Hardware setup for hotel broadband

[napalmbob]

I've been asked to help setup broadband connections for a local hotel. 80 rooms;dsl/cable modem connection; guests will be using vpn clients. Hardware I've chosen is (3) cat 2950's and a cisco 831 broadband router.

Plan on setting up a separate tagged vlan for each port (to protect the guests from each other). The router allows for mutiple vpn passthroughs for guests connecting back to their home office. I know bandwidth might be a problem, but cable/DSL is all the budget will allow at this time.

My concerns are:

(1) How the switches will handle multiple vlans across 3 or 4 switches, can they be set up as one big switch.

(2) DHCP req/acks traversing the vlans.

This plan is not set in stone, so if anyone has any suggestions feel free.

Thanks

[s-doyle]

You must run trunk ports using dot1q/ISL between the switches to retain the VLAN information.

Various documents on trunking here should help you to understand this better

http://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Support/browse/psp_view.pl?p=Hardware:Cat2950&s=Software_Configuration

[l.roberts]

Hello,

Have you looked at Cisco's LRE solution at all? It is built specifically for this type of setup and won't require Cat 5 cabling of the hotel rooms. Instead of using VLAN tagging, use the protected ports feature to keep users from seeing each others traffic.

Instead of cable or DSL you might want to look at using 802.11b wireless bridges as a point-to-point backhaul (up to 25 miles with clear LOS) to somewhere with a high-speed T1 connection.

HTH,

Larry Roberts

CCIE #7886 (R&S / Security)

[jens.neelsen]

To use VLANs with more than one switch, the switches are connected via trunk ports. The next component necessary is a router which has a Fastethernet interface which can be a trunk port. The smallest router which can be used is a 1721. The Fastethernet port supports VLAN trunking with the 802.1q tagging. To connect to the cable/DSL modem install anEthernet interface (WIC-1ENET). Another choice is a 2621 or 2611XM. Each VLAN will be a separate IP subnet. The router will route between the VLANs / subnets. On the router a DHCP server for each subnet will be configured. The router will do NAT to the cable/DSL modem. What type of cables are installed in the hotel? If you have no Cat.5 cables I suggest to think about using Long range Ethernet (LRE). This can connect the hotel rooms via telefone wires to the router. The 2924-LRE or 2950-LRE switches are used on the router end. In the room the 575-CPE is the ethernet port. The LRE system allows to send phone and ethernet over the same wires using a POTS splitter with the LRE switch. The 575-CPE contains the splitter for the phone. jneelsen@ieee.org