So that everyone knows what I'm working on and can give advice/comments.
(Also so that I don't forget the details of all these...)
Wiring (following the 'harder/longer job = add more spare wires' rule, and
using
white wires & white wire trays in corners so they're invisible to the
landlord)
-----------
Done: 6x wires from above-bathrooms to downstairs door:
1x cat5 + 1x 18/2: card access, doorbell
2x cat5: outside front door camera and either inside front
door or street camera
1x cat5 + 1x 18/2: spare wires (both above cameras can be
put on 1x cat5 to allow another spare).
Done: 5x wires from server room to above-bathrooms:
1x 22/4 wire: card access serial control, maybe patch to
fire panel
2x cat5: to Sksp main network switch
1x cat5: VGAoverCAT5 so projector can show security
cams/other video from VGA splitter
1x cat5: 4x video feeds (2x front door, sksp2 door, spare)
In progress: 3x wires from above-bathroom to end of classroom:
1x cat5: was going to be for flag cameras but I may not
install this one now
2x cat5: likely will connect back to main sksp switch
Doorbell
------------
It works and causes an annoying sound to come from the box above the
bathrooms - later I'll wire it so the bell will always ring when the card
access
system's power is disconnected (may have enough battery power to last hours)
Cameras (old analog models running 12-24v power and video over cat5)
-------------
7: Both ends of the rear parking lot; back door (needs better mount);
elevator;
outside Sksp2 door; outside front door; and either inside front door or
street.
A PC - either Zewwy's nice donated machine or the active card access PC -
running 2x analog 4-input cards (currently the crappy $10 ones that only do
2
FPS; possibly better ones later) and Zoneminder under Linux or BlueIris or
IspyConnect under Windows to capture video upon motion, also web viewing.
I bought a 1x4 VGA splitter from Monoprice and eBay VGAoverCAT5 adapters*
so that the view from the security PC can be sent to the currently-unused
second VGA inputs on the projectors and can be easily brought up. Of course
any other signal can be sent to the projectors this way for presentations
etc.
*I got the cheap $1 units that just couple the cables; not the $100 units
that include
filters, converting the unbalanced signals to differential ones to work
better over
twisted pair, and skew correction. I'll do homemade skew correction by
calculating
the length of the cat5 and measuring some pairs a bit longer so they all
'match'
electrically. The length ratios of different pairs in cat5 are at the end
of the wikip page.
Projectors
-----------
Sksp lounge: I'm getting the same MP stand so it can be roof-mounted too
Classroom: need to install wire guide to make power/VGA runs nicer. If the
power
outlet over the bathroom happens soon it can feed the projector instead of
having
an ugly wire run down the side of the classroom wall.
Both of these will have a line from the VGA splitter delivered over cat5,
as above.
Outside back wiring
----------
I installed a pipe in the back door frame so running wires is super easy.
Still
would be good to install a pipe or guy wire to allow a nicer run to top
level of
the fire escape and up to roof for later antennas (satellite, amateur
radio, etc).
Internet access and link to AW
----------
We're still dependent on the AW link for internet, VOI needs time to
install a
dedicated dish.
We've had the hardware to upgrade the 10x4mbit AW link to 100x100mbit
since the beginning but it's quite a few hours to setup/configure/install.
Network Monitoring
----------
Having a Linux box running MRTG to show the traffic on all switch ports,
maybe
even local temperature and network rack power usage (measured at UPSes).
Doorbell and camera at outside loading dock door
----------
I'm considering this, does anything think it'll be useful?
Changing subnets
-------------
Changing 192.168.1.x net to 172.16. would allow VPNing (from Linksys
routers etc).
Also maybe separate the 'sksp' and 'wifi / public / untrusted' on different
networks.
Card access fixes
-------------
Would be nice to have a button upstairs to remote open downstairs door
(next to the sksp phone?) easy to do but need to run a wire there, or get
one
of those cheap ebay remote controls. Front door is missing a sensor that
lets the system know when the door is open because the door was closing
too tight against the frame for one to be installed (note hole in door),
fix soon.
Internal web page with links to all device web interfaces
-------------
The one I did for AW is useful, will make one for Sksp one day
Card access control PCs (both currently sitting in pieces)
-----------
The Shuttle PCs (I always want 2 units with identical h/w, for easy backup)
have had issues for awhile due to bad capacitors that are a bigger job to
replace. We didn't have any identical PCs around sksp that I could use so
Ian
donated an old pair... that were from around the same era and turn out to
also
have bad capacitors. But those are better engineered (IBM) and easier to
recap.
The Shuttle PCs have been partially recapped (mobos and PSUs) but once I
move to the IBMs they may appear in the pile of doom if anyone wants them.
The fobs I've been giving out recently were PegJam ones that had been
activated when the PCs were still working... need to fix soon before I run
out.
Skullspace door: allowing landlord access and easy exit
---------
I got a motion detector from eBay to allow auto-unlocking when
people get close to the door inside, but in the process of converting its
relay
from the positive terminal to connecting the negative terminal
I seem to have broken something since now it won't un-detect after boot.
Door access for landlord/staff without keyfob: may be possible to move the
current deadbolt to the "main" doorknob to make it work, but this is
far on my to-do list right now, or $500 to get done by a locksmith.
This would also allow exit without needing to push a button - preferable.
Another option people mentioned would be a keypad at the door that unlocks
the door - this is easy and cheap to do but I'd rather have the standard
key option.
Door remote control: would be nice to have; need to buy a copy of Kantech
Entrapass SE ($300, but I may be able to get a bit cheaper price). I got
an old version of that software (Winpass64 from 2001) for $15 off ebay to
try it out but that software was *garbage* (Win3.1 interface, some kind of
constant database layer concurrency issues, horrible/illogical design, etc.)
Hooking access control to fire alarm for auto-release:
-------------
Should be easily doable, I'll need to check if I can do it or if we need
someone with a license to come in and do it.
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