The Greater Glory team encountered problems with multiple computers. The CD-Rom Drive Errors were particularly troublesome.

When push came to shove (i.e. with one week left to go), the necessity of deciding specifically what steps remained to create a functional network and what steps were luxuries if time permitted became increasingly critical. Basically, the team began to focus less on getting the computers to run properly and more on getting the computers that were running to communicate with each other. The focus of the last week included such aspects as getting all the drivers that we were sure we needed downloaded and getting the computers to ping each other.

Given our diversity of computers, the team encountered challenges navigating among and within the system units. Some of the computers (mainly the HPs) had all of the parts so tightly compressed that it was difficult to plug/replug the various components necessary for troubleshooting measures. Ernie proved to be particularly obstinant as regardless of time and effort the hard drive remained firmly stuck inside (Ernie was the 10th computer and never made it to a functional level). Alternatively, Bert, the other HP, was difficult to work with but the team did eventually get it working. Bert did end up getting opened multiple times (as did most of them) since upon opening to determine the specific cards that were inside we unseated the RAM from its proper connection. Speaking of driver issues…

The team also encountered multiple video and network cards that we had difficulty attaining the correct drivers for. Troubleshooting steps included utilizing the Ultimate Boot CD to attain the specifics of the card and then searching Google (and/or such sites as Intel) to download the proper driver.

At times, for various reasons, the group discovered that a driver was not available for download anywhere. In these cases, the group usually proceeded by installing a different card (this was done for both video and network cards) and then locating the driver for that card.

After installing the Windows Updates, we found that the Gateway computers had a missing file due to something occurring during the updates. The solution proved to be reinstalling the network driver (which was an Intel Pro). After reinstalling the driver on each of the four Gateways, the message no longer appeared. However, one of the computers did not have a working USB port so the Flash drive could not be utilized. Therefore, for that computer we needed to locate a CD and burn the driver onto it.

Although software installs were less troublesome, these also brought problems. For instance, we had to think through how to download the programs off of the Internet as at first we were under the misapprehension that we could use CD-Rs. We ended up with a Bible program that we downloaded directly from the Internet once we reached the point in which our computers were online. Regarding recommendations for next semester’s class, we also feel it prudent to mention that the MSN icon that appears on each computer after installing Windows98 should be moved directly to the recycle bin to prevent the annoying error continuing to pop up.

The original plan called for ten computers, but as mentioned above, Ernie proved to be too feisty for a mere semester worth of troubleshooting. With nine computers, the lab will be more than functional with eight lab computers and one office computer to add to the laptop Pastor Malone owns.

In order to connect these computers, the GSLIS team manufactured 12 functional network cables of sundry lengths to enable us to network the lab computers to each other and to the switches. The team proved adept at the cable-making venture; thus, this actually ended up being one of the smoother aspects of the lab creation process. Regarding switches, GSLIS will be providing two smaller switches (instead of one larger one) as the most user-friendly network layout involved placing a switch in the northwest and northeast corners of the lab. Both switches were tested along with the cables and were found to be in working order.

We tested our computers to see if they were on the network with the PING and IPCONFIG. Configuring the computers was a learning experience in itself. We hooked up two computers to get the IP addresses and Ping them. Initially one computer showed a public address and the other a private address. I kept trying to release and renew the one with the private address. I checked and rechecked with each cable and still no luck. Then I switched out the switch itself and finally checked all the connections. That’s where the problem proved to be – where I had connected the computers to each other via the switch, I had neglected to connect the switch to the network port. Oops! Once everything was connected I retried the release and renew and was able to get a public IP adddress for both computers. Then it was pretty straightforward – we would set up two computers to ping each other and went through them pretty quickly.

D-Day: The Second Trip

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we arrived at Greater Glory to find that the church had no source of power. Despite this adverse situation, the GSLIS team and Pastor Malone persevered. Friday was spent unloading the computers into the lab, laying out the cables, and connecting the hardware. We discovered that Pastor Malone had only installed three jacks on either wall instead of the four we had discussed, so he had to purchase surge protectors. Anticipating a Saturday devoid of power, we proactively lugged Snuffy (our main computer, chosen due to its status as the only computer with both a network card and a dial up card), Bert, the printer, and all of their respective accoutrements to the hotel in order to complete file and print sharing configuration. Friday evening we accomplished this with the main complication being the lack of a USB connector from the computer to the printer. Our solution to this problem was to enlist the aid of a Christmas shopper named Ruth (who happened to be both in our class and at the mall) to pick up the cable for us. This solution was highly effective and upon Ruth’s return we were able to successfully configure Bert to print through Snuffy.

It was fortunate that we were able to set up Snuffy Friday evening, as we arrived on Saturday to find that the power had not been restored (indeed, Pastor Malone thought it might take up to five days). Thus, Pastor Malone provided the team with two flashlights and we went to work completing the lab setup. The main challenge of Saturday was tying up our too-lengthy (but superbly made) cables securely so that they would not provide a safety hazard and so that the lab would look neat. One reason the network cables were too long was because when we measured the room, we assumed that the cables would run neatly down the wall from the jacks and along the baseboards to the switch. Instead they lay loosely along the floor. Pastor Malone said that he planned to put them up later.

We also had some minor struggles in understanding how our switches would connect to the computers and to each other (i.e., understanding that utilizing the uplink was only necessary in one switch and not in both). After the setup was completed, we assured Pastor Malone that instructions would be sent on how to enable print sharing on each lab computer. Upon returning to campus, these instructions were emailed to Pastor Malone.

We also discovered that one of the monitors the pastor provided had a USB port instead of a serial port.

Initially, Pastor Malone told us that he would not have broadband; instead he planned to purchase a wireless card for each computer. This would entail opening up the computers to do the installs but he mentioned a buddy “who knows how to do that”. Martin helped us to explain to him that wireless cards weren’t necessary. They would provide a network for him – which we had already set up. We explained that what he really needed was to pick up a modem that has the driver already installed, unless he can find a dial up router that has a built in modem. We don’t have high hopes for this last avenue, as these dial up routers are no longer easily attainable.

List of Contracts Owned/Needed:
Elmo – Windows98
Grover – Windows98
Zoey – Windows98
Oscar – Windows2000
Big Bird – Needed
Cookie – Needed
Telly – Needed
Snuffy – Needed
Bert – Needed