Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
We have a mix of ethernet and wireless, though it’s a fairly small % (probably 10 or 15 out of 100+ active people each day) who actually use the hard lines.
The cases where a hard line makes the most sense are:
people who do work that requires low-latency, like a lot of screensharing or remote access to computers
places where people are meeting with others virtually. Conference rooms hard lines get used often, and our phone booths have hard lines run to them to keep Skype calls strong.
Some computers just have shitty wifi hardware/software in them. Statistically, if we have an issue with someone connecting to our wifi, it’s a PC. Or in some rare cases, old computers that have NO wifi hardware. Yeah, blew me away too.
As we got bigger, we started having more complex issues with wifi and some of our full time members started strategically moving to be closer to hard lines. Since upgrading to the Unifi access points in the thread I posted to yesterday, those problems appear to be all gone (knock on wood) but I was glad to have some hardline options.
And as you said, specialized hardware. VOIP, Networked Backup devices, etc. We generally suggest that people keep that hardware in our rack, rather than plugging into a “local" drop. Keeps things tidier and easier to diagnose issues.
One thing that’s always difficult is that, like our power, our ethernet ports are along walls. This can be a bit of a restriction when it comes to creating optimal layouts for the workspace itself (something I think I need to write about soon). I haven’t been to many coworking spaces that have really done a great job of solving the “spaghetti of power and cables between the wall and the desks” problem. There’s covers and other clever ways of hiding it, but I haven’t found a solution that works really well for us yet.
If I were to do it all again, I’d be far more strategic about WHERE we run ethernet to, and overall, run less direct runs back to the rack. Instead, I’d take more of a node-based approach, adding new switches to areas where connectivity is needed and makes sense…but can also be moved. That flexibility/modularity pays off far more than having X more drops!
-Alex
The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com
Listen to the podcast: http://listen.coworkingweekly.com
On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 11:24 AM, CoWork Factory - New Braunfels, TX [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
We install floor jacks in certain areas where we know desks will be an island (not next to a wall).
Floor cable covers are another option that’s much cheaper, but has the drawback of not aesthetic, and possible trip hazards.
I do want to address a couple of items so everyone’s on the same page:
In typical construction budgets, whether from the GC &/or the landlord, cabling is typically NOT included. This can seem counterintuitive b/c they are often more or less permanently inside the walls
In my opinion, it’s best to cable to your ideal desk layout, whether that’s for maximum efficiency &/or for “nodes”, as Alex mentioned below. Clustering desks/cubicles especially with built-in cable trays would help achieve these “nodes” areas. One node would be: jack - router - cluster of desks.
In other words, I recommend ALWAYS cabling, and cabling to 100% everywhere, as you’ll likely be able or want to cable after the fact.
JEROME CHANG
WEST: Santa Monica
1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401
ph: (310) 526-2255
CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036
ph: (323) 330-9505
EAST: Downtown
529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013
ph: (213) 550-2235
On Jan 7, 2015, at 8:45 AM, Alex Hillman [email protected] wrote:
We have a mix of ethernet and wireless, though it’s a fairly small % (probably 10 or 15 out of 100+ active people each day) who actually use the hard lines.
The cases where a hard line makes the most sense are:
- people who do work that requires low-latency, like a lot of screensharing or remote access to computers
- places where people are meeting with others virtually. Conference rooms hard lines get used often, and our phone booths have hard lines run to them to keep Skype calls strong.
- Some computers just have shitty wifi hardware/software in them. Statistically, if we have an issue with someone connecting to our wifi, it’s a PC. Or in some rare cases, old computers that have NO wifi hardware. Yeah, blew me away too.
- As we got bigger, we started having more complex issues with wifi and some of our full time members started strategically moving to be closer to hard lines. Since upgrading to the Unifi access points in the thread I posted to yesterday, those problems appear to be all gone (knock on wood) but I was glad to have some hardline options.
- And as you said, specialized hardware. VOIP, Networked Backup devices, etc. We generally suggest that people keep that hardware in our rack, rather than plugging into a “local" drop. Keeps things tidier and easier to diagnose issues.
One thing that’s always difficult is that, like our power, our ethernet ports are along walls. This can be a bit of a restriction when it comes to creating optimal layouts for the workspace itself (something I think I need to write about soon). I haven’t been to many coworking spaces that have really done a great job of solving the “spaghetti of power and cables between the wall and the desks” problem. There’s covers and other clever ways of hiding it, but I haven’t found a solution that works really well for us yet.
If I were to do it all again, I’d be far more strategic about WHERE we run ethernet to, and overall, run less direct runs back to the rack. Instead, I’d take more of a node-based approach, adding new switches to areas where connectivity is needed and makes sense…but can also be moved. That flexibility/modularity pays off far more than having X more drops!
-Alex
The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com
Listen to the podcast: http://listen.coworkingweekly.com
On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 11:24 AM, CoWork Factory - New Braunfels, TX [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Wired is still important. I always use the hardline if it’s available because the speeds are better. Wifi is always slow in comparison.
On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 2:13 PM, CoWork Factory - New Braunfels, TX [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Aaron Cruikshank
Principal, CRUIKSHANK
phone: 778.908.4560
e-mail: [email protected]
web: cruikshank.me
twitter: @cruikshank
book a meeting: doodle.com/cruikshank
linkedin: in/cruikshank
You will also get a lot more milage from your wifi setup with a number of users plugged in. It’s nice to always have the option. Every desk has the option for a hard wire or wireless. We just have one wire going to a number of pods and a switch under the tables. So you don’t have to go super crazy with the wiring.
On Wed, Jan 7, 2015 at 9:53 AM, Aaron Cruikshank [email protected] wrote:
Wired is still important. I always use the hardline if it’s available because the speeds are better. Wifi is always slow in comparison.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Aaron Cruikshank
Principal, CRUIKSHANK
phone: 778.908.4560
e-mail: [email protected]
web: cruikshank.me
twitter: @cruikshank
book a meeting: doodle.com/cruikshank
linkedin: in/cruikshank
On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 2:13 PM, CoWork Factory - New Braunfels, TX [email protected] wrote:
Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
When we moved into our space it was already outfitted with dataports in every corner and along the walls. So we have kept them live. We have an assortment of cables available as everyone forgets them. Particularly in the back room, where there are sone dead spots for reasons we can’t quite work out, they get heavy use.
Their mere presence is for some people very important.
We find that a fair number of people prefer cable.
On Tuesday, January 6, 2015 11:13:34 PM UTC+1, CoWork Factory - New Braunfels, TX wrote:
Does anyone use wired anymore? I’m opening a new space and installing the IT infrastructure now, but am thinking I may be overdoing the CAT5e ports. Planning on about 30-35 ports for a 3,200 sq ft building. I’ll have a couple of business class APs and am thinking I should have wired ports as an option for IP phones and other heavy users of data.
Thoughts?
Thanks!
Bob
I agree with all of the above.
Having a backup network is good for your brand, too, even if your main provider goes down for 1 minute per every 6 months, it's a relief to know there is a backup. And if one network blocks someone, the backup often has different settings that work for them.
For wired, I have jacks along the wall, and hubs on some desks. Keeping the cords orderly can be solved by keeping the cords extended towards each seat.
To get the ethernet to the hubs from the wall, you can use gaff tape or buy a cover.
I keep an ethernet cord accessible in each conference room to give people the option.
Power cords are very similar in terms of accessibility with floor routing and hubs. I love the 'hub-and-spoke' model for many things.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon (sent from my phone)
I do want to make people aware of asynchronous bandwidth like 50 download / 10 upload.
Connectivity can be much less reliable in the days of dropbox and other vid/file uploads.
This is the reason why 50/50 is much more $$ than 50/10.
JEROME CHANG
WEST: Santa Monica
1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401
ph: (310) 526-2255
CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036
ph: (323) 330-9505
EAST: Downtown
529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013
ph: (213) 550-2235
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 1:59 AM, Alex Linsker [email protected] wrote:
I agree with all of the above.
Having a backup network is good for your brand, too, even if your main provider goes down for 1 minute per every 6 months, it’s a relief to know there is a backup. And if one network blocks someone, the backup often has different settings that work for them.
For wired, I have jacks along the wall, and hubs on some desks. Keeping the cords orderly can be solved by keeping the cords extended towards each seat.
To get the ethernet to the hubs from the wall, you can use gaff tape or buy a cover.
I keep an ethernet cord accessible in each conference room to give people the option.
Power cords are very similar in terms of accessibility with floor routing and hubs. I love the ‘hub-and-spoke’ model for many things.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon (sent from my phone)
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
At the HiVE, we have a 100/100 Fibre connection. We upgraded to that from ADSL and the main reason why was the poor upload speed we were getting before (5 mb/s up max). When we’d get 2-3 people trying to make Skype or Google Hangout video calls, the whole network would brown out due to the upload bandwidth getting loaded down.
Once we moved to a 100/100 account, we had no more problems but the up speed over wired was easily double that of the wireless connection.
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 1:59 AM, Alex Linsker [email protected] wrote:
I agree with all of the above.
Having a backup network is good for your brand, too, even if your main provider goes down for 1 minute per every 6 months, it’s a relief to know there is a backup. And if one network blocks someone, the backup often has different settings that work for them.
For wired, I have jacks along the wall, and hubs on some desks. Keeping the cords orderly can be solved by keeping the cords extended towards each seat.
To get the ethernet to the hubs from the wall, you can use gaff tape or buy a cover.
I keep an ethernet cord accessible in each conference room to give people the option.
Power cords are very similar in terms of accessibility with floor routing and hubs. I love the ‘hub-and-spoke’ model for many things.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon (sent from my phone)
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Ouch. ADSL. Shudders.
Bandwidth and coffee beans - the two things that coworking spaces should pay for the best you can afford to provide.
-Alex
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 1:59 AM, Alex Linsker [email protected] wrote:
I agree with all of the above.
Having a backup network is good for your brand, too, even if your main provider goes down for 1 minute per every 6 months, it’s a relief to know there is a backup. And if one network blocks someone, the backup often has different settings that work for them.
For wired, I have jacks along the wall, and hubs on some desks. Keeping the cords orderly can be solved by keeping the cords extended towards each seat.
To get the ethernet to the hubs from the wall, you can use gaff tape or buy a cover.
I keep an ethernet cord accessible in each conference room to give people the option.
Power cords are very similar in terms of accessibility with floor routing and hubs. I love the ‘hub-and-spoke’ model for many things.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon (sent from my phone)
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Bandwidth and coffee beans - the two things that coworking spaces should pay for the best you can afford to provide.
Now there’s a quote destined for the wiki.
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 2:10 PM, Alex Hillman [email protected] wrote:
Ouch. ADSL. Shudders.
Bandwidth and coffee beans - the two things that coworking spaces should pay for the best you can afford to provide.
-Alex
The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.
Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com
Listen to the podcast: http://listen.coworkingweekly.com
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 2:02 PM, Aaron Cruikshank [email protected] wrote:
At the HiVE, we have a 100/100 Fibre connection. We upgraded to that from ADSL and the main reason why was the poor upload speed we were getting before (5 mb/s up max). When we’d get 2-3 people trying to make Skype or Google Hangout video calls, the whole network would brown out due to the upload bandwidth getting loaded down.
Once we moved to a 100/100 account, we had no more problems but the up speed over wired was easily double that of the wireless connection.
- Aaron
Aaron Cruikshank
Principal, CRUIKSHANK
Phone: 778.908.4560
email: [email protected]
web: cruikshank.me
twitter: @cruikshank
book a meeting: doodle.com/cruikshank
linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cruikshank
On Jan 8, 2015 10:42 AM, “Jerome Chang” [email protected] wrote:
I do want to make people aware of asynchronous bandwidth like 50 download / 10 upload.
Connectivity can be much less reliable in the days of dropbox and other vid/file uploads.
This is the reason why 50/50 is much more $$ than 50/10.
JEROME CHANG
WEST: Santa Monica
1450 2nd Street (@Broadway) | Santa Monica CA 90401
ph: (310) 526-2255
CENTRAL: Mid-Wilshire
5405 Wilshire Blvd (2 blocks west of La Brea) | Los Angeles CA 90036
ph: (323) 330-9505
EAST: Downtown
529 S. Broadway, Suite 4000 (@Pershing Square) | Los Angeles CA 90013
ph: (213) 550-2235
<twitter-bird3-square.png>
<facebook-logo-square.png>
<linkedin-logo-square2.png>
<vimeo-s.png>
On Jan 8, 2015, at 8:42 AM, Mike Pihlman [email protected] wrote:
I did a quick test of wired vs wireless speeds at AltamontCowork. Interesting results…
Mike
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
Glen Ferguson
Cowork Frederick
122 E Patrick St
Frederick, MD 21701-5630
+1 (301) 732-5165
On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 1:59 AM, Alex Linsker [email protected] wrote:
I agree with all of the above.
Having a backup network is good for your brand, too, even if your main provider goes down for 1 minute per every 6 months, it’s a relief to know there is a backup. And if one network blocks someone, the backup often has different settings that work for them.
For wired, I have jacks along the wall, and hubs on some desks. Keeping the cords orderly can be solved by keeping the cords extended towards each seat.
To get the ethernet to the hubs from the wall, you can use gaff tape or buy a cover.
I keep an ethernet cord accessible in each conference room to give people the option.
Power cords are very similar in terms of accessibility with floor routing and hubs. I love the ‘hub-and-spoke’ model for many things.
Alex Linsker, Collective Agency, Portland Oregon (sent from my phone)
–
Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups “Coworking” group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.