Question I need a solution to fix lack of network signal in an isolated room ?

Striker1

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In the hospital I'm working in we planned to change the reception place to somewhere else where this place we moved to kind of of isolated regards to the network signal, so we look for a solution to have a good signal to use the POS Machine and also provide the receptionists a good network in their phones and also for the people who visit the hospital.

I tried to find solutions online but i couldn't find a good one so I'm looking for help.

Thanks in advance.
 
In the hospital I'm working in we planned to change the reception place to somewhere else where this place we moved to kind of of isolated regards to the network signal, so we look for a solution to have a good signal to use the POS Machine and also provide the receptionists a good network in their phones and also for the people who visit the hospital.

I tried to find solutions online but i couldn't find a good one so I'm looking for help.

Thanks in advance.
This really needs a local networking consultant, that can assess the particular situation.
Many many variables come into play...too many to go into here.
 
Appears to be a homework problem or work project. Per Forum rules we do not do homework etc..

However, with more information and some effort on your part you can solicit ideas and suggestions.

= = = =

Do the following:

Provide more information about the hospital environment and available networks and services.

How far away and truly "isolated" is the reception place going to be?

Provide a list of options that you believe will work and why you believe so.

Provide the option that you think is the most likely to work and why you believed that to be true.

Provide specs and cite references.

Budget?

Post accordingly.

You may find some generic solutions online but those solutions are likely to fit into very ideal circumstances and be oversimplified.
 
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This really needs a local networking consultant, that can assess the particular situation.
Many many variables come into play...too many to go into here.
Thanks, its a good idea to find a a consultant from our ISP, i will check this out.
 
You are welcome.

The ISP may be a start but you want an objective consultant. Someone who will put your requirements first and not necessarily what benefits the ISP the most.

You need to know and understand the requirements.
 
Appears to be a homework problem or work project. Per Forum rules we do not do homework etc..

However, with more information and some effort on your part you can solicit ideas and suggestions.

= = = =

Do the following:

Provide more information about the hospital environment and available networks and services.

How far away and truly "isolated" is the reception place going to be?

Provide a list of options that you believe will work and why you believe so.

Provide the option that you think is the most likely to work and why you believed that to be true.

Provide specs and cite references.

Budget?

Post accordingly.

You may find some generic solutions online but those solutions are likely to fit into very ideal circumstances and be oversimplified.
Thanks for your reply, Nope truly its not a homework or work project.

I'm an IT in a hospital located in Saudi Arabia, Khobar.

Okay to explain more about the issue,

Provide more information about the hospital environment and available networks and services.
In the hospital we are using 90% of the services from STC which is our ISP, regards the servers and internet cables shared across 2 floors in the hospital so the network is working good.
The only issue in this case that some places in the hospital if you stand there with your phone for example you only get 1 signal, so after contacting our ISP they offered us the solution for huge number of money..

Also if you meant also "available networks", the ISP provides Free internet through all the hospital and they provided routers around it.
---------------------

How far away and truly "isolated" is the reception place going to be?

We have a Xray Reception, We moved 1 PC from the main reception to it, and ethernet working good, but the only issue is the signal for phones and POS machine so we cant use the new reception there. because we cant use the POS machine
------------------------

Provide a list of options that you believe will work and why you believe so.
As i mentioned above, the offer from our ISP is Hella expensive for 1 or 2 places that isolated from the signal.
also the other solution i found online is to get a device that linked to the roof of the hospital to the room that isolated from the signal, but in this case this device will prevent people close to the area to use their phones' internet and signal 4G, etc.


Provide specs and cite references.
I Still dont know any.
 
You are welcome.

The ISP may be a start but you want an objective consultant. Someone who will put your requirements first and not necessarily what benefits the ISP the most.

You need to know and understand the requirements.
That's why i posted in this forum, To be honest, but thanks for mentioning that i don't go for ISP because they want what benefit them the most, thats why they want us to pay a lot, in the end they will get the money.
 
In the hospital I'm working in we planned to change the reception place to somewhere else where this place we moved to kind of of isolated regards to the network signal, so we look for a solution to have a good signal to use the POS Machine and also provide the receptionists a good network in their phones and also for the people who visit the hospital.

I tried to find solutions online but i couldn't find a good one so I'm looking for help.

Thanks in advance.
Are you responsible for the hospital's entire network or is there someone else that has that responsibility ? The person with the entire network responsibility should be the driving force for any alterations.
 
Are you responsible for the hospital's entire network or is there someone else that has that responsibility ? The person with the entire network responsibility should be the driving force for any alterations.
Nope, I'm not responsible of the entire network, but i came here looking for suggestions as part of the IT team
 
There is but only 1 guy responsible for network, but he asked for my suggestions and i came here to get some help.
And as mentioned above, there are FAR too many variables involved.

