Networking

Preliminary internet status

• Internet from VOI (wifi-based 60mbit down 20mbit up) comes from a drop in the middle of the space, through one of the red-ziptie lines below the drop, to the server room.
• There, it goes through a 5-port gigabit switch, to a Linksys G router router (IP 192.168.1.1), which is also connected to a 24-port switch.
• Another cable from the internet-side switch goes to a D-link DIR-655 N in Assenworks.
• A Belkin wireless-N router in the lounge room is setup as an N-only AP and on the Skullspace switch (IP .3)

• Speedtests: 40mbit down on Dlink, 33mbit down on Linksys; 9mbit up on both (dlink was 1mbit up before QOS was turned off.) Actual internet connection was tested at 60mbit d / 20mbit up.

Wiring

• 2 lines (white cable, red zipties) from server room to internet entry point at the middle of the space.
• 2 lines (white cable, green zipties) from server room to desk/work area at NE of building, currently in the Linksys' LAN ports.
• 6 lines (orange cable) from server room to: junk room, 2 poles of lounge room, Assentworks SE corner, Assentworks SW corner, electrical panel.
• 2 lines (orange cable) to desk in learning room and vending machine.
• 3 lines (white cable) to both sides of bench in workshop, and to King's Head AP at fire excape.

The above runs were conservative - in many cases only a single drop because we were low on cat5, when I'd have preferred to put 2 drops to be prepared for the future - but still total up to 2000ft of cable.

King's Head Pub AP =

A popular meeting space in Winnipeg, 1 block away from Skullspace, which doesn't have wifi - but we can see the rear of its brick building from Skullspace. So we used a donated Cisco Aironet 1100AP, modified it for external antenna connection, ran some LMR400 cable outside and up the fire escape ladder, and pointed a 19dbi dish towards the pub. SSID is SkullSpace-dish-aimedatKingsHead, ask a member for the password. It doesn't work at all in the south main-floor area, but it does have coverage in most parts of the north main-floor area. Speedtests 1 to 4mbit down on a laptop with a good wireless card (Atheros N). I tried to replace the Cisco 802.11B card in the AP with a 802.11G upgrade card (AIR-MP21G-A-K9), but it became almost impossible to connect - likely because Cisco was becoming involved with Broadcom at the time that G card was made, who's known for the low sensitivity and receiver quality of their chipsets.

Network Map

• 192.168.1.1 Linksys Router in server room
• 192.168.1.2 Reserved
• 192.168.1.3 Belkin N Router in Lounge area
• 192.168.1.4 King's Head AP
• 192.168.1.4 Reserved - W facing AP later?
• 192.168.1.100?-199? DHCP space
• 192.168.1.250 Cameras