network question

[chuz]

looking at a small campus , the customer wants to integrate existing bms to a central location. the 5 buildings are within a mile of each other and have existing phone lines between them. they want to use a dsl modem to connect to a jace at each building and communicate back to central computer. we cannot use any of the lan/ethernet wiring thru campus. anybody have suggestions on what equipment would be needed and the end configuration of the network? any and all info is greatly appreciatted

[freddy-b]

Wireless. The good stuff is pretty salty though. Here is some examples of what you would need.
http://www.a1securitycameras.com/Avalan-Wireless-AW5800x.html
http://www.peci.org/ncbc/2008/docs/Proceedings08/SoperFackler_ppt.pdf

What is there reasoning? How about VLAN?

[scrooloose]

We usually do routers with VPN built in. Tie all the routers together and give each building a new subnet to separate them. So like Bldg 1 is 192.168.1.x and next building is 192.168.2.x and so on. Then you just configure the dsl modem in each building to use the router for all its information in a bridged mode I believe. Really cost effective since a vpn router is cheap.

[chuz]

thanks for the responses , cant do wireless . job spec says dsl modem and dslam? wiring will be a twisted pair and will go from "a" building to workstation building , "b" building to workstation building "c" building.... I dont know the first thing about networks, but if you have anymore ideas feel free to post them so i can do a little research thanks again

[blindhog]

Try these guys. http://www.patton.com/

[digo]

thanks for the responses , cant do wireless . job spec says dsl modem and dslam? wiring will be a twisted pair and will go from "a" building to workstation building , "b" building to workstation building "c" building.... I dont know the first thing about networks, but if you have anymore ideas feel free to post them so i can do a little research thanks again

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSLAM

[seadoo1a]

What type of EMS system is being used in the building that you are trying to control.

[lontshooter]

Well the one issue with a twisted pair setup like that could be the distant between connection and possible lost of signal.
I would be inclined to use Fiber optics from each building to the main workstation and set it as a stand alone system and leave the modems out of the picture altogether.
Then it would be it's own lan system and can easily intregate into the existing system.
Just a different thought on your delima.

Lontshooter

P.S. I have done a quite a few project with fiber and find the speed in much better than a modem setup.

[mackinaw]

check out Black Box....

[chesehd]

You do NOT want to run RS-485 between buildings!!!

If there is even the slightest, intermittent fluctuation in ground potential between buildings A & B your little, 24-2 cable is going to be used as a conductor.

Guess what? It ain't rated for that duty cycle. You WILL pop the comm ports on your boards.

If you use fiber you *should* be safe.

The only option I can think of where a cable connection would be (marginally) tolerable would be if you had a Siemens HS-TIE (High Speed Trunk Isolator/Extender) on both ends, in between buildings.

Just my opinion.

Keep us posted, please.

Ken

[DooRacer]

We ran into some of the same issues at our last job. I can totally understand why you are not allowed to get on their network. I would go with FIBER as we did (see to modify the scope of work if you show the pros/cons of phone lines). Also, with fiber sometimes they might have a few extra strands that are not being used that you could "rent" from the IT group.

[mechinc]

We usually do routers with VPN built in. Tie all the routers together and give each building a new subnet to separate them. So like Bldg 1 is 192.168.1.x and next building is 192.168.2.x and so on. Then you just configure the dsl modem in each building to use the router for all its information in a bridged mode I believe. Really cost effective since a vpn router is cheap.

This is the way we went...
we had a customer get DSL service at each location
then we added the Cisco routers at each location.
We added the firewall at the main bldg and
this the point of vpn access.