When are units getting WiFi?

Discussions about Internet service providers (ISPs), the Meetinghouse Firewall, wired and wireless networking, usage, management, and support of Meetinghouse Internet
davesudweeks
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#1

Post by davesudweeks »

Sigh...

Then there will be one more piece of duplicate work I'll have to do (both at the church and at home) for my calling since internet acess will likely not happen anytime soon here. Let's get worldwide (or at least region-wide) WIFI access up before we task ward leadership with another project they cannot complete with the resources available at the church.

Our Stake uses a 3X5 card with all the information and signatures on it. One document, easy to carry, easy to record, easy to turn in, no WIFI access required. ;-) We produced one similar for the ward level.
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carljokl
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#2

Post by carljokl »

I am not sure if this is a question or an invitation for discussion but, forgive me but I am not really clear about what you are saying. I am not sure of the connection of the 3x5 cards to Internet Access unless this is used in conjunction with MLS or other administration. Do you currently have no connectivity altogether including no dialup? I can certainly sympathise with difficulty completing project with insufficient Church resources. I am not sure I understand your post thought without clarification of what Ward project you are trying to undertake?
There are no problems, only solutions.
davesudweeks
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#3

Post by davesudweeks »

My post was in response to a suggestion that we have an online system to manage stake callings submissions, with online check-offs that specific requirements have been completed. An online-only system has a big flaw today: It assumes everyone is online. What about those units that aren't online yet? What about those people who don't want or can't afford to have an I-pad or Smart-phone?

Our building is not online yet (though we should get it sometime this year...maybe...). I can count on 1 hand the members I know of who have a tablet-type device that would be required to take advantage of this type of system. We have a significant population in our ward who will likely never be able to afford such a device. So, what message do we send to someone who perhaps cannot afford the latest technology that will be required in order to do their calling? I know you understand very well the frustration of being assigned a calling without the support to be able to complete it. :-)

I am NOT against an online system. I just think we need to focus on infrastructure first... To me, it's like suggesting everyone go to electric vehicles when there are no charging stations available except for the very rich. Right idea, wrong time.
harddrive
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#4

Post by harddrive »

davesudweeks wrote:My post was in response to a suggestion that we have an online system to manage stake callings submissions, with online check-offs that specific requirements have been completed. An online-only system has a big flaw today: It assumes everyone is online. What about those units that aren't online yet? What about those people who don't want or can't afford to have an I-pad or Smart-phone?

Our building is not online yet (though we should get it sometime this year...maybe...). I can count on 1 hand the members I know of who have a tablet-type device that would be required to take advantage of this type of system. We have a significant population in our ward who will likely never be able to afford such a device. So, what message do we send to someone who perhaps cannot afford the latest technology that will be required in order to do their calling? I know you understand very well the frustration of being assigned a calling without the support to be able to complete it. :-)

I am NOT against an online system. I just think we need to focus on infrastructure first... To me, it's like suggesting everyone go to electric vehicles when there are no charging stations available except for the very rich. Right idea, wrong time.
David, I hear your frustration. I would like to know where the talk about stake calling submission is at. The reason is that I would like to see something like that implemented in our stake. Everything is done by paper and it is very time consuming. Now will everyone need tablet PC or iPads? In my book, no. The reason is that if they have Internet connection at home then they can update it there. Would it be nice if they could do it on the fly, yes, but is it required? no.

Let me know about the stake calling submission because I would be very interested in helping with that.
kisaac
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#5

Post by kisaac »

davesudweeks wrote: It assumes everyone is online. What about those units that aren't online yet?
I also ask if you are saying you have no MLS dial-up? Could a stake online submission system be very simple, and use the MLS messaging feature to communicate between ward and stake?

Don't feel left out, though. If by "online" you are talking wireless, more of us are not online in our buildings than you might think. I think the percentage of buildings that have it installed is probably far greater than the percentage of buildings who actually allow it to be used by a teacher for a lesson on any given Sunday. Others can correct me if they see a different trend of allowing only leaders or bishopric/clerks offices access to the "online" and wireless world.
davesudweeks
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#6

Post by davesudweeks »

My post was in response to a specific suggestion. The Forum admins decided to move it to this thread which, unfortunately, took my response out of context and changed the meaning.

There isn't any value going down this rabbit hole any further -we all have more important things to worry about.

