Wired or Wireless Network?

Voodoo

Voodoo

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Hi there guys & girls.

I have to set up the following network:

25 pc's running XP Pro all in the same room.

I had previously setup a wired network similar to this but it was a lot of work making all the cables etc.

Would a wireless network be a viable alternative? Should it not be much easier to get going?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheerz
Voodoo
 
It would also be more expensive...its normally about R400 for a decent wireless card

...so R400 x 25 = R10000 :D
 
A bit ouchy that price... but wait a few years then they'll be cheap enough to buy by the dozen... :D
 
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But then, you do not have to install the cables and the last costing per point was R300 from a provider in my town. With some attention to security I believe the wireless approach will deliver long term benefits as it is dynamic where wired is static.
 
R300 per POINT...you were ripped off, its R29 for a box + cable at about R4 per meter + labour = an amount LESS than R300.00
 
I have looked and found that it was a very reasonable price. I believe the biggest cost is for the labour. It also includes trunking etc. I am sure that by DIY I would save a huge amount, and then redo the moment we move the desks, and redo the moment we change the class layout etc.etc.etc. I would get wifi and then never again worry about getting the CAT5 to the pc or drilling a hole in the wall for the next office or laying cables in the roof on a hot day.
 
If you really want to go wireless, I'd rather wait a while for the 802.11n standard.

lbreukelman said:
I have looked and found that it was a very reasonable price.
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IMO R300 per point is defenetly not reasonable!
 
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That depends on what you want to use the network for. Basic office applications, internet and email? or bandwidth hungry apps? It is very unlikely that 802.11g will not satisfy your network needs.
 
lbreukelman said:
That depends on what you want to use the network for. Basic office applications, internet and email? or bandwidth hungry apps? It is very unlikely that 802.11g will not satisfy your network needs.
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True, but IMO its better being stuck with newer tech than older.
 
It seems like most of the new tech in wifi is backwards compatable which then leave you with an option to upgrade as needed when the time arrives and!!!!! the pricing allows for it as this WiMax is very expensive at present
 
I always use R300 to R500 (Depending on distance and obstacles) per point when estimating costs for a LAN, at that price I can get the job done properly, tested and signed off by professionals. That is one less headache for me when it comes to commissioning the LAN.

And don’t forget that a wired LAN will need a Switch, in your case probably 2 x 16 port, and possibly a rack or cabinet to mount them in.

You may find, even at R400 per card, that wireless is cost effective.

I have also noticed a trend towards notebook and tablet PC’s, both of which have wireless built in, so you will be a lot more future proof.

Cheers
Chris
 
I will think twice before installing wireless for 25 PCs. There will be some interference most definitely lowering the already slow speed even further!

Besides that you can get speeds as low as 300-500 KB/s, which is very slow compared to 5+ MB/s for cheap wired netowrk!

Wireless is good for home use for a few PCs, but for office I will stay away from it!

just my 2 cents
 
If a large network like it would cost too much to go wireless. You will have endless problems with cards not connecting and everytime some1 pings over wireless routers all other cards will reset themselves. It would also be slower than a wired network.

Wireless networks are fine for people moving into an area using the howspot and then leaving. But when it comes to a stable network for a long time wireless is not tha answer. Another use for wireless is if cables cant be layed down.

Wired would be the best option, cheaper, more stable, faster and eaiser to to setup.
 
lbreukelman said:
I would get wifi and then never again worry about getting the CAT5 to the pc or drilling a hole in the wall for the next office or laying cables in the roof on a hot day.
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And be careful where you drill... drill through an electrical conduit or water pipe and you've got problems, bru...

Hot day, roof and cables are synonymous with lots of swearing, sweating enough to fill a small lake, tight spots, rats, dust and gesukkel to get the cables to go where you want them to go...

I know, been there, done that.

My opinion is to use wired network for the desktop PC's and wireless for the laptops.
 
Person said:
If a large network like it would cost too much to go wireless. You will have endless problems with cards not connecting and everytime some1 pings over wireless routers all other cards will reset themselves. It would also be slower than a wired network.

Wireless networks are fine for people moving into an area using the howspot and then leaving. But when it comes to a stable network for a long time wireless is not tha answer. Another use for wireless is if cables cant be layed down.

Wired would be the best option, cheaper, more stable, faster and eaiser to to setup.
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I'm inclined to agree. The range on most wireless routers is pretty crap (especially if walls or floors are involved), and it can be pretty unreliable.
 
I also would say go wired. Saves on the aspirin bill later. Even at home I have disabled wireless after too many hassles and just got a long cable for the laptop.
 
gkm said:
I also would say go wired. Saves on the aspirin bill later. Even at home I have disabled wireless after too many hassles and just got a long cable for the laptop.
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it works fine for my laptop as long as I don't transfer big files ... for internet browsing is ok, but if I need to transfer data I will rather spend 30 sec to plug the cable and transfer the data in 5 minutes rather than 5 hours :D
 
swordfish1 said:
it works fine for my laptop as long as I don't transfer big files ... for internet browsing is ok, but if I need to transfer data I will rather spend 30 sec to plug the cable and transfer the data in 5 minutes rather than 5 hours :D
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Yes, it also worked fine for me most of the time. But after my wife experienced a couple of connection drops midway through long internet games and made sure to share her "happiness" with me, I bought the longer cable.

The brief delay while the re-authenticate happens is enough to kill practically any active online game. And I am not willing to run without security enabled.

So, having these random hassles with 25 PC's do not sound like fun to me.
 
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