Managed switches

[Biggles]

Thank you for the quick reply russellhltn!

Having read the installation guide, in my own building we have 5 AP's. In the first place before the switches are delivered, I'm concerned that without some form of feedback, we might not be sent the correct number of devices for installation.

[russellhltn]

Having read the installation guide, in my own building we have 5 AP's. In the first place before the switches are delivered, I'm concerned that without some form of feedback, we might not be sent the correct number of devices for installation.

Ok, so 5 ports will be used for the APs, and one port used to feed your existing switches of public zone users (clerk computer, podium jacks, etc.)

Seems like a 8-port switch will do the job. I'm sure the starting point is every building gets one 8-port switch.

You still have two ports left over to feed other switches to support FM zone and "Special" zone (FHC).

[Biggles]

What I understand from reading the various guides/manuals is the maximum number of POE ports available is 4. The Church's guide indicates that an additional managed switch is required, if you have more than 4 AP's. Or have I misunderstood what I've read?

[russellhltn]

What I understand from reading the various guides/manuals is the maximum number of POE ports available is 4. The Church's guide indicates that an additional managed switch is required, if you have more than 4 AP's. Or have I misunderstood what I've read?

I don't remember reading anything like that. Is this from the manuals applying to the managed switches, or were they for older switches?

Either way, I'm sure you can put a POE power supply between the managed switch and the AP. As I understand it, the instruction to go "direct" mean you can't put them behind another (unmanaged) switch. If you have a AP connecting to a remote switch, then that's an argument for getting another switch. Otherwise, you'd have to run that cable back to the main switch.

[Biggles]

I'm guessing you haven't read the installation guide, in the Help Centre>Meeting House Technology>Internet>Meetinghouse Switches.
Paraphrasing it mentions no POE injectors to be used after the managed switch. The installation diagrams show connecting an additional managed switch to accommodate additional AP's.

[russellhltn]

That's ... odd. I wonder where that comes from? They haven't exhausted all the ports in the first example, even with Special (FHC) and FM zones in use. It looks to me like they could have had 5 APs and still accommodated all functions. Maybe they wanted to keep a port open for Workforce??

And in the two switch example, the first switch has 8 APs on it's so it's not a POE issue.

I'd reply to the mht email and ask them. I'm thinking this isn't a technical issue, but the desire to keep open all functions for future dates. But that's only going to happen if you've got both a FHC and a employee working out of that building.

[lajackson]

Perhaps the switch itself has a 4 POE limit. I am not aware of the specifications. I totally missed the fact that POE was in the managed switch at all.

As for how it was decided who gets what, Headquarters made that decision on their own. In my case, I do not have more than 4 WAPs in any building and will probably just plant the managed switch after the firewall, connect the WAPs and FM Stuff to it, along with a cable to the current unmanaged switch that will continue to handle everything else that is "ordinary".

Even with the FHC meetinghouse, that is 4 WAPs, 1 FM line, and 1 FHC line to the separate unmanaged switch that feeds the center now.

[russellhltn]

Perhaps the switch itself has a 4 POE limit.

My first thought is perhaps only the first 4 ports are PoE. But then on the next page, they show an example of a switch powering 8 APs.

[lajackson]

If I had more than 4 WAPs, I would pull the online instructions from the manufacturer and figure out the POE issue. I have not done that because (1) it is not an issue for me, and (2) I have seen four different 8-port model numbers in various instructions and other communications I have received.

My managed switches arrived today, but I will not even look at them until sometime next week. I have a Virtual Sacrament Meeting problem in four locations to resolve from scratch this week.

[russellhltn]

I have a Virtual Sacrament Meeting problem in four locations to resolve from scratch this week.

Understood. Cell phone on a selfie stick duck-tapped to a microphone stand placed right by the podium. You can probably do more, but that will put you in the game.