In this project, you will design a small local area network for a medical office. You will recommend the network hardware to install and where to put it on a floor plan of the office.
The Scenario
A friend is helping set up a new office for a physician and would like your help planning the network. Here are the requirements:
There should be one server, which will contain the software that manages the medical practice.
All staff devices should be able to connect to the network to access the server.
All staff devices should be able to access the internet.
Every part of the office, including the waiting area, should have good access to WiFi.
The three exam rooms, the reception area, and the office should each have an Ethernet jack installed in a wall to allow for optional wired network access.
What Is Already Done
Here is what your friend has already accomplished on the project:
Internet service has already been set up for the building, with a cable modem installed in the office.
The following hardware has already been purchased but not yet installed:
a server
a WiFi-capable router with six Ethernet ports on it
the hardware needed to install the Ethernet jacks
enough Ethernet cable to make all needed connections
Your Task
Your task is to decide where the networking hardware will be placed for optimal effectiveness. Think about the requirements in the scenario above and examine the floorplan image provided. Your teacher may require you to work with a partner. Be sure to ask before you begin the project.
the floorplan of the office
Use this floorplan image for your project.
Mark up the floor plan as follows:
Draw a purple rectangle where the wireless router should be placed. Keep in mind the following:
A wireless router's signal can extend for up to 125 feet in all directions, but the signal starts to get weak at a much shorter distance.
Be mindful of the measurements listed around the perimeter of the floor plan when placing your router.
If you place the router in a corner of the building, not all areas of the building will have a strong WiFi signal.
You can place the router in the ceiling to keep it out of the way.
Draw a blue rectangle where the cable modem will sit. Keep in mind the following:
The cable modem should be somewhere that the staff can easily access (not in the ceiling) because it might need to be reset.
The cable modem should be somewhere that unauthorized people will not be able to tamper with it.
Draw a blue line from the cable modem to the router, representing the cable that will connect them.
Draw a yellow rectangle where the server should be placed. Keep in mind the following:
The server should be somewhere that the staff can easily access (not in the ceiling) because it might need to be configured or reset.
The server should be somewhere that unauthorized people will not be able to tamper with it.
Draw a yellow line from the server to the router, representing the cable that will connect them.
Draw green circles where the Ethernet jacks will be in the walls.
Draw green lines from the router to the Ethernet jacks. Keep in mind the following:
Cables can be run through the walls and ceilings.
There must be a separate cable from each jack directly to the router; you can't split a cable.
If you worked with a partner, add the partner’s name to the drawing at the top.
Success Criteria
A successful network design will have these characteristics:
The router is placed so that all users in the building will be able to connect a device to the internet via WiFi with good signal strength.
Wired Ethernet access is available in all the exam rooms, the reception area, and the office.
The Ethernet jacks are all connected to the router.
The server and the cable modem are both connected to the router.
Compare your project to the rubric.
What to Turn In
You can use any graphics application you like to edit the original floor plan, which is in PNG format. Alternatively, you can paste the graphic into a Word document and use Word's drawing tools (Insert > Shapes command) to mark up the graphic.
You can create the network design several ways.
