Networking meeting house problems

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
jdlessley
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#11

Post by jdlessley »

I am curious to know if BAwerkamp was able to solve his problem.

I had not read this thread when I started a similar thread in the Computers, Printers, Networking, and Electronics forum at this link.

We have the same hardware CCN and wireless setup as BAwerkamp describes except we only use the PIX to do our routing. My problem was only partially solved. I ended up getting an administrative computer (Dell GX270) with a Netgear WG311 v3 wireless card connected using Odyssey Client but never with LDSAccess. It took me three days and working with three different level 2 technicians.

I don't know what allowed us to get connectivity. We ended up reprograming the Cisco Aeronet 1200 series WAPs from scratch. We powered down the WAPS then powered them up with the mode button depressed to reset to the default settings. Then we reprogrammed them and included the LDSAccess profile.

I made sure I had the correct & latest driver for the Netgear card installed. All wireless network control software was uninstalled. Odyssey Client was installed after the network card was fully installed - we had tried LDSAccess but could not get a connection.

At one point just after successfully connecting using Odyssey Client I uninstalled Odyssey Client and tried LDSAccess one last time but could not get a connection. We are still using Odyssey Client to manage our connection.

Before I attempt to get the remaining three administrative computers in our stake building set up I would like to get a copy of the real approved list of wireless cards compatible with the Cisco Aeronet 1200 series WAPs.
BAwerkamp
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#12

Post by BAwerkamp »

I have not been able to get my wireless Netgear or Linksys adapters operational on the Church building network. An older Motorola card has been installed and is functioning on one of the ward’s machines (card belongs to ward clerk). Newtwork works great with some cards.

Since it appears only certain wireless adapters will operate with the church system, I returned the 4 Linksys cards for a refund. The list of cards provided by russellja (above), are for laptops, not desktops. In a separate email he told me he could not find the list of approved desktop wireless adapters in the Knowledge Base.

Our church building network works fine if you have the right wireless adapter, but I can not get an official approved list of adapters to know which ones to buy. Guess I am discouraged with the whole mess.
clbeazer
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#13

Post by clbeazer »

After trying a couple of wireless adapters and several calls to GSD, we decided to pull wired connections to the 3 clerks offices. Other than the time and initial cable expense, I am glad I made the effort. No configuration hassle, and I feel much more confident about the security of the connection.
jdlessley
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#14

Post by jdlessley »

cbeazer wrote:...[W]e decided to pull wired connections to the 3 clerks offices.

Unfortunately for us the option of going hardwired is not an option at this point. The cost is too prohibitive. We would have to route cable outside the building and in exess of 100 meters according to our FM group director. The cost of network cards versus several hundred dollars for hardwire forced us to takle the wireless connectivity beast instead.
jdlessley
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#15

Post by jdlessley »

BAwerkamp wrote:Newtwork works great with some cards.

Since we were able to get connected with Odyssey Client using a Netgear WG311 v3 card you might try that before giving up all together. We got our card at Best Buy for $44.99 (tax exempt).

Make sure you download the latest driver from Netgear also.
russellja-p40
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Moroni and LDSAccess Conflicts

#16

Post by russellja-p40 »

We just received some new information.

LDSAccess and Moroni do not work well together on the same access point. Moroni uses WEP encryption and LDSAccess uses WPA encryption. This causes a lot of wireless networking problems. We are fixing this by removing both moroni and LDSAccess from the access points and replacing them with a new SSID. Please call the GSD and they will escalate you to OTSS to have the access point configured.

You will be able to choose an SSID and WPA key for your site. Keep in mind this is only for sites with church-supported Cisco Aironet access points. These may be in sites that have a FHC or FM office.

Joe Russell
OTSS
jdlessley
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#17

Post by jdlessley »

russellja wrote:We just received some new information.

LDSAccess and Moroni do not work well together on the same access point. Moroni uses WEP encryption and LDSAccess uses WPA encryption. This causes a lot of wireless networking problems. We are fixing this by removing both moroni and LDSAccess from the access points and replacing them with a new SSID. Please call the GSD and they will escalate you to OTSS to have the access point configured.

You will be able to choose an SSID and WPA key for your site. ...

Does this mean the GSD people know about this? When LDSAccess was made available it took a few weeks before enough GSD people knew what was happening and what to do.
eyoungberg-p40
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Pro install of the APs?

#18

Post by eyoungberg-p40 »

BAwerkamp wrote:Three to four years ago the FHC was connected to DSL modem, via CISCO Pix 501 firewall, with 3 CISCO aironet access points in the building.

Was the AP installation done professionally?
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aebrown
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#19

Post by aebrown »

eyoungberg wrote:Was the AP installation done professionally?
If BAwerkamp is still monitoring this thread, he can certainly put in his two cents.

But I can add that several years ago (perhaps 2003?) our stake center had the same wireless hardware installed professionally by some team that the Church arranged for. The installation consisted of several Aironet WAPs that were added to the existing PIX 501 in our FHC. When we finally tried to connect to the wireless network, we had all the same problems that were mentioned at the beginning of this thread. The problems had nothing to do with coverage of the wireless signal, but rather the protocols used for security.

The installation was done without our knowledge -- I assume that our FM Group coordinated with the installation team, but I don't even know which Church department made this happen. So I can't provide a lot of details -- I'm still not sure if it is 4, 5, or 6 WAPs, and I have not tried to navigate the crawl spaces and attics of our fairly old building to see how it was done. From what I've seen in the places where the network is visible, it does look quite professional. They installed jacks, labeled WAPs and cables, tied off loose cables, used CAT 5e booted cables, installed conduit, etc. -- they didn't seem to spare any expense.

It was several years after the installation before we used the equipment, because there was no communication to the stake about the actual installation, and there were general communications from CHQ that indicated that we couldn't use the Internet connection outside the FHC. That policy changed in February of this year.
eyoungberg-p40
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#20

Post by eyoungberg-p40 »

Alan_Brown wrote:I assume that our FM Group coordinated with the installation team,

Thanks for your inputs.

Do you have a contact you could provide me at the FM who might know about who did the installation, and/or what was done? Or a contact name from that era of the leadership that might have known about it?

What is the building type into which the system was installed? (Is there a "generic" name?)

Thanks - any help would be appreciated.
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