How does one go about...

[Luke7777]

..requesting a "signal booster" (don't really know what else to call it ) in a specific area ? We have the following scenario :

Situated in Faerie Glen, we have a software development area, on ground floor, housing between 20 & 30 developers and support consultants. Client support is either via dial-up networking or VPN into their environment. Our company doesn't allow customer support via VPN over the corporate network, so we have a quite number of 3G devices (Vodacom and others) floating around for this purpose. Now.... depending on where you are in this area, you either get workable 3G (close to the windows) , extremely poor 3G (more to the inside), or if all else fails, excellent GPRS Some of the sites are setup for remote desktop and you can imagine what's that like over GPRS.

So back to my original question, what can be done ? 30 external antennae are out of the question too If it's already addressed somewhere, apologies..

 

[ambo]

Our company doesn't allow customer support via VPN over the corporate network, so we have a quite number of 3G devices (Vodacom and others) floating around for this purpose.

uh wut?? You are not allowed to service your clients over your own network? Which crackpot IT manager thought that one up?

You do get passive repeaters: directional antenna on the roof connected to an antenna in the ceiling of the room. I think you also get active ones with amplifiers. You need to phone up Vodacom to get one installed and they do charge a fee for this. You would of course need a passive repeater for each network that you use since the directional antenna can only connect to one tower.

But why don't you just fix your company policy?

 

[Luke7777]

uh wut?? You are not allowed to service your clients over your own network? Which crackpot IT manager thought that one up?

(quote) It's a corporate network, not a support network and there are security risks (unquote)

You do get passive repeaters: directional antenna on the roof connected to an antenna in the ceiling of the room. I think you also get active ones with amplifiers. You need to phone up Vodacom to get one installed and they do charge a fee for this. You would of course need a passive repeater for each network that you use since the directional antenna can only connect to one tower.

Not too worried about the "other" networks, the majority is on Vodacom. It's just sad when you're in a highly populated area (residential and business) and you're stuck on G(reen)PRS

But why don't you just fix your company policy?

See top

 

[ambo]

It's a corporate network, not a support network and there are security risks

ok - so instead of fixing the security policy to allow, but control, the use of the VPNs effectively. You introduce a whole bunch of completely unmanaged and unprotected gateways into your corporate network blowing huge holes in the corporate security policies... and you say that this is better for security?

 

[VodacomData]

Hi Luke7777

Check in my sig and follow the procedure when escalating to me please.

Regards
VodacomData

 

[Luke7777]

ok - so instead of fixing the security policy to allow, but control, the use of the VPNs effectively. You introduce a whole bunch of completely unmanaged and unprotected gateways into your corporate network blowing huge holes in the corporate security policies... and you say that this is better for security?

I hope the use of "You" actually means "They" D Btw, we actually get disconnected from the network the moment we establish a dialup or any other network connection (iBurst, 3G, etc) Real bitch when your source sits localy on a server and you can't see it while connected to the client

 

[Luke7777]

Hi Luke7777

Check in my sig and follow the procedure when escalating to me please.

Regards
VodacomData

Thanks, will do

 

[VodacomData]

Thanks, will do

Hi Luke7777

Any luck have you logged the fault ?

Regards
VodacomData

 

[Luke7777]

Logged it yesterday afternoon yes. Will PM you the reference no as well as the mail I sent. Going to be in and out of meetings today.