[MLB-WIRELESS] Advice Needed

[Jamie Lovick]

On 29 Oct 2003, Dan Harper wrote:
> 
> I'm in the process of beginning to plan out a local wireless network
> for a group of houses in Lilydale (currently the number is 4, but is
> growing rapidly).  Some background:
> 
> - All the houses all belong to, or are rented by a local church

Are they in the same location, or spread throughout the subburb?

> - The houses are setup for guys and girls who have been through
> rehabilitation for drug and/or alcohol abuse and need a stable home
> to put their lives back together.

There is another place in Richmond called the Light House Foundation (I
think it is) that provides similar services.

> - The network is designed to provide Internet services to each house
> so the house members can look for work etc.  While also allowing the
> houses to communicate easier through e-mail or some kind of IM
> system.

It sounds like a great idea.

> Basically, what I'm asking for is any advice anyone can offer on
> equipment, problems etc.  I've attached an image of the network
> structure as I'm imagining it.  I have some knowledge and experience
> in networking etc, but not in wireless or ADSL, so this is a bit of
> a challenge and learning experience for me.

Wireless works well once it has been setup correctly, and ADSL is fairly
easy to deal with.

Your main server, were you looking at Windows or Linux or other Free
Unlix Like OS?

> I have some questions to start off with:
> 
> 1.  As I understand it, I can offer the Internet to these houses
> through my (future) ADSL link without a carrier license because
> we're non-commercial, and we will not be charging for the service
> (the church is funding the network), is this correct?

No carrier licence it required to share ADSL. However, the wireless
links are what you would potentially have to worry about.

It's worth checking with the ACA, but in my mind, there should be no
problem, as you are not providing a service to the "public", nor seeking
any gain for that provision.

> 2.  What is the best way to authenticate and encrypt transmissions
> to and from the wireless clients?

With such a relatively small network, standard WEP should be enough with
static keys. If you are going to be storing sensative information on
that segment of the network, it is worth going that bit further and
looking at more advanced methods. From the diagram you have shown, the
network is mainly for personal communication and Internet access, not
for sessative documents, so WEP should do.

At a user level, you could always use proxy authentication, if you want
to limit Internet access.

> 3.  I'm imagining an onmi antenna at the access point and
> directional at each client end, right?

Depending on the location of the houses or units, yes. Ideally, you only
want to transmit signal in the areas you want it. If all the other
locations are in one general direction, a sector or waveguide antenna
may be better suited.

> 4.  What would be a recommendation for wireless equipment (access
> point, client end, etc)?

This will depend a little bit on how much stability and security you
want. If you have the budget, look at Cisco AP's. Being a Church, I
assume they would already have relationships with some of the larger
vendors, so pricing should be quite reasonable. Which Chruch is it, if
you don't mind me asking?

> 5.  Would a wireless access point be able to handle 4-10
> houses/clients OK?

Yes.

> 6.  I can get an ADSL, router, firewall, and switch built into one
> hardware unit, right?  Is this a good thing?  And would it be
> possible to also get a unit that had all that plus wireless
> capabilities as well?  Is this integrated approach the easiest way
> to implement something like this?

A Cisco 837 is a nice solid and very configurable router with options
for a firewall, and a 4 port hub built in. There are also other brands
which have similar specs.

It's probably to keep the wireless seperate, so you have the option to
upgrade easily, and so that the AP can be mounted by the antenna.

> 7.  Does anyone know of an ISP that would be friendly to this type
> of hook up?

Whirlpool provide a list of DSL providers. It's worth going for one that
has a solid reputation, and if you can get the option to have a fixed or
multiple IP's, you can handle Email and other services directly.

Regards

Jamie

--
Jamie Lovick    <->  IT Consultant    <-> +614 1479 1681
Hobby     : Doof.org                   -> jalovick at doof.org
Director  : Drastic Solutions Pty Ltd  -> jalovick at drasticsolutions.com.au
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