Wired Cisco phones -> wireless? (ditching wired ethernet)
We have to move 15 users to different offices on the same floor.
Instead of running new Ethernet cables to wire new new offices, we were thinking of maybe going wireless: getting USB wireless adapters for the desktop pc.
The biggest question is what to do with the wired cisco 7960 VOIP phones. The phones plug into the current Ethernet network and communicate back to the cisco call manager.
1. Is there any way to leverage the existing phones or do we need to buy cisco VOIP wireless phones?
2. Are there any unexpected pitfalls of going wireless instead of wired (particularly with regard to active directory, getting ip addresses / authentication, etc.) Someone said something about needing a radius server. Is that needed or is there a different way to ensure the authentication and drive mappings work ok.
Thanks,
Mike
Instead of running new Ethernet cables to wire new new offices, we were thinking of maybe going wireless: getting USB wireless adapters for the desktop pc.
The biggest question is what to do with the wired cisco 7960 VOIP phones. The phones plug into the current Ethernet network and communicate back to the cisco call manager.
1. Is there any way to leverage the existing phones or do we need to buy cisco VOIP wireless phones?
2. Are there any unexpected pitfalls of going wireless instead of wired (particularly with regard to active directory, getting ip addresses / authentication, etc.) Someone said something about needing a radius server. Is that needed or is there a different way to ensure the authentication and drive mappings work ok.
Thanks,
Mike
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Thanks! Great info! We'll stick to the wires!
Mike
Mike
ASKER
The drive mappings / active directory thing was just about a windows pc connecting via wireless to our lan, authenticating, getting drive mappings, etc. : any non-obvious issues in doing this?
As to the phone question, thanks for confirming they can't be used themselves for wireless. Would be be cheaper/simpler just to get new wireless phones if we try to cut-the cord (so to speak)?
Thanks,
Mike