Need some advice on learning networking

[BillyCarpenter]

I want to follow up on the wireless network discussion. When I switched over the 5Gz, the performance was better. No doubt about it. However it still was showing low performance when I ran EMCO. The router is only about 10-15ft. away in the office across the hall. I decided to put a wireless access point in my office just to see what would happen. Sure enough EMCO changed from low performance to HIGH. I have an ATT router. I guess that router just sucks as far as wireless.

[KenB]

I'd say that 90% of my customers don't have an IT person. Because the customer (or anyone) can go into the router settings and change the DHCP range, how am I supposed to make sure I'm not assigning an IP address that's outside of the DHCP range? Personally, I don't see the big deal about logging into the router and finding the DHCP range- with the customer's permission for course. I'm not talking about making any changes.

Edit: I think you're a little paranoid about logging into a router and saying that if it breaks I'm responsible. That's like saying if I install a print driver on a customer's computer and the hard drive goes bad the next day that I've bought it. C'mon, now.

While I’m in favor of getting a look at the router settings, always have the customer do the driving, even if you need to stand behind them and look over their shoulder. I’ve already had the customer be on the phone while their IT guy walks them through it over the phone.

They have to know the router password to log into it, even if it’s the default. (Note: If it is the default, RUN!) That’s a password I don’t want to know.

It’s alarming how many issues customers will try to pin on us, however unrelated.

[bsm2]

I'd say that 90% of my customers don't have an IT person. Because the customer (or anyone) can go into the router settings and change the DHCP range, how am I supposed to make sure I'm not assigning an IP address that's outside of the DHCP range? Personally, I don't see the big deal about logging into the router and finding the DHCP range- with the customer's permission for course. I'm not talking about making any changes.

Edit: I think you're a little paranoid about logging into a router and saying that if it breaks I'm responsible. That's like saying if I install a print driver on a customer's computer and the hard drive goes bad the next day that I've bought it. C'mon, now.

YOU can always do what You want.
It's called scope of work Not your equipment dont mess with it.
Again You have to learn what Not too touch.
You don't Need to access the router to install a copier.
HELL I setup a machine and there phones stop working Yep guess who got blamed.
As far as No IT who setup there pc's and current network Santa Claus

I 've. worked for two of biggest Copier companies in the world. You touch it You own it.

[KenB]

There's only one potential problem I see with that. You could be choosing an IP address that is reserved for DHCP. What I've learned to do is to go into the router and find the DCHP range and be sure to assign an IP address outside of that range. Then you can ping to see if another device is on that IP address.


Disclaimer: If I'm wrong you can blame slim and Ken. They are my teachers. Obviously, if I'm wrong this proves that they are terrible teachers and I want my money back.

How about Slim and I give you double your money back? Let’s see...what’s two times zero?

[tonerhead]

After reading this post I decided to disable 2.4 GHz and only use the 5GZ. I then used the EMCO software to see if it made a difference. Indeed it did. It's much more stable with no wild peaks and valleys.

I don't think I would disable 2.4ghz. I am not an expert but in the past I had a router that advertized in the SSID that it was 2.4 ghz or 5ghz. You could select which frequency you wanted to connect to. There are lots of devices out there that only run one or the other and not both. So you have a friend come over who needs the 2.4ghz (B,G,N) then what?

I was getting frustrated with the wireless in our house 10 years ago already. We have 3 levels and can't put the wireless in the middle. I ended up running ethernet from the basement to the 2nd floor. Never regretted it. It was not tough to do at all. With interior decorator conduit, and a little common sense home handyman skills, it looks very professional. I believe in the long run, it will add value to our home at time of resale.

A tip that I might add is that everyone associated with networks should carry a cable tester, ethernet crimping tool, and punch down tool. These are very inexpensive. The cable tester has saved my bacon lots of times with copiers. For example customer can't print, can't ping ip, no connect lights, etc.

BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED PER CUSTOMER.

I had one that swore nothing had changed. Ended up being the cable. Apparently cleaning crew moved copier and stretched cable.

It will also tell you if IT/electrician got lazy and is only using 4 of the 8 wires in the ethernet cable or have split an ethernet cable into 2 ports upon termination (to save cable). (more common than you realize)

Other instances, there is 50-100 feet of cable rolled up in corner by copier with no walljack. Or the terminal on end of cable has a broken clip. Customer bitches about losing connection to copier. I have replaced terminals for customers as sometimes it is better to replace a $1 terminal than deal with a cheap customer that constantly complains and doesn't want to do anything about it. Same goes with the 50-100 feet of excess cable. They don't want to pay for someone to do it, but yet it causes issues. I'll do it for them for free and keep the cable (this is with their permission of course)

End of story is sometimes if you give away a couple bucks of materials or simple labor, you keep the customer happy, and end up not making repeat trips, saving you money in the long run on contract machines. Especially when the customer refuses to spend money to get simple things done.

