Campus Wireless Update
Chudi Igboemeka
Academic Technology, Pilots & Projects
ITSS
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Topics
• Wireless at Stanford – Current Status
• WLAN – Areas of concern
• Wireless Pilots & Project
• What’s next?
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless networking at Stanford
• Mixed wireless environment at Stanford
• Over five types of access points used
• Several independent WLAN implementations
ITSS wireless solution
- Wireless Backbone (WLAN on separate network)
- Cisco’s Aironet 350 Access Points (802.11b)
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Where is wireless access available?
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Future wireless coverage expansion
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless LAN – Areas of Concern
• Wireless Security
• Wireless Support
• Wireless Management
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless Security
Is wireless secure?
We do not use WEP (wired equivalency protocol)
• WEP is breakable – well known fact to hackers
• Shared key – everyone has the same key
• Vendor specific dynamic key solutions?
Currently, WLAN cards are registered in NetDB to access DHCP pool.
Need an authentication and encryption system
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless Security Pilots
Hardware based Solutions
Vernier Networks - Access Manager
- Pilot starting in April
Wireless Authentication
Wireless Authentication System – PBL. Developed by a
Students from KTH, Sweden
• Price
• Ease of implementation
• Scalability
Other solutions to investigate:
802.1X, VPN, Cisco LEAP, NoCat
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Supporting wireless at Stanford
How will we support wireless across campus?
Support should be seamless to the client, regardless
of where they are.
Form alliances with support groups across campus where
wireless is deployed.
– build support structure (escalation)
– standardize SSID (Stanford)
Recommend wireless cards to clients
• Currently, we support several cards (Cisco, Lucent, Apple)
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless Support (con’t)
ITSS Wireless website – end of April
-
Information on wireless technologies at Stanford
Wireless coverage area map
Support docs (troubleshooting guide, FAQ)
Do-it-yourself wireless card configuration.
Contact info, Security info.
Wireless @ home
- Educate users about securely using wireless AP’s with their
broadband internet connections at home.
Access Point mapping
- Map the physical location of deployed access points
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Wireless Management
Why is wireless management important?
AP fault and performance monitoring
AP association reporting – Predict coverage area expansion
AP configuration templates and device grouping
Fits into the campus-wide network management solution
Challenges of wireless management:
- mobile devices are constantly joining and leaving the
network at random times.
- mobile devices roam between wireless access points
Wireless Management