Wireless Broadband Solution

[MSNiCROS]

I need to push 1.5 Mb wireless connectivity to a location about 5 miles away from the office. I’m looking at putting a Cisco Aironet AIR-ANT3338 Dish at each location. I will also need 100+ clients to connect to the wireless network using the Cisco wireless PC Cards. Does anybody have experience with this equipment? What other equipment will I need at each location (access points, cabling, or power source)? Will this be a reliable solution?

Thank you

Chris s. Raver

[lisa.hall]

Make sure to take the time to get a site survey and have a Cisco design engineer help you put it together.

[mbame]

The dish would cover the distance (it covers up to 25 miles). But you have to check visual line of sight and radio line of sight to know for sure if it will work. For the 100 clients to connect using wireless you will need access points. How many depends on the building layout and throughput desired. You will need antennas, cables, lightning arrestors, mounts and more. Have a Cisco partner with several years wireless experience do a site survey and design to know for sure what you need and how well it will work.

[martijnmichiel]

Chris, mbame is right. I am doing a WLAN network audit right now and line of sight (altitude, away from traffic/trees), the best dishes (+db) comes to mind.

But others will tell you the technical stuff. I'll tell the rest.

Think performance. Keep the WLAN clear of unn. file/print/profiles/broadcasts etc... In this field $ matter=speed. Set up monitoring and keep an eye on that link.

If you can do an audit (or hire someone to do it) of the 2.4 Ghz range with a wireless network sniffer, see/check if signals interfere with your future Wlan.

Do not forget business justification.

Think of backup lines or 2 path (backup) if it is a critical line. What is the max downtime/business impact? Be an advisor.

Cheers.

martijn jansen

networking consultant

Netherlands

[kallol]

a

[b.withrow]

Cisco has an antenna calculator on their website. I have always wondered if the Fresnel zone was hypathetical or if you should really use it. Could one of you experts reply with your thought on the fresnel zone? Thanks!