Re: LUG: [Dulug] Large number of WiFi users in one place - Sat, 14 May 2005 00:03:40 -0400

Subject : Re: LUG: [Dulug] Large number of WiFi users in one place

From : Kevin Miller <kcmiller@duke.[redacted]>

Date : Sat, 14 May 2005 00:03:40 -0400

Joe Winegarden wrote:

>Does anyone have any experience with a large number (~500) of users in
>one big auditorium connecting to WiFi all at once? I'm guessing a
>single router probably can't handle it, but if it requires several
>routers then will the likelihood of collisions be a big problem? It
>seems like this has to have happened at a seminar on one of the
>campuses in the triangle.
>
>
I presume by router you mean access point. I would suggest at least 6
APs for a room of that size, especially if all 500 expect to be using
wireless simultaneously (perhaps even more). You're obviously going to
need to put the 2 APs on each channel, so you'd want to locate the APs
on common channels at opposite sides of the room, physically. You'll
want to tune down the radio power level, since they'll be in close
proximity.

The biggest problem will be clients that don't migrate to the "best" AP;
you'll likely find some APs that are dying but you have no way of
forcing clients to move elsewhere. Co-channel interference will also be
an issue, but there's only 1 vendor I know of that claims to handle this
problem elegantly.

-Kevin

--
Kevin C. Miller
Network Architect
Office of Information Technology
Duke University