Ask Slashdot: Best Wi-Fi Solution For a Hotel?

dynamo52 writes "I have been tasked with replacing a managed Wi-Fi system for a mid-sized hotel. They have already selected Comcast to provide a 100mbps connection, which unfortunately must come in at one corner of the ~5-acre property. The hotel plans to provide this service for free, so there is no need for any type of billing management system, though it should be secured enough that the parking lot does not become a free Wi-Fi hotspot. Additionally, there is no ethernet infrastructure in place. The existing APs (hidden away in proprietary encasements) seem to be connected via telephone lines and the owners have strongly indicated they would prefer that no new wiring be installed. Have any Slashdotters implemented similar systems? Specifically, what hardware did you use and what special considerations should I take in designing this system?"

No Offense...

[Anonymous Coward]

No offense... but judging by your wording, the hotel should really hire a professional. Mark my words: this will turn well for neither you nor the hotel.

Wha?

[PCM2]

As usual for "Ask Slashdot," you have left out key details that would allow people to give you meaningful responses. For example:

1. What is the hotel using now and why does it want to replace it?
2. What is a "proprietary encasement," and who put the APs there? Are you expected to put new APs in the same encasements? What will happen to the old APs?
3. You say the hotel doesn't want to lay any new cable. That might just be too bad, but it also seems to imply that there is already some cable somewhere. Why not use the existing cable? You say the APs "seem to be connected by telephone wire," but you don't sound sure. Perhaps it's just long strings with tin cans at each end? Is there any way to find out?
4. If the existing network is as strange and nonstandard as you make it sound, why is that? Was there something unique to the property that made that the best solution, and is it smart for you to ignore that?
5. Before you begin, have you verified that the hotel's contract with Comcast actually allows it to offer Internet access to the public?
6. You say the hotel wants to provide the network for free, so there's no need for any billing management system. Are you then comfortable with the idea that there will be no logging of the network at all, and no record of who might have used it and when? Is BitTorrent OK? How about botnets?
7. If the patrons aren't expected to pay for the network, can they expect it to exist at all? That is, do you have a plan to test and verify that every room will have equal access to the network, and that a guest who came last summer won't return this summer and find out that the hotel doesn't seem to have WiFi anymore (when in fact it's just their new room)?
8. Are you aware of FCC regulations regarding signal strength of your antennas, for those portions of the property that might be natural dark spots?
9. Does your task include just replacing the network or does it also include managing the network, making repairs, etc.? How much time do you plan to devote to that?

There may be more to this job than you have considered.

RTFM

[Anonymous Coward]

Go and learn about wireless networks, read the books associated with CWNA for instance.

Ignore the monkeys on here, i've seen about 5 or 6 people posting what I can only assume is a joke or perhaps 1just distilled ignorance, you really just need to RTFM.

This must be what it feels like to be an admin on #linux :o

Re:Dear slashdot

[MokuMokuRyoushi]

While I do see your point with that satire(and it is a good one!), what's wrong with asking? A professional should be able to tell what he needs to do without asking, sure, but I respect the professional who both knows, and asks to check himself/find better ideas.