Saturday, April 05, 2008

Network upgrade

And the upgrades continue.

The network here is expanding something chronic so I needed something that could push the vlans harder. It's basically replacing the local Mikrotik/WRAP1-1 Router and Asus GigaX2024 L2 switch with a single Asus GigaX3112 L3 switch. It certainly tidied up the rack by removing two switches and a stack of patch leads.

Now I have two Asus 2024 L2 switches to stick in Admissions and the Crocosium. This will give me a gigabit vlan trunk to the locations and allow me to create some more subnets to reduce some of this needless traffic off the main networks. I'm trying to have a L2 managed switch on the end of every fibre link to get some flexibility into the network and get things into this decade...

I'm not all that impressed with the Asus network kit so far. It's okay for the price but it's buggy as hell and the 3112 tends to crash due to kernel panics and reboot due to buffer overflows or memory errors. I'm hoping future firmware updates will come and fix things. Not that I had much more luck with Netgear and Linksys stuff. There's a reason why Cisco can charge so much.

The campus wireless network is almost completed. Awaiting a cable run from the Machinery shed to the Conference center to install the AP on the roof there. Also need to install the 12th AP at the Tiger Temple to complete the 'ring of coverage' - full wireless coverage of the safari shuttle track and nearby walkways and buildings. Will put off any more expansion until the Hotel is built.