WTB 24 port gigabit managed switch with PoE.
Sonorous
F@H Fanatic US Icrontian
in Trading Post
So, anyone got one for sale or know of one that's reasonable in cost? I'm looking at a budget of $200-$300. I could also get a switch without PoE and just use adapters.
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Newegg and CDW searches seem to indicate this is a white whale.
http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/NETGEAR-ProSafe-FS728TLP-switch-24-ports-managed-desktop-rack-moun/3203902.aspx?pfm=srh
That's 12x POE built in and you could use adapters for the rest as needed? What's your use case?
12x PoE would be plenty. Just doing a small mesh network. I was hoping to keep everything 10/100/1000 but I'm beginning to think that's out of the budget range. So I may just get one without PoE and inject with adapters. Depends on what the client wants. They move large amounts of raw video across their network, so gigabit is pretty important to them.
I found this.
I presume they want POE for access points. Raw video over wifi sounds painful no matter what compared to hardwired access.
No videos over the WiFi. All the video editing systems are hardwired. The PoE is for wireless. They are in a large space where a mesh network would be a possibile solution for their WiFi troubles.
By mesh network, I'm hoping you mean something with a wireless controller and having access points with the same SSID so they 'seamlessly' transition between APs (though that can get pricey quickly AFAIK).
Wireless network with a mesh topology. If I'm not mistaken that means that all access points talk to each other as well as the gateway. Am I mistaken in what I'm trying to do?
Just to throw things off a tad, with video rendering servers and workstations a massive amount of money can be saved if compression is allowed. I know you said large amounts of raw video, but speeding things up (saving bandwidth) is often as easy as applying at least light compression to source files moving over the network. Automating that is often easy enough, ie. using compression libraries or compressing the frames of the videos themselves. If you need any ideas or advice for what is essentially lossless video compression OR automating the "zipping" of source files, please do not hesitate to ask me. I know a few tricks.
That said, the only network input I have would be to investigate the pay off and realistic implementation of jumbo packets. I can't comment beyond that, I've left my network engineer skills out to die over the years.
Can you run ethernet cables from gateway to wherever you'd want additional wireless? Mesh isn't a best option in general, though what you describe is possible. If you had tons of monies, you'd do something like Cisco or Ubiquiti access points with ethernet runs back to a central controller (they typically come with their own 24 port switch built in).
I don't know the full layout of what you're trying to get coverage for, but I would bet this would be worth looking at for wireless (base model, better/newer for more $$)
https://store.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ap.html
What are you using as router/gateway?
Router/gateway is an HP ProLiant something. 4 core with 8gigs of DDR2 and Windows server 2008 and is also due for an upgrade. I think I'm going to lean towards just setting everything to the same SSID and go with fewer access points. The business is in one of those steel warehouse complexes. They have expanded to a few of the units, one of which is separated from the original building. That's why I was thinking about a mesh topology so I could link buildings with wifi on the cheap. The work done in the offices in the other unit is mainly office work and doesn't require massive bandwidth.
Compression of raw video would absolutely reduce network traffic, but it's not really a viable option nor is it really necessary.
The Ubiquiti APs could be a really good choice for you. Just install the controller software on the same box as the router and boom, enterprise wireless. They also sell point to point wireless backhaul equipment, but that is likely overkill for your situation. Based on what you've said, you could almost certainly configure a few of the UAPs to connect your main building with one of them connecting to the remote building. See text/video here
Thanks everyone. I'll order that Netgear switch and work out the wireless.