[Herts] Meeting Equipment Improvements?

[Malcolm Smith]

On Mon, Feb 16, 2009 at 08:38:30AM -0000, ROBERTS, Mike wrote:
> I was wondering on a few things that came to light, or I have been
> thinking about for a while, after last weeks meeting. They are, in no
> particular order :-
> 
> * The smoothwall firewall / dhcp server:  How does it get turned off at
> the end of the evening? Does someone log into it and shut it down
> cleanly or does it just get turned off?

Erm... it gets cleanly powered off :-)


> * The networking "kit": On a couple of occasions finding the HertsLUG
> kit for the meetings, in the office, has proved a bit tricky. Mostly, I
> suspect, because it is kept in a black bin bag which seems to get
> stuffed in a different place each time or gets moved as people may not
> realise what it is. How long will it be before someone accidentally
> throws the whole lot away?

Cleaning lady: "Hmmm, what's all this junk...? Olde PIII server?
                Aw, chuck it..."


> * Network cables: We could do with some new ones. At least one is duff

Well, after the last meeting, I was given the supposedly 'duff' one to
throw away, so I brought it back to feed to my cable serpent. But just
one last test proves it to be working, by in fact sending this message
down it, even jiggling the cable still works.


> which leads to 10 minutes of head scratching each month as we try to
> figure out why the interweb doesn't work. The cable from the office
> router to the smoothwall  appears to be too short so obstructs the chair
> / desk if someone is trying to work at it.

Nobody works at that desk at night IIUC.


> * Power: There aren't enough extension leads

Oops, my bad. I am custodian of one HertsLUG extension lead (18m rotary
2-way), but I often forget to bring it (if I attend). Similarly some PC
speakers. There might be a limit on how much stuff we can leave in the
building without paying them rent to house our 42U rack ;-)


> and we need a dedicated one
> for the smoothwall as the socket it uses has now been taken to be used
> by some additional kit in the office I think.

That socket is just for something they only use in the daytimes IIRC.


> I would like to offer the following suggestions / solutions:-
> 
> * I will donate a "Really Useful Box" # to put all the networking kit
> in. It can be labelled up and will, IMHO ;),  be a better thing to put
> the meeting kit in than a bin bag.
>
> # For those familiar with "really useful boxes" they now make a more
> rugged box in either white or black (recycled plastic) both of which are
> opaque so you cant see what is inside.

Cool! Or a cardboard box is cheaper, and slightly more upmarket than
our bin-liner. Bear in mind that in an office, any kind of box with a
lid will end up having things stacked on top of it. We should find
out how much space (and what shape) there is in the corner of the
office, and get their permission before buying/getting a box.


> * Next meeting I'll take away all the kit check / test the network
> cables, get the extension leads PAT tested,

Does PAT testing cost money?


> mount the Wireless access point and hub and an extension block on a
> "lump of wood" (TM)

# mount -t ext4 /dev/net /block/wood


> so that they can be set up and just lifted out of the box and plugged
> in for each meeting.
> 
> * I have already bought a couple more 6 way extension leads so we have
> more sockets. + get one for the smooth wall in the office and possibly a
> longer one so that we can get power to the second row of tables in the
> middle of the room.

Well I have the LUG's 18m one - that should do it.


> * Label the WAP with it's details so it is easy for first time visitors
> to find out what they are.
> 
> * It might be an idea to keep a spare keyboard and mouse in the box
> "just in case"? (or two? PS/2 and USB of each?) I am sure we can find a
> few tucked away in our stacks of redundant kit ;o)

Good idea, but we must not initiate any kind of "Bring all yer olde junk"
instuction, else we're going to be deluged knowing our crowd.


> * Get some new network cables: one long enough to safely reach the
> office router without getting in anyone's way (Label it up so people in
> the office don't pull it out); several 1 to 5 m network cables (5 ports
> on the hub?) so we have known good cables.

Hopefully, between us, there is no need to pay money for network cables.
Or any of the above, for that matter.


> What do you think? Worth doing? Anyone got any other suggestions on how
> to make things quicker and easier to set up?

A wiki? :-)


Cheers
-- 
Malcolm
http://www.thesmith.org.uk/     Personal site of unfathomable depths
http://www.secretbass.org.uk/   Drum circle in deepest Hertfordshire
http://www.drummingisfun.co.uk/ African drumming workshops+performances