I have a small web desing agency. We work mostly with files 1 to 10mb and sometimes with larger files (up to 300 - 400mb). We are moving files over the network from workstations to server and backwards (we have a file check out system on the server). At this time we are 4 desingers, but I need a solution that works up to 8 / 10 peole.
We are moving from our office to a new location, and I'm thinking to install only a WLAN network but I don't know if the speed would be good for me. At this time we are working ok on a 100mbps wired network. I heard that 802.11n have speeds up to 300mbps (that's 3 times faster), but I don't know if that's only in theory or if in practice it will work at that speed.
So I have the next questions:
1) The 300mbps of 802.11n are true on practice or only on theory on "ideal" situations?
2) If we connect 3 users at the same time, what will happen with the speed? we have to split the total speed between all the users connected?
3) Is there any problem right now with security and availability for WLANs?
4) I'm considering Linksys WRVS4400N router. It's good or there are better routers for this?
5) What would be a nice configuration for me? (router, access point, switch... I don't know what I need)
Thanks a lot! Nacho
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Stay with wired, if they claim that much speed, they are LYING... (note they say "up to" Those are weasel words.. could be 1 or 2 or 3 or.. that's in the range of "up to".... don't say that requires a minimum of gigabit ethernet ethernet cards, or probably the same manufacturer of wireless cards. second, there are no definate specs yet for N.... Everyone but linksys calls it PRE-N......
If you already have a wired network, stay with it... wireless is a whole extra can of worms you don't need......
Do these workstations move around the office? I know the server doesn't. If they don't move, then you don't need wireless. Wireless is great for laptops, PDA's and portable computers. It is NOT good for high performance workstation to server file transfers.
My office is in an office complex along with several architects. You haven't seen big files until you've seen the monsters that these guys move around. I switched them from 100baseT to 1000base-T and
1000base-SX (fiber). There was a huge improvement in performance and load times. When I segmented the LAN by installing multiple gigabit cards in the file server (Windoze 2003), performance improved even more.
If you wanna do some benchmarking, download Iperf and run some bechmarks to/from your file server.
Think again. Connecting fixed workstations is not a good application for wireless. Lots of reasons but the big one is that airtime and wireless are a shared medium. If you have one machine downloading furiously at some rate, the next machine to start downloading will cut the speed in half. Three machines by 1/3 and so on. In addition, the microwave oven will stop the nextwork dead. So will the neighbors cordless phone, or any one of these devices:
Yep, it's possible. I just read an article in Network World how some university deployed Meru 802.11n access points and obtained speeds that were faster than their 100baseT wired network. Yeah, it can be done, with limitations. The range will be short. There can't be any interference. The speed is shared with other concurrent users. It's not guaranteed or reliable.
(note: the above article is 1 year old)
300Mbits/sec would be ideal and bordering on science fiction. This should offer a clue. One of my favorite vendors, Buffalo, was a bit over-enthusiastic on their performance claims.
Everyone else is lying just as badly, but so far, only Buffalo has attracted the attorneys. "In the Robinson lawsuit, the plaintiff alleges that the description in advertising and packaging of the data rate for certain Buffalo Technology Wireless Products has been false and misleading."
Divide the aggregate speed by 3 (or more). Usually, the total speeds are somewhat less than a single stream speed because of lack of synchronization between the various 802.11 clients.
Yep.
Security is fine as long as you use WPA or WPA2. I have some issues with the shared key leaking outside the company. If that's a problem, since you have a server, setting up a RADIUS server to handle logins and issue one-time encryption keys, should be considered.
Sorry. No experience yet with this model.
CAT6 cable or fiber on a managed gigabit switch. Forget about wireless for fixed workstations.
"802.11n wireless LAN tests show 'unbelievable' results at state college. 802.11n generally seen as five times as fast as 11g, Morrisville IT staff finds."
See the table and the 2 comments, which point out errors or typos in the math.
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