erikwhughes wrote:Clerk's offices are wired for internet connectivity.
That may be the ideal, but it's certainly not an absolute rule. Our stake center, for example, doesn't have wired connections to all the clerks' offices -- all the ward clerk offices rely on a wireless connection. And I gather from johnshaw's post that his stake has some similar situations.
When we recently got new administrative computers, the previous wireless adapters didn't work with the 64-bit Windows on the new PCs. So I went ahead and purchased some wireless adapters with stake funds (I got some pretty good ones for only $20 each). I suppose I could have asked the FM group, but I needed to get the upgrades done in one week, and I was pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to deliver them that quickly.
erikwhughes wrote:Clerk's offices are wired for internet connectivity.
That is not my experience in my stake. Three of the four clerk's offices in my stake center are not wired for internet connectivity. Those computers must use wireless adapters.
Local units communicate where they need wired and wireless access to the facilities management group. Facilities management groups will do their best to install networking solutions to meet units’ needs based on their budgets and available resources.
Wired Connections
Wired network connections should run from the Meetinghouse Firewall (usually through a network switch) to a patch panel and then out to wall jacks. Devices then connect to the wall jacks with a separate network patch cable.
Wired networking is usually more reliable than wireless and should be used in the following two situations whenever possible:
When connecting permanently located devices (such as a clerk computer or family history center computer)
In places where devices may need to connect to real-time, high bandwidth applications (such as webcasting, personal video conferencing, and video streaming)
Some key areas of meetinghouses where wired network connections may be requested include (but are not limited to) the following:
Clerks’ offices
High council room
Chapel pulpit
The side wall behind the back pew in the chapel
Cultural hall
Relief Society room
Materials center (meetinghouse library)
Next to satellite and audio cabinets
Family history center, employment center, or other offices collocated in meetinghouses
There is an "out" in "based on their budgets and available resources" (and no doubt influenced by building construction), but this may be another example of different FM Groups playing by different rules.
Fortunately that's one area I haven't had a problem with my FM Group. They've wired all the clerk's offices and pulpit without being asked.
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Understood that not 100% of offices are wired. Fortunately there is a standard (the Lenovo Tiny) that does have the wireless adapter. In considering whether to have all models with adapters would be to look at the cost-effectiveness of having all standard devices include a wireless adapter and carry that fixed cost even when it's not needed vs. purchasing one-offs for the instances where it is necessary. I will keep my eye on this issue.
erikwhughes wrote:No wireless adapters are included with the current model of meetinghouse computers, with the exception of the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny. Clerk's offices are wired for internet connectivity.
Erik
I realize you are an employee of the church, and you are stating things in a rose colored world.... The plain truth is that FM groups have not wired clerk computers. Unless the church believes that some meetinghouses are more important than others, in that case my stake is not as important as other stakes apparently if their clerk offices are wired.
They (FM) do whatever they want.
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
Bottom line is that there is a clerk computer standard with a wireless adapter. It is available for FMs to order. In those cases where wiring is not available, there will have to be communication between clerks/STS and FMs to get that model. I can also see what I can do to build awareness with the FMs on this issue.
erikwhughes wrote:I can also see what I can do to build awareness with the FMs on this issue.
One of the problems we have is that we don't see the guidance given to the FM Groups. We know what's in RKTS site, but if the FM Group tells us something different, we have no way of knowing what's going on. There's no check and balance. The RKTS site is not binding on them.
Some STSs are reporting that FM is telling them they won't replace clerk machines that are over 5 years old and running XP until it breaks.
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It appears that the Lenovo M73 Tiny system has been chosen as the new standard system to be ordered for MLS clerk systems
If your Lenovo M73 was ordered before February 11th, the system may have been shipped without the Church-approved operating system - Please call MLS support for a link to an image you will need to install
All new orders for Lenovo M73 will come with the Church-approved Windows 7 Professional operating system