I know lots of you will have your own opinion to this and rightfully so. But in my mind, the peace of mind in not having to deal with these customers is worth the few $ I give away.

[BillyCarpenter]

While I’m in favor of getting a look at the router settings, always have the customer do the driving, even if you need to stand behind them and look over their shoulder. I’ve already had the customer be on the phone while their IT guy walks them through it over the phone.

They have to know the router password to log into it, even if it’s the default. (Note: If it is the default, RUN!) That’s a password I don’t want to know.

It’s alarming how many issues customers will try to pin on us, however unrelated.

Point taken. Like they say, better safe than sorry.

How about Slim and I give you double your money back? Let’s see...what’s two times zero?

We have a deal.

[BillyCarpenter]

YOU can always do what You want.
It's called scope of work Not your equipment dont mess with it.
Again You have to learn what Not too touch.
You don't Need to access the router to install a copier.
HELL I setup a machine and there phones stop working Yep guess who got blamed.
As far as No IT who setup there pc's and current network Santa Claus

I 've. worked for two of biggest Copier companies in the world. You touch it You own it.

I think you have a point that the customer could blame me even if I did nothing wrong. But I'd rather know the DHCP range than play Russian Roulette by picking an IP addresses out of thin air. Yes, you could pick in the upper IP address range and you're less likely to chose an IP address that's in DHCP range, but you never know.

I like Ken's idea of having the customer do the driving.

[BillyCarpenter]

I don't think I would disable 2.4ghz. I am not an expert but in the past I had a router that advertized in the SSID that it was 2.4 ghz or 5ghz. You could select which frequency you wanted to connect to. There are lots of devices out there that only run one or the other and not both. So you have a friend come over who needs the 2.4ghz (B,G,N) then what?

I was getting frustrated with the wireless in our house 10 years ago already. We have 3 levels and can't put the wireless in the middle. I ended up running ethernet from the basement to the 2nd floor. Never regretted it. It was not tough to do at all. With interior decorator conduit, and a little common sense home handyman skills, it looks very professional. I believe in the long run, it will add value to our home at time of resale.

A tip that I might add is that everyone associated with networks should carry a cable tester, ethernet crimping tool, and punch down tool. These are very inexpensive. The cable tester has saved my bacon lots of times with copiers. For example customer can't print, can't ping ip, no connect lights, etc.

BUT NOTHING HAS CHANGED PER CUSTOMER.

I had one that swore nothing had changed. Ended up being the cable. Apparently cleaning crew moved copier and stretched cable.

It will also tell you if IT/electrician got lazy and is only using 4 of the 8 wires in the ethernet cable or have split an ethernet cable into 2 ports upon termination (to save cable). (more common than you realize)

Other instances, there is 50-100 feet of cable rolled up in corner by copier with no walljack. Or the terminal on end of cable has a broken clip. Customer bitches about losing connection to copier. I have replaced terminals for customers as sometimes it is better to replace a $1 terminal than deal with a cheap customer that constantly complains and doesn't want to do anything about it. Same goes with the 50-100 feet of excess cable. They don't want to pay for someone to do it, but yet it causes issues. I'll do it for them for free and keep the cable (this is with their permission of course)

End of story is sometimes if you give away a couple bucks of materials or simple labor, you keep the customer happy, and end up not making repeat trips, saving you money in the long run on contract machines. Especially when the customer refuses to spend money to get simple things done.

I know lots of you will have your own opinion to this and rightfully so. But in my mind, the peace of mind in not having to deal with these customers is worth the few $ I give away.

I only disabled 2.4Gz for testing purposes. I'm not gonna leave it that way.

[bsm2]

I think you have a point that the customer could blame me even if I did nothing wrong. But I'd rather know the DHCP range than play Russian Roulette by picking an IP addresses out of thin air. Yes, you could pick in the upper IP address range and you're less likely to chose an IP address that's in DHCP range, but you never know.

I like Ken's idea of having the customer do the driving.

Small network add 50 to 100 the ipaddress on the PC
ping it and use that.

[BillyCarpenter]

Small network add 50 to 100 the ipaddress on the PC
ping it and use that.

Maybe I'm being paranoid about trying not to pick an IP address inside of the DHCP range. But, all things equal, I think I'd rather know for sure. It's "possible" that they changed the DHCP range to anything. Maybe not likely, but possible.