~ >~ Favorite enterprise hardware questions from the home user... where is ~ >~ the on-off switch? Why is it on the rear panel where I can't get to ~ >~ it? What do you mean it never gets turned off? ~ >
~ >Why, our APs' on/off switch is the software settings on the PoE switch, of ~ >course ... what could be simpler?
Let me while I'm at it highlight why this arrangement might make sense for a large enterprise ... they can for example program their switch to turn off all the PoE ports to all the APs at 8 p.m. then turn them back at say 6 a.m. ... saving say 400 * 10W * 10 hrs = 40kW hr / day.
Well, I guess that's just 5 bucks per day, but then there's "greenie points" and some security benefit to consider too.
~ I left out one question.... Why do I need a computer just to turn this ~ thing on and off? The point is that the typical home user has ~ different expectations on how to install, operate, and configure the ~ equipment. I ran into this problem trying to configure a 7690 IP ~ phone.
("7960" I supppose)
~ Without a TFTP server, it was futile. There are some rather ~ fundamental differences between a locally configured IP phone, and one ~ that requires an IT department to manage the downloadable ~ configuration from a permanent server. There's also no (easy) way to ~ save the settings.
Good point, absolutely. Look at our nifty little 7921 VoIP phones. If you can get past the price tag, you're looking at not merely deploying a TFTP server, but a Cisco Call Manager (no SIP supported), and maybe an Avalanche NMS system. Probably doesn't make sense for a humble cabin in the Santa Cruz hills.
For enterprise devices such as our phones and APs (here I'm talking about "big" Cisco not Linksys), the infrastructural overhead of bringing up the first unit is huge. Where you win is the incremental cost (esp. when it comes to deployment and maintenance personnel costs) of the 1000th unit.
So ... with all that infrastructure set up, now I can take my 7921 phone home from the office to my house, and it (usually) "just works" to associate to our corporate WPA/TKIP/EAP-FAST SSID and connect up to Cisco's core Call Manager in San Jose, and now my office phone # shows up on it in Tucson AZ.
~ Then, I noticed that there was no backlighting on the 7690 LCD ~ display. That makes sense in an "enterprise" environment, where the ~ lights are never turned off during working hours. However, at home, ~ trying to dial a number at night requires a flashlight. I also have a ~ Linksys/Sipura SPA921 with exactly the same issues. ~ ~ Sure, bring the "enterprise hardware" home and it can be made work. ~ Just be prepared for some oddities and ummm.... inconveniences. Ask ~ your wife what she thinks of an IP telephone that doesn't light up in ~ the dark.
We learn, if gradually. The follow-on 7970 phone has a nice big bright color touchscreen.