - we are still adding wireless in the > auditoriums, as well as all buildings on campus. > > hope this helps! > > > Tom Marentette > University of Notre Dame > Network Engineering > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Arnold Hassen > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 8:52 AM > Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Wireless Networking in > Large Classrooms > We are designing two new 200 seat classrooms that > will be adjacent to one another. Discussion is > focussing on whether we should hardwire or go > wireless. > Functionally we must be capable of simultaneous > networking which means 400+ simultaneous links. > Is this doable with wireless? > Thanks for any help > Arnie Hassen > West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine > ********** Participation and subscription > information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group > discussion list can be found at > http://www.educause.edu/cg/. > > ********** Participation and subscription > information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group > discussion list can be found at > http://www.educause.edu/cg/. ----------------------------------- Bradford B. Saul Lead Network Engineer IT - Network Engineering Hoffman Hall Room 2, MSC 1401 James Madison University Harrisonburg, VA 22807 V: (540) 568-2379 F: (540) 568-1696 M: (540) 435-3079 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/cg/.
