[OPLINTECH] Internet solutions for small branches

Mon Jan 26 15:55:09 EST 2015

Hi Chad,

Yes ☺ 6 mins would be too, too long. What I meant and probably wasn’t very clear on was that I ping a device for 6 minutes straight before I decide there are no issues…something I learnt from one of the TWC techs.

Ruchie
Information Technology Coordinator
Fairfield County District Library
219 N. Broad St.
Lancaster, OH 43130

https://helpdesk.clcohio.org/

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success” – Henry Ford

From: oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Chad Neeper
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2015 3:26 PM
To: oplintech at lists.oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] Internet solutions for small branches

The network response times will vary depending on numerous factors. Naturally, the closer you are to the device you're communicating with is a factor. So is the amount of congestion at any particular hop along the route.

A few milliseconds is good on a LAN. But over a WAN or VPN, you'll probably see longer delays. For instance, picking a random VPN between my endpoint and one of my library endpoints, I'm seeing round trip ICMP pings as low as 55ms and as high as 278ms in a short 20 packet sample. I'm using Time Warner Business Class and the library is OPLIN. If both endpoints were on the same network (ie both on Time Warner's network or both on OPLIN's network), I'd expect to see results averaging on the faster side. Going between providers, however, I wouldn't be surprised at greater variances and slower round trip times on average.

Speed of the devices running the VPN as well as how the VPN itself is configured could also play a small part in performance. In my case, both VPN endpoints are actually running in virtual machines and I'm using the best encryption methods available to me, so I no doubt pay a small penalty for that at each end. Network appliances might have slightly better performance, depending on their packet processing capabilities.

I think anecdotally, I probably see an average of 50-75ms between me and my library endpoints, which is plenty sufficient for my needs.

Just for kicks, I just now pinged one of Google's content servers and see as low as 21ms and as high as 291ms in another quick 20 packet sample. Looks like mostly in the 20's with a few random peaks here and there. That seems about right...

6 mins (minutes?) ping time and I'd probably just use a sneakernet. LOL! I know that was a type-o, but still good for a smile.

Have a great day, everyone!

Chad

______________________________
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070<tel:740-548-8070> (voice)
866-214-6607<tel:866-214-6607> (fax)

Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools

On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 3:57 PM, Ruchie Rice <rrice at fcdlibrary.org<mailto:rrice at fcdlibrary.org>> wrote:
In reading Chad’s response about pinging I thought I’d add that a ping time of 6 mins seems to be what a Time Warner tech thought was a reliable time to see if there were any issues. From experience I can say that’s a pretty good estimate.

Ruchie
Information Technology Coordinator
Fairfield County District Library
219 N. Broad St.
Lancaster, OH 43130

https://helpdesk.clcohio.org/

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success” – Henry Ford

From: oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org> [mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org>] On Behalf Of Chad Neeper
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:50 PM
To: oplintech at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech at lists.oplin.org>
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] Internet solutions for small branches

After that bit of extra info, definitely DO install a UPS on all of your network equipment, even if you don't own it (ie. the ISP's modem). FWIW, I'd suggest plugging a surge suppressing power strip into the wall outlet, plug your UPS into the surge suppressor and then your equipment into the UPS. (It's cheaper to replace the surge suppressor than a good UPS in the unlikely event of a lighting strike.) (I've had it happen several times over the years at various of my clients.)

Since you have a VPN, you can perhaps do a simple ICMP ping test to find out where the outage occurs. Pick a branch library and ping each device along the path from a computer at the main branch to an endpoint at the branch library (or vice versa). If there are five network devices in the path between your test computer and your endpoint and you stop getting ping responses at the fourth device along the path, then you'll have a good idea of where to start looking.

If you route all network traffic through the VPN, then definitely check your VPN logs, too. It may not be a physical problem, especially since it's happening at all of your branches. It may simply be a configuration issue.

Chad

______________________________
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070<tel:740-548-8070> (voice)
866-214-6607<tel:866-214-6607> (fax)

Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools

On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 3:29 PM, Amy Deuble <adeuble at marion.lib.oh.us<mailto:adeuble at marion.lib.oh.us>> wrote:
Thank you for all your suggestions! I think we will take the approach of one building at a time since the issues, although they seem similar, are probably caused by different things.

The main problem is opening after several days closed. Computers will not connect to the network until power is cycled on our router and the supplier’s modem and sometimes our PCs and printers. Clicking your heels three times may also be in order. It just depends. Then, even if things work fine at first, they may “cut out” after an hour or two and may or may not reconnect.

I think our first step will be to install a UPS at each location. Right now things are plugged in to power strips (yikes! I know). All the buildings are older so cabling may be a bit dated, so that will probably be our next step to check. I also want to check and replace any older switches. We have things coming to the main library through a VPN so that is something else to check with our IT consultants.

I may be back for more ideas in the near future. I really appreciate your help and support. Thank you!

Amy Deuble
Technical Services Manager
Marion Public Library
445 E Church St
Marion OH 43302
740-383-9722<tel:740-383-9722>
www.marionlibrary.org<http://www.marionlibrary.org/>

[LOGO blue small400]<http://www.marionlibrary.org/>
         [facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/mplohio>      [twitter] <https://twitter.com/MarionPublicLib>

From: Amy Deuble
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2015 8:25 AM
To: oplintech at lists.oplin.org<mailto:oplintech at lists.oplin.org>
Subject: Internet solutions for small branches

We have three small branches open two days a week, Monday and Thursday, for a total of 6 hours a week. Each branch has 3 computers, one staff and two public, and a networked printer/copier. Two of the branches are on Time Warner and the other is on CenturyLink. All of the branches are located in small villages in mainly rural locations.

We are having continual problems connecting to the Internet at all our branch locations. It seems we are constantly resetting routers, modems and/or PCs in different combinations trying to get things working. Both Time Warner and CenturyLink has been called numerous times with mixed results.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make things more reliable? Would you shut down equipment, including routers and modems, when we are closed? Is there a business wireless solution that might work (although I wonder about cell phone service in some of these locations)? Any other options anyone can think of?

Amy Deuble
Technical Services Manager
Marion Public Library
445 E Church St
Marion OH 43302
740-383-9722<tel:740-383-9722>
www.marionlibrary.org<http://www.marionlibrary.org/>

[LOGO blue small400]<http://www.marionlibrary.org/>
         [facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/mplohio>      [twitter] <https://twitter.com/MarionPublicLib>

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