Cross-Campus WLAN Roaming
Environment in Taiwan
Che-Nan Yang
The National Center for High-performance Computing
Project Participant
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Advisory Board
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Executive Department
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National Science and Technology Program for Telecommunications
National Center for High-performance Computing
 technical staffs：Kevin Tang, Allen Huang
Project Leader
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National Center for High-performance Computing
 Director Chiunn-Shyong Yeh
National Taiwan University
 Dr. Zsehong Tsai Professor
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Roaming Platform Participants
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National Taiwan University
National Cheng-chi University
National Chiao-Tung University
National Tsing-Hua University
National Central University
National Cheng-Kung University
National Chi-Nan University
National Chung-Hsing University
National Dong Hwa University
National Taipei University
National Yang-Ming University
National Taiwan Normal University
National Chung-Cheng University
National Taiwan Ocean University
National United University
National Hsinchu University of Education
National University of Tainan
National University of Kaohsiung
National Ilan University
National Taitung University
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
National Yunlin University of Science and Technology
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology
Northern Taiwan Institute of Science and Technology
Taipei Medical University
WLAN
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Tamkang University
Feng Chia University
I-Shou University
Soochou University
Wufeng Institute of Technology
Vanung University
Huafan University
Kaohsiung Medical University
Ming Chuan University
Providence University
Da-Yeh University
Shih Hsin University
Yuan Ze University
Chung Hua University
Chinese Culture University
Hsiuping Institute of Technology
Ling Tung University
Lunghwa University of Science and Technology
Takming College
Jin Wen Institute of Technology
Fooyin University
Tatung University
Mingdao University
St. John’s University
Yuanpei Institute of Science and Technology
Can roaming between 110+ universities
in Taiwan.
And over 900,000 user accounts
are being served.
Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Project Brief
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Objectives
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Provide the WLAN roaming environment in campus.
Promote WLAN applications.
Cross-Campus WLAN Roaming Security Enhancement
Tasks
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Construct the roaming platform and the operation and
maintenance manual.
Build the Web-based and 802.1x Authentication environments to
test the roaming platform.
Promote and provide the technical support to build the WLAN
roaming environment.
Evaluate campuses’ WLAN environment and support them to join
the WLAN roaming platform.
Construct the web site to provide WLAN cross-campus roaming
information and service consultation.
International WLAN Roaming Cooperation
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Services
 Current Services
Mobile users can use their own accounts
and passwords to pass through the
authentication mechanism in other
campuses through the WLAN Roaming
Center.
Future Services
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Establish a standard cross-campus authentication
architecture
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Tele-courses
VoIP/Viedo Phone Applications
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Status of Taiwan’s Campus WLAN(2007,Q3)
Total:163 Univ. and Colleges
Non Roaming 29%
In Roaming 71%
No plan for Campus WLAN 2%
Will complete Campus WLAN
in 2 years: 3%
Campus WLAN ready: 95%
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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WLAN Roaming Architecture
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Roaming Server – Software Architecture
RADIUS Server
(in campus)
VPN TUNNEL
Firewall
Roaming Center
(NCHC)
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OpenVPND
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RADIUS Server with Proxy
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Roaming Server
(Linux Red Hat/Fedora)
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( FreeRadius, SNMP enabled )
The “FreeRADIUS” implements the
RADIUS protocol and uses the
RADIUS-Proxy to communication
with Roaming Center.
The “Firewall” controls the access
right to Roaming Server.
The “OpenVPND” builds the secure
tunnel between Roaming Server and
Roaming Center.
Roaming Center uses the “SNMP”
to monitor the status of Roaming
Server.
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Current Authentication in Taiwan’s Campus WLAN
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Web-based UAM (Universal Access Method)- 92%
 PRO
• Easy implementation/ Easy installation
• Supporting multiple OS. UNIX、LDAP、SQL Server …etc
 CON
• Phishing is possible.
802.1x EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol)- 5%
 PRO
• Standardized Authentication with many option
• Better security level
• If EAP-TTLS is used, multiple account authentication systems
can be supported
CON
• Access Point and client need to support 802.1x
• Higher installation cost
Others- 3%
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MAC address
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Open
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WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Major Applications in Taiwan’s Campus WLAN
 The most popular use of WLAN in
campus includes:
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Internet Access
Download class material
E-Mail
E-learning
Administration (parking control, etc)
Library
MSN,Yahoo Messenger, ICQ…
VoIP
Web TV
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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International WLAN Roaming
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collaboration with the eduroam project for international WLAN
roaming services.
Authentication mechanism : 802.1x EAP-TTLS
Eduroam project website : http://www.eduroam.org/
Eduroam
Asia-pacific
Eduroam
Europe
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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International WLAN Roaming Map
eduroam
International
Roaming
Taiwan
Cross-Campus
WLAN Roaming
400+
100+
hotspots
hotspots
WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming in Taiwan
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Current and Future Works
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WLAN/WMAN Security Enhancement
 To continuously assess and enhance the security level of
campuses and project-sponsored WLAN hot spots
 Web site to provide roaming information, security
announcement and consultation
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802.1x Promotion and Migration
 To migrate from Web-based Access to 802.1x EAP
 To integrate EAP-TTLS or EAP-SIM authentication in the
WLAN roaming platform
 To extend the roaming services from campus to island-wide
 To support VoIP
* Balanced among security, ubiquity, and cost!
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Relative Sites
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National Science and Technology Program for
Telecommunications
http://www.ntpo.org.tw/eng/
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National Center for High-performance Computing
http://www.nchc.org.tw/english/index.php
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WLAN Cross-Campus Roaming Project Web Site
http://wlanrc.nchc.org.tw
http://wlanrc.nchc.org.tw/web_eng/index1-1.html (English version)
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