Networking Experience Advice?

Right now I pretty much run the IT Dept for about 60-70 desktop/laptop users. 50 computers in the office and 10-20 out in the field. And then there is about 100 field techs, which just have iPads/iPhones.

Any advice on what I could do while I'm here to give me some networking experience, that will help me land a job that actually focuses on Networking?

I feel like the only thing I do in terms in Networking is check our firewall when our internet speeds are running slow and see who is eating up the bandwidth. Otherwise my job is pretty much setting up equipment, managing accounts in AD an Office365, managing our telephony account, and helping with random computer/printer issues.

Its just me and an IT manager, but he is almost always usually busy working on a proprietary app that our techs use out in the field and I take care of everything.

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Comments

markulous

Who operates the switches and routers in your office?

NetworkNewb

I would say my manager but don't think there has really be any changes on them since I've been here. Only been here about 10 months. I would assume he probably brought someone in to set it up. He has alot of experience managing IT but don't think he has that much more technical skills than I do. Barely ever go to him for a question because he usually doesn't have the answer anyways. Which is another reason why I want to get out of here, want to get around more people who are smarter than I am.

I guess I could probably go play around on them and say that I manage them...

markulous

I'd probably try that first. I can't imagine there are never any issues with networking equipment. The wiring closet always has to be maintained, ports go out, VLans need to be maintained, more switches need to be added, etc.

Deathmage

If the network hasn't been looked at in 10 months then you should look at it. Like Mark says you need to maintain the switching fabric.

case-n-point; I just walked around my new job and one uplink from one switch to another is well over 300ft long, probably close to 360 ft and that just a smidge past the max transmission range of Cat5e and then it's plugged into a switch which helps kind-of to boost the signal but I know now why this part of the network is 'slow'.....

......it's those little things you need to look for....

...like me now I need ot find a good spot to put a switch in the middle to boost the signal or run a fiber-backbone altogether.

NetworkNewb

markulous wrote: »

I'd probably try that first. I can't imagine there are never any issues with networking equipment. The wiring closet always has to be maintained, ports go out, VLans need to be maintained, more switches need to be added, etc.

our office really hasn't grown since I've been here, small office only about 50 computers. Pretty certain I've never had port go out, at least no one has said anything to me about it if it has. And I would be surprised if we had much of anything in regards to different VLANs setup (again, cause small office, and would be surprised if the manager does much with them). I think I'll just have to dig around in there and see what is all going on though. I should clean up the cords in there anyways... Its kind of a mess!

Deathmage

NetworkNewb wrote: »

our office really hasn't grown since I've been here, small office only about 50 computers. Pretty certain I've never had port go out, at least no one has said anything to me about it if it has. And I would be surprised if we had much of anything in regards to different VLANs setup (again, cause small office, and would be surprised if the manager does much with them). I think I'll just have to dig around in there and see what is all going on though. I should clean up the cords in there anyways... Its kind of a mess!

if you come on-board to a job and your full-time the design and layout of the switches, cables, servers, KVM's, etc are all a reflection upon yourself and your profession. That's my motto with things in my experience; design to impress, build-it to perform.

NetworkNewb

its pretty bad, there are like 4 different colors of cables and they are going all over... Not sure what he was thinking when he put it together.

It would probably make you cringe

Deathmage

well this network use straight runs into switches with no punchdowns and it's bothering me a great deal.....so I know your pain...