Business setup: SMC Switch + Wireless Router and Security?

[syl2us]

Hi guys,

In my place of business, we already have a switch implemented with a wireless router. I am looking to find out if our setup is correct and if not how to fix it and strengthen security. I have a fair amount of expertise in the technology field, however not much in this network setup, I have reason to believe the setup is incorrect, feel free to tell me if I am wrong. Our network requires heavy network usage at times with extremely large media files to be handled, if there is anything that would speed up network communications I am all for it.


Current setup: Cat5 line into wireless router, dinky little D-Link DIR-615. Wireless router supplies an encrypted network for in-house users and open network for guests. Cat5 cable from LAN port on router to switch (SMC Tiger Switch SMC8024L2). Then from there internet is provided to 15+ computers and devices.


Furthermore, we would like to setup permissions for guest users. Providing an encrypted WPA-PSK2 network (lets call this "inHouse") for in-house users and another WPA encryption for guests (don't like the idea of open networks, call this "Guest"). Anyone on inHouse should be able to access networked folders and such, anyone on Guest should ONLY be allowed to certain shared directories.

Also at my disposal is a Linksys WRT120N wireless router, would you recommend swapping out with the DIR615? If so why or why not.

Thank you in advance, please feel free to ask any questions.

 

[Emerald]

why do guests need to have access to your directories?

I would stay with the dinky D-Link since the Linksys' wireless speed maxes out at 150Mb.

also you can swap antennas on the D-Link with stronger ones for better signal strength

 

[syl2us]

why do guests need to have access to your directories?

I would stay with the dinky D-Link since the Linksys' wireless speed maxes out at 150Mb.

also you can swap antennas on the D-Link with stronger ones for better signal strength

Thanks for the reply. We have visitors who sometimes need to utilize wifi and share files to a network location.

What does the d link top out at?

 

[Emerald]

the D-Link tops out at 300Mb.

do you have the net work setup as a Domain or a Workgroup?

 

[syl2us]

Thanks for that info, didn't realize Linksys capped their speeds. I am fairly certain it is a Workgroup.

 

[Emerald]

it might be a strange way to do it but I would use that Linksys router to create the Guest network.

connect the WAN port to your office switch and set the LAN IP to 192.168.80.1
also disable administration via Wireless.

then take an old PC with two network card one connected to the main network and the second to the Linksys. Make sure to assign a Static IP like 192.168.80.201 to the second network card but do NOT assign it a Gateway IP and DNS IP.

This will keep the guest network separate from the office network.

create a shared folder on the PC and it will allow guests to download files to the PC which in turn can be move by the employees to where they are needed on the office network.

 

[syl2us]

it might be a strange way to do it but I would use that Linksys router to create the Guest network.

connect the WAN port to your office switch and set the LAN IP to 192.168.80.1
also disable administration via Wireless.

then take an old PC with two network card one connected to the main network and the second to the Linksys. Make sure to assign a Static IP like 192.168.80.201 to the second network card but do NOT assign it a Gateway IP and DNS IP.

This will keep the guest network separate from the office network.

create a shared folder on the PC and it will allow guests to download files to the PC which in turn can be move by the employees to where they are needed on the office network.

Hmm, any other alternatives? And best way to check and optimize network speeds between stations and internet?