7 AP for 250 users in the building without Backbone

ciscoamagana · ‎03-01-2007

Hello,

We need connect 250 users wireless and more o less 7 AP to give cover in the building, but we don?t have a backbone wiring and need the same SSID.

which product to be the best? or you think it?s better a backbone among AP?

scottmac · ‎03-01-2007

Lots more details are needed, along with a site survey.

Is the building one floor, many floors? Construction materials? How many other wireless systems are "in the neighborhood"? Lots of radio noise, or an RF-quiet environment?

*GENERALLY* you can probably / maybe use a dual-radio AP, like a 1241, where the clients are served on 2.4 (802.11g), and the 802.11a radios are used as a backbone channel.

Because of backbone constraints, you'd probably limit your clients to some lower bandwidth (no more than 11 Mbps / 802.11b speeds).

250 clients with 7 APs ... that's probably going to be a stretch. How many logged on at the same time? What kind of traffic? Any voice?

Given the choice, a wired backbone will give you better performance ... do it if you can.

You also have a choice of having all the APs be "stand-alone" (automomous) or using "lightweight" APs to a single central controller.

You need on-site help; someone to do a solid site survey and make recommendations ... anything you get here are, at best, "a good guess," and will probably end up costing you more money and reputation.

We're OK for ideas and clarification, but someone that knows what they're doing needs to put eyeballs to the location to make a realistic recommendation.

Good Luck

Scott

ciscoamagana · ‎03-02-2007

Thanks for the comments, we have a previous project, so we know with 7 AP we have the cover that need..

The information of dual-radio is very important, the option "stand-alone" i think have the problem when users move to another place into the building.

The wired options it is very complicate because the building is a monument history.

Thanks again for your help.

ciscoamaga