Distance, building construction, # of devices, needed throughput, budget...

A local consultant is needed here.
Possibly someone from your ISP, and possibly others.
I expect the ISP guy won't be that much more expensive than a competent non-affiliated guy.

Key word...competent.
 
I totally agree with you all, the issue is not from our side as an IT team, The hospital is not willing to pay...
and ask us to find a solution.

While reading your messages and discussion.
I tried to contact and get information from the responsible guy IT, and also the ISP


1- The ISP gave us an offer for 25k$ to build an antenna above the building but it will be local to their services only.

2- A company gave us offer for 100k$ to build antenna above the building also but it can provide all the ISPs
 
I totally agree with you all, the issue is not from our side as an IT team, The hospital is not willing to pay...
and ask us to find a solution.

While reading your messages and discussion.
I tried to contact and get information from the responsible guy IT, and also the ISP


1- The ISP gave us an offer for 25k$ to build an antenna above the building but it will be local to their services only.

2- A company gave us offer for 100k$ to build antenna above the building also but it can provide all the ISPs
These comments imply an isolated building rather than isolated room.
 
I totally agree with you all, the issue is not from our side as an IT team, The hospital is not willing to pay...
and ask us to find a solution.
With no budget, this is doomed to fail.
And YOU will be held responsible.

We out here have NO idea if $25k, or $100k is good or bad, for your particular set of requirements.
 
These comments imply an isolated building rather than isolated room.

With no budget, this is doomed to fail.
And YOU will be held responsible.

We out here have NO idea if $25k, or $100k is good or bad, for your particular set of requirements.
I guess I will pull myself out of this, especially that they don't want to pay :l

Anyways

I'm sorry if i couldn't explain well, but whatever they told me i literally asked for it here.

Thanks all for your efforts i really appreciate it.
 
I guess I will pull myself out of this, especially that they don't want to pay :l

Anyways

I'm sorry if i couldn't explain well, but whatever they told me i literally asked for it here.

Thanks all for your efforts i really appreciate it.
The problem is...there are a thousand different questions that need to be asked and answered.
Some of which I suspect you do not know the answers to.
Some of which are instantly obvious to someone on the ground there.
 
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The problem is...there are a thousand different questions that need to be asked and answered.
Some of which I suspect you do not know the answers to.
Some of which are instantly obvious to someone on the ground there.
Yeah, From my side i was willing to provide the help and to engage with them in this problem, but i guess they don't give the full information about this situation, instead they give small details and ask you to dig in it yourself. So yeah if you ask me some certain questions i wont be able to answer, and I wish there is someone to explain well to me and really put me in the wheel so i can do something, and about the budget they surly are not willing to ..
 
Overall, you being willing, then make the effort to put together a plan of some sort that meets the requirements as you understand those requirements to be.

And you may need to do more reading and some "walkabouts" to learn more.

Start with a simple diagram that shows (to scale) the distance being existing network locations and the proposed new reception area. What all is in between, what cable runs (if any) are in place and available.

Create your own plan as best you can.. Three parts:

1) What is required to connect into the existing network?

2) What is required to connect between the existing nework and the new reception location?

3) What equipment is needed in the new reception area?

All three requirements are very likely to have multiple options to chose from. Make some initial choices and work out the details. The plan will likely need revisions but you need to start somewhere.

Chose the options that seem reasonable to you. Then address specific questions within that plan and those options. Look for answers.

As for budget, set your "own budget". Do the best you can. You may need a switch (for example) in the reception area. The need for that switch and the cost is unlikely to change based on where the switch is tied into the existing network.

My overly simplistic plan.: i.e., starting "somewhere".

Existing network wall outlet at location A --------long Ethernet cable < 100 meters -----> 8 port switch in the new reception area -----> shorter Ethernet cables to network devices ( including POS Machine) in the new reception area.

Very likely that you will find a contracter willing to do that for $100K. But most would take $25K. (Hint: price the cable and switch.)

You do not need to and should not tell the contractors/bidders your budget. Let them provide the costs and justifications for those costs. Bids tend to work their way up to "budget".

Fix my plan with what you believe is more realistic and practical. You will learn more in the process and the resulting questions can be specifically and directly addressed. And many questions indeed.

Keep security in mind as well.

Call an IT team meeting. Get a white board, draw and list.

Maybe all of you together could work out plans and options.

After all , good, bad, or indifferent, you and the others will need to deal with whatever ends up being done.
 
Overall, you being willing, then make the effort to put together a plan of some sort that meets the requirements as you understand those requirements to be.

And you may need to do more reading and some "walkabouts" to learn more.

Start with a simple diagram that shows (to scale) the distance being existing network locations and the proposed new reception area. What all is in between, what cable runs (if any) are in place and available.

Create your own plan as best you can.. Three parts:

1) What is required to connect into the existing network?

2) What is required to connect between the existing nework and the new reception location?

3) What equipment is needed in the new reception area?

All three requirements are very likely to have multiple options to chose from. Make some initial choices and work out the details. The plan will likely need revisions but you need to start somewhere.

Chose the options that seem reasonable to you. Then address specific questions within that plan and those options. Look for answers.

As for budget, set your "own budget". Do the best you can. You may need a switch (for example) in the reception area. The need for that switch and the cost is unlikely to change based on where the switch is tied into the existing network.

My overly simplistic plan.: i.e., starting "somewhere".

Existing network wall outlet at location A --------long Ethernet cable < 100 meters -----> 8 port switch in the new reception area -----> shorter Ethernet cables to network devices ( including POS Machine) in the new reception area.

Very likely that you will find a contracter willing to do that for $100K. But most would take $25K. (Hint: price the cable and switch.)

You do not need to and should not tell the contractors/bidders your budget. Let them provide the costs and justifications for those costs. Bids tend to work their way up to "budget".

Fix my plan with what you believe is more realistic and practical. You will learn more in the process and the resulting questions can be specifically and directly addressed. And many questions indeed.

Keep security in mind as well.

Call an IT team meeting. Get a white board, draw and list.

Maybe all of you together could work out plans and options.

After all , good, bad, or indifferent, you and the others will need to deal with whatever ends up being done.
Kudos for helping the guy understand what he needs to do, rather than just telling him he needs to hire an expert.
 
Yeah, From my side i was willing to provide the help and to engage with them in this problem, but i guess they don't give the full information about this situation, instead they give small details and ask you to dig in it yourself. So yeah if you ask me some certain questions i wont be able to answer, and I wish there is someone to explain well to me and really put me in the wheel so i can do something, and about the budget they surly are not willing to ..
I am showing my own ignorance, but I have a few questions.

Are you the one posting questions here because you can read and write English and the IT guy doesn't, are you his assistant, or something else?

Because it would be nice to get specific information directly from the person responsible, but I realize that might not be possible, and I don't pretend to be able to suggest good Arabic language technology websites.

As another person suggested, you probably can get wired network connectivity just by running cable and putting a small switch on the end.

I know most countries have somewhat different cellular networks than the United States. But here at least you can go into an electronics store and get an external antenna for cell phones that will rebroadcast a slightly boosted signal inside of the building for under a thousand dollars - I was looking at one in Best Buy for my house around a year ago that was priced at about $500.00 US. But these are residential units, intended for use in a home by one person or at most a family. They are not meant to be used by multiple different phones at the same time.

I also think that I remember seeing something that might work better for you on the site croudsupply.com

But what you find there are small production specialized electronic devices and they do sell out of things.

Ultimately, none of these are really ideal, or even professional solutions, but they should cost less. I therefore would really like to encourage you to consider a few important questions.

How many people are going to use the different parts of the system?

How will it affect patients?

How badly is not having it now affecting patients?
Why were things moved?

What are the chances of a patient being seriously harmed or even dying if something stops working at a bad time?

How much will patients be helped by having this working even if the setup is not optimal or maybe not even completely reliable?

Is it better to move things back where they were, and is that even possible now? Would that harm patient care?

Ultimately the goal is, I hope, to help patients the most you can with the budget you actually have. So whoever is responsible has to make a judgement call. You can probably find a much less expensive work around, and as long as no one is going to be killed or crippled because the right person didn't get information in time, it might make sense to save the money here. If you can get something that mostly works, even if it is awkward
(For example run a CAT-7 cable to get high speed Ethernet working, and then put a wifi router in and ask people to enable Internet calling and texting on their cell phones)
Well, if you can make this happen for say, $5,000.00 US, and it lets the hospital fund a free vaccination program, it makes sense. Good publicity, lives saved, probably worth the drawbacks and hassle. But not really your decision unless you are in charge.
 
Regarding Cat 7 Cable.

Just for the record:

https://www.cablematters.com/Blog/Networking/what-is-cat7-and-why-you-don-t-need-it

There are a number of postings in this Networking Category that address Cable types, standards, and quality concerns.

No flat cables, no aluminum/copper clad conductors, etc..
And this goes back to my statement of the practices and procedures of the owner. There could easily be a fiber requirement for all room-to-room connectivity to ensure there is no interference with critical systems.
 
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