Network 12 pc`s (please help?)

experience

experience

experience

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Hi, my friend wants me too network his 12 pc`s.

Im ok with network 2 or 3 computers, but is 12 just really the same.

he wants it wireless but i thought this would wouldnt be suitable so i suggested wired.


Is it pretty much just the same setup for 2 or 3 pc`s?

i was thinking:

16 way network hub, running all network cables through it and one to the router?

im not sure if thats right, so if anyone could help me thats great!

thanks everyone! :)
 
sounds like the best solution. IIRC with wifi the bandwidth is shared between all of the clients, which could cause major slowdown/congestion (as if it wasn't slow and unreliable enough to begin with).
 
Sounds good to me. Obviously it depends exactly what the PCs will do doing but I agree with Clarkey that using wireless is likely to cause bottlenecks and unreliability. Be prepared to use wireless if some of the PCs are hard to run wires to, however.
 
If you want to share data / printers between them, then a workgroup will start to conk out after about 10-15 systems are attached.

If its just for web access then it will be fine via a router & 16 port switch.
 
If you're worried about speed dropping across wireless, you could always get two or even three access points all working at the same time (each on channel 1,6,11 respectively), with four PCs per access point.

Connect all access points to a 10/100 switch, connected up to your router/gateway and away you go.
 
experience said:
just too clear one thing up, straight or crossover cables? and im using a switch and NOT a hub right?
Click to expand...

Cabling isnt really important now-a-days as most devices are auto sensing but crossover is used to connect one PC directly to another PC.

You need a switch
 
thanks man thats great.

so whats the difference between a hub and a swith?

i understand that a hub only allows half duplex and switch allows full duplex.

but what actually is the difference?
 
UPDATE:


my friend has decided he wants wireless, no matter what, he already has the wireless cards there.

so to get this working to its full potential:

I will run it in 54g mode correct?

is there anything i should do to make sure, what is now 20 Computers!!!! can all function on a wireless network?

there is 5 pc`s up stairs and 15 downstairs.

i spoke too a tech guy at a pc company and he said 20 pc`s should be fine on a wireless network, but im not so sure.

at the end of the day, the customer(my friend) wants it, so thats what he will get.
 
The customer is not always right and make no mistake, you will get blamed for this when it has problems.

Do you know what use will be made of the wireless network connection?

If it is incidental to the main function of the PCs then it may well be fine.

On the otherhand if this is for some sort of 'Internet Cafe' then run away from this now :)
 
experience said:
UPDATE:


my friend has decided he wants wireless, no matter what, he already has the wireless cards there.

so to get this working to its full potential:

I will run it in 54g mode correct?

is there anything i should do to make sure, what is now 20 Computers!!!! can all function on a wireless network?

there is 5 pc`s up stairs and 15 downstairs.

i spoke too a tech guy at a pc company and he said 20 pc`s should be fine on a wireless network, but im not so sure.

at the end of the day, the customer(my friend) wants it, so thats what he will get.
Click to expand...


Should be ok, but I would assign IP's rather than letting XP do it, it will cause major amounts of IP conflicts otherwise.
 
If his budget would strech you might think about going for more commercial access points like those from 3com - had some quite good success with those 2750s in an old job. They mesh together really nicely and deal with the handoff between APs really well.

Installed 2 or 3 in most offices for blanket coverage and it was pretty seamless moving around though they need 3com switches to drive the PoE aspect.

I think they do models that jsut plugin to normal switches.
 
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If possible Id also provide exact MAC addresses to the router from an access point of view.

Letting the PC work out its own IP address is fine and wont cause any problems as long as DHCP is dealt with by the router which it most likely will be
 
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