Dave
russellhltn
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#7

Post by russellhltn »

In answer to the question posed by the title of the thread, in talking with my FM Group guy, he indicated that he has money this year to install WiFi, but not next year. So he's motivated to get it done.

YMMV - depending on the budget situation in your FM group.
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JeffTurgeon
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#8

Post by JeffTurgeon »

Installing Internet and WIFI in the building is a big task.

The FM groups do not have the budget to have it installed professionally, by outside paid contractors, and are therefore looking for motivated and technically advanced members with general construction knowledge to volunteer and help with these projects.

I've trained the FM maintenance team in my area how to setup the network (conceal lines and install drops, design and setup wireless networks) and have been helping roll Internet installations throughout my Stake. Hardest part is getting together a team of 3 or 4 guys that want to volunteer nights/Saturdays to do the work.

Our setup standards are as follows:
Hardwired Drops to: (All drops are cat6 using wall plates at receptacle height to match wall sisal/oak trim)
-Bishop Offices
-Clerk Offices
-Relief Society Room
-Chapel pulpit controls (for conference broadcasts)
-Chapel front of room (teacher streaming)
-Chapel rear (camera for broadcasting)
-Cultural hall (at side of stage in general room)
-Family History
-Library

Wireless Connections:
(Using Cisco 1041n APs)
-Ceiling Mounted Access Points in halls (provide signal strength of 70%+ coverage in all rooms to stream videos and provide access to handhelds)
-Concealed Access Point for chapel/cultural hall (provide signal strength of 70%+ coverage to stream videos and provide access to handhelds)

Once you have a reliable group that has expertise working with drills, pulling lines, and making terminations, as well as doing clean concealed work, your FM group would love to have you volunteer to work for them. Just be sure you have an experienced person work with any newbies. Many people say they are experienced when they really are just enthusiastic. Be sure that an experienced person tests all wire runs and terminations before powering up the AP power injectors or tying in the equipment to your gigabit switches or the Cisco 881 firewall/router.
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pete.arnett
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#9

Post by pete.arnett »

Jeff,

You may want to include the following:

* Air Conditioner controls (A/C, Honeywell WebStat)
* High Council room

Webcasting: Meetinghouses that will be doing webcasting (broadcasting), assumes Satellite cabinet room
* RCA connectors at webcasting location (video camera, building audio)
* Cat 6 to Video Camera (remote control PTZ TCP/IP video camera)
* Voice telephone connection, operational

Also, see "Wired networking (meetinghouse)"
Thanks,
:cool:Your Fellow Member,
Pete Arnett
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JeffTurgeon
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#10

Post by JeffTurgeon »

pete.arnett wrote:Jeff,

You may want to include the following:

* Air Conditioner controls (A/C, Honeywell WebStat)
* High Council room

Webcasting: Meetinghouses that will be doing webcasting (broadcasting), assumes Satellite cabinet room
* RCA connectors at webcasting location (video camera, building audio)
* Cat 6 to Video Camera (remote control PTZ TCP/IP video camera)
* Voice telephone connection, operational

Also, see "Wired networking (meetinghouse)"
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*HVAC Controls
I contemplated runs to HVAC but so far am not a fan. Worked in a building where HVAC was controlled off site and the environment was one of the worst, felt cold or too hot very often. I prefer local control to change temp based on humidity and feel of the room. Sometimes all that is needed is the blower to move some air but off-site control does not know this and can't seem to adjust. I've worked with my FM group over this one and we can easily tweak the blower "on" to move air or temporarily adjust. I know from a technological aspect this is terrible but from a humanistic side it works better.

*High Council Room

- I will add this run to the plan, good idea especially at one of the far ends of the table near an outlet of course

*Webcasting (Satellite Cabinet/Room)
- We planned on a drop there but there has been a request for a XLR microphone line run from the pulpit to this cabinet as well due to some noise on the audio output.
- Currently they have been having issues with webcasting to other buildings. There are slight hesitations in the signal over the internet. In the past a Sling box was tried with poor results and more recently the church's webcasting software. The video and sound are descent enough but the output at the satellite cabinet for the sound was distorted so a microphone cable has been run down the hallways all the way to the satellite cabinet. I should be working at this building sometime in the next couple of weeks to figure out how we are going to proceed on this project.

I'm also hoping that in the future we change over to VOIP phone lines. Since we are installing out network equipment in the phone rooms this should be an easy upgrade. The church sure would save a ton of money using VOIP lines for voice transmissions. Besides, the phones are hardly used throughout the week.
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