Question Building a small network

[dissaa]

Building a small network for a clinic, was wondering how many switches/routers would I need to connect 4 PC's and a server together? Also would one access point be enough to allow patients and staff to use their wireless devices?

 

[Wolfshadw]

That is going to depend entirely on the size of the clinic. Square footage? Number of floors?

-Wolf sends

 

[ElectrO_90]

Since you have not mentioned size of property, I am not sure how we are meant to know if one AP would be enough, you've given no information.

Buy a Ubiqiti Switch 8port POE that will sort everything and as many AP's you need PoE of course, less cables.

Switch Enterprise 48 PoE - Ubiquiti Store

A 48-port, Layer 3 switch with 2.5 GbE PoE+ output.

www.ui.com

and

UniFi6 Long-Range

High-performance, indoor/outdoor WiFi 6 access point with extended signal range. Features: 5 GHz WiFi 6 band (4x4), 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 band (4x4) 3.0 Gbps aggregate throughput rate Horizontal, downward-tilted antenna pattern to widen coverage area (1) GbE RJ45 port (PoE In) Powered with PoE+...

www.ui.com

That should cover most needs and you can add CCTV later on if you wish through PoE

 

[dissaa]

That is going to depend entirely on the size of the clinic. Square footage? Number of floors?

-Wolf sends

Oh sorry its a single storey building, is roughly 350 - 400 Sqm

 

[dissaa]

Since you have not mentioned size of property, I am not sure how we are meant to know if one AP would be enough, you've given no information.

Buy a Ubiqiti Switch 8port POE that will sort everything and as many AP's you need PoE of course, less cables.

Switch Enterprise 48 PoE - Ubiquiti Store

A 48-port, Layer 3 switch with 2.5 GbE PoE+ output.

www.ui.com

and

UniFi6 Long-Range

High-performance, indoor/outdoor WiFi 6 access point with extended signal range. Features: 5 GHz WiFi 6 band (4x4), 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 band (4x4) 3.0 Gbps aggregate throughput rate Horizontal, downward-tilted antenna pattern to widen coverage area (1) GbE RJ45 port (PoE In) Powered with PoE+...

www.ui.com

That should cover most needs and you can add CCTV later on if you wish through PoE

Oh Oh sorry its a single storey building, is roughly 350 - 400 Sqm. It has its own server room, would you put the router and switch in there as well?

 

[kanewolf]

Since you have not mentioned size of property, I am not sure how we are meant to know if one AP would be enough, you've given no information.

Buy a Ubiqiti Switch 8port POE that will sort everything and as many AP's you need PoE of course, less cables.

Switch Enterprise 48 PoE - Ubiquiti Store

A 48-port, Layer 3 switch with 2.5 GbE PoE+ output.

www.ui.com

and

UniFi6 Long-Range

High-performance, indoor/outdoor WiFi 6 access point with extended signal range. Features: 5 GHz WiFi 6 band (4x4), 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 band (4x4) 3.0 Gbps aggregate throughput rate Horizontal, downward-tilted antenna pattern to widen coverage area (1) GbE RJ45 port (PoE In) Powered with PoE+...

www.ui.com

That should cover most needs and you can add CCTV later on if you wish through PoE

IF you are going to go with Ubiquiti, then a security gateway and a cloud key will make the whole thing much easier to manage. You can setup a VLAN with separate SSID for the guests that will have no access to the office equipment but can have internet access.

 

[ElectrO_90]

Oh Oh sorry its a single storey building, is roughly 350 - 400 Sqm. It has its own server room, would you put the router and switch in there as well?

We don't really know your setup. I guess you have internet going into that room, you would connect the Seecurity gateway and cloud key all in there to the Ubiquiti switch (it maybe better going for 16 port) then from there run Cat 6 cables to wherever you need them OR you run one cable from the internet router (could be server room) to a room where you are going to have the computers (if in a single room or close by) then put the switch there.
That way 1 long cable run to the switch, them from the switch several short cable runs to computers and AP

 

[Ralston18]

Get a sheet of graph paper and draw out a basic floor plan of the building. Does not need to be a work of art - just detailed enough to show the walls, doors, and basic furniture locations throughout plus where the network devices (routers, switches, etc.) and computers might be located. Especially those locations that are alreardy fixed. Scale is important but not immediately so for a first draft of the layout.

Make several copies of the floor plan (so you do not need to redraw the floor plan each time).

Use a copy of the floor plan to layout hardware locations and potential cable runs. Small sticky notes can be helpful respect to forced rearrangements: i.e., something anywhere in the way or other potential barrier such as a building firewall.

Then "walk the layout" and add notes as necessary - all too easy to plan for a switch nicely out of the way but nowhere near a power outlet....

Time spent planning will be returned in time saved (and probably expense as well) from do-over's and "got-cha's".