Network Diagram

Hello all,

I have a few questions for you veterans. Although, I'm open to all suggestions from anyone.

I'm taking a Network and Data Comm class, which is great by the way, and after 15 chapters of theory, I get to do some fun stuff! Let me give you a bit of details on the project I have.

I own a two-story, 62 room motel. It's time for some upgrades for the building and that includes Internet Access, wired and wireless.

I have the option of getting DSL, Cable or a T/1 line and can set my wireless network up however I want.

I need to have a connection in every room, wirless throughout the hospital, some pc's and printers setup. Some will be for the motel employees, some for the customers.

There are my questions. I have never used any network diagramming software program before like Visio and/or Smartdraw.

Any helpful suggestions, hints, tips you can give a first-timer?

I pretty much have complete freedom as far as the logic of the network is concerned and the equipment I want to use. I just don't know where to start. What do you think guys?

Thanks in advance!

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Comments

jahman182

Visio..........well that's what I use.

Revenue

I like smartdraw

The templates are quite good to start of with if your new to network design and its quite easy to jump in and have a fair idea of what your doing quite quickly :P, my 2c -- nice icons too.

ally_uk

Sod the diagrams just get in there and network it lol

Half the fun will be sorting out the mess you have created

Just use a notepad and pen that'll do fine

cgrimaldo

Thanks everyone. I have Visio so I may play around with that for a bit. I also may download the trial for smartdraw.

RTmarc

One of my co-workers likes Dia. Personally, I'm a Visio guy.

Lee H

Hi

Is there and software available that scan your network and give you a detailed diagram

I know in this case there is no network but just wondering if there was software that could do this

Lee H

Mishra

ASCII all the way

jabb000

You said the project is you own a 62 room hotel then 2 paragraphs later you say you want to have a connection in every room throughout the Hospital. Is this a hotel or Hospital?

You say the following......

I own a two-story, 62 room motel. It's time for some upgrades for the building and that includes Internet Access, wired and wireless.

I have the option of getting DSL, Cable or a T/1 line and can set my wireless network up however I want.

I need to have a connection in every room, wirless throughout the hospital, some pc's and printers setup. Some will be for the motel employees, some for the customers.

What is the project for real?

sprkymrk

Lee H wrote:

Hi

Is there and software available that scan your network and give you a detailed diagram

I know in this case there is no network but just wondering if there was software that could do this

Lee H

Visio 2000 did this. They took it out of 2003. There are others, but they escape me now...

cgrimaldo

jabb000 wrote:

You said the project is you own a 62 room hotel then 2 paragraphs later you say you want to have a connection in every room throughout the Hospital. Is this a hotel or Hospital?

You say the following......

I own a two-story, 62 room motel. It's time for some upgrades for the building and that includes Internet Access, wired and wireless.

I have the option of getting DSL, Cable or a T/1 line and can set my wireless network up however I want.

I need to have a connection in every room, wirless throughout the hospital, some pc's and printers setup. Some will be for the motel employees, some for the customers.

What is the project for real?

Sorry about that. I work in a hospital. I always do that!

remyforbes777

You can use Visio.
I would have some VLANS set up. One for employees and one for motel customers. You definitely want to have seperate SSID's for customers on your wireless associated with different VLANS. When thinking about this you definitely want to make sure you consider redundancy, fault tolerance, reliability such as redundant connections to critical servers, switches, things of that nature. Make sure you use enterprise quality WAP's and not just any run of the mill Best Buy WAP. I would use Cable for my internet connection. It's definitely faster than the other two options.

JdotQ

sprkymrk wrote:

Lee H wrote:

Hi

Is there and software available that scan your network and give you a detailed diagram

I know in this case there is no network but just wondering if there was software that could do this

Lee H

Visio 2000 did this. They took it out of 2003. There are others, but they escape me now...

Check out Microsoft Active Directory Topology Diagrammer

JDMurray

Check with the vendors of your medical telemetry equipment to see if 2.4GHz 802.11/b/g WLAN signals interferes with their communication. 5GHz 802.11a/n will not be an option for you if staff, doctors, patients, and guests need to wirelessly connect to the Internet. And don't forget about the HIPAA security and patient info privacy requirements when designing and selecting your network access controls.

cgrimaldo

JDMurray wrote:

Check with the vendors of your medical telemetry equipment to see if 2.4GHz 802.11/b/g WLAN signals interferes with their communication. 5GHz 802.11a/n will not be an option for you if staff, doctors, patients, and guests need to wirelessly connect to the Internet. And don't forget about the HIPAA security and patient info privacy requirements when designing and selecting your network access controls.

Yeah, already got that checked off the list. My job at the hospital is to maintain all that and work with our Cisco guys up in our Corporate HQ to make sure everything is in tip-top shape.

The project I am asking about is for a hotel. Sorry for the confusion guys!

It's one thing to walk in a already designed and built network. It's another to start from scratch. This is some good learning though. Thanks for all your replies everyone!

cgrimaldo

I think I have my design everyone. I may upload it to get some opinions.