“A New Level” Redesigning the Network and Rebuilding Two New Computer Labs for Harambee...

“A New Level”

Redesigning the Network and Rebuilding Two New Computer Labs for Harambee Ministries

By Josh Kammerer

The Need

• Existing wireless local area network (WLAN) that had been operational for more than six years

• Connectivity and sustainability issues on multiple subnets, partially because of non-standard wiring

• No wireless encryption

• Failed and out-of-date Internet content filtration system

• No computer labs for children or teenagers – stolen a few days before I arrived on site

The Network

• Improved existing wiring for better connectivity

• Installed new main router, new switches, and new wireless access points (WAP’s)

• Configured WAP’s for improved sustainability

• Purchased, installed, and configured a new hardware-based top-of-the-line Internet content filtration system

• Encrypted the wireless network using WPA encryption

Internet Content Filtration System

• Configured customized filtration groups for staff, students, and junior staff (teenagers) computers

• Utilized device to monitor all Internet traffic of each network card on the network

• Utilized the device to track down any spyware and viruses present on computers on the network

• Created custom bandwidth settings to minimize extraneous Internet bandwidth usage

• “Content Protect” hardware device from Content Watch, the owners of “NetNanny”

Computer Labs

• Set up two separate computer labs for the students and junior staff, consisting almost entirely of new Macbooks or iMacs running Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard)

• Set up each computer with customized, limited user accounts for use by junior staff and children

• Enrolled Harambee in TechSoup and requested over $9,000 worth of software

• Assembled one of two security carts for the computers

• Secured each new Mac computer to the security carts, using anti-theft computer padlocks

Computer Labs

• Researched, purchased, and installed new educational software for each of the student computers

• Recovered, rebuilt, and upgraded any remaining Windows laptops that did not get stolen

• Installed LoJack for laptops on most of the new Macs

• Tested out existing equipment to see what was usable

• Set up one Macbook to dual-boot into Windows Vista, for testing purposes

Sustainability

• Registered all “ongoing” computers with the content filtration system

• Partially documented the virtual structure of the network, including all passwords and unique device settings

• Documented all MAC addresses of “ongoing” computers on the network

• Developed a plan for “passing on” maintenance tasks to future employees/interns

What Remains to Be Done

• Create a series of videos (or write-ups) that describes (and illustrates) what I have done so far in each area discussed in this presentation

• Include in those videos ideas about how to keep the networks running smoothly

• Formulate a diagram of some sort to illustrate the network setup to help other sites replicate this project

• Finish a few remaining connectivity and computer lab setup tasks