Using wireless routers

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
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drepouille
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Using wireless routers

#1

Post by drepouille »

We want to add more wireless access points to some of our meetinghouses. Is it OK to use generic (Netgear, etc) wireless routers, or must we order Cisco WAPs?

If we use non-Cisco wireless routers, I know we must use WPA or WPA2 encryption.
Is there any other special configuration that needs to be done?

Dana in Omaha
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rbeede
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#2

Post by rbeede »

Your FM group and the stake president have to approve equipment additions/changes. They would order the Church authorized equipment and install it for you. They would also pay for it. Local unit budgets shouldn't be used.
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rbeede
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#3

Post by rbeede »

Also in our case the FM group installed Church equipment with WEP instead of WPA/2. It just came that way and GSD didn't want any changes to it.
bradhokanson
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#4

Post by bradhokanson »

drepouille wrote:We want to add more wireless access points to some of our meetinghouses. Is it OK to use generic (Netgear, etc) wireless routers, or must we order Cisco WAPs?

If we use non-Cisco wireless routers, I know we must use WPA or WPA2 encryption.
Is there any other special configuration that needs to be done?

Dana in Omaha

I would highly recommend using the Cisco access points with the Cisco 881w that FMs can purchase on EMarket. I have yet to see a building that has not be able to have complete wireless coverage with the 881w and the 2 additional 1041s that are the standard. Anything aside from these endorsed solutions are beyond the scope of support for the GSD.
jdlessley
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#5

Post by jdlessley »

drepouille wrote:We want to add more wireless access points to some of our meetinghouses. Is it OK to use generic (Netgear, etc) wireless routers, or must we order Cisco WAPs?

If we use non-Cisco wireless routers, I know we must use WPA or WPA2 encryption.
Is there any other special configuration that needs to be done?
All the answers to your questions are found in the wiki article Wireless networking (meetinghouse). You do not have to use the Church recommended wireless solutions, but it is recommended. Others have pointed out some reasons why using the Church wireless solution would be a good choice. I will list those with other reasons.
  1. Cost. Commodity solutions are at the expense of the stake using precious budget funds. Church recommended hardware is purchased by your FM Group using their budget.
  2. Lack of support. The Global Service Center (GSC) will not be able to support commodity solutions. You and your successor(s) are on your own to resolve any issues and at the stake's expense.
  3. Possible future sustainable integration issues. While there are no known issues to using commodity WAPs with current or projected protocols such as LDS Access or any future internet filtering solutions, the lack of support from the GSC only increases the chances of issues arising.
  4. Enterprise solutions are generally more robust and sometimes have more features or have features not found with commodity solutions. The Church IT department spent a good deal of effort to find a solution that would meet the environment and conditions in which it would be deployed and is economically reasonable.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
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