[Asterisk-Users] Connecting asterisk over consumer wifi network

[Chris Bagnall]

> So, I'd like to get some feedback on how it 
> might work if we
>simply put a wireless access point at each workstation, and 
> used the 4 port switch to connect to the PC + polycom handset.

In my experience, wireless signals have a really poor range in elderly
buildings - they're usually built of much stronger stuff than the hollow
plasterboard partitioning you get in many newer premises.

> In old buildings, I have utilized existing cabling with a 
> channel bank and analog phones.  Many times, if you do a 
> little searching, you will find that there is old school 25 
> pair cables running though the building.  If you can find 
> that cable near where you would like phones, just take a pair 
> and put in a jack.

If you've already got existing analogue telephone cabling into each area
where your workstations are located and it's reasonable quality cable (i.e.
at least 2 pair, some sort of twisted pair arrangement) you may be able to
re-use that to create the equivalent of Cat 3 structured cabling. Quite
often you can even get away without the cable being twisted pair, just as
long as you've got 2 pairs to work with.

You might also want to consider HomePlug (ethernet-over-power) as a
possibility for something relatively low bandwidth devices like IP phones.
Put one of those into each work area, plug a small desktop switch into each
of them and you'll have however many ports you need for the phones.

I would be inclined to avoid wireless if at all possible, particularly if
coverage is marginal or if the clients (in this case APs) are constantly
changing between different repeating stations.

Regards,

Chris
-- 
C.M. Bagnall, Director, Minotaur I.T. Limited
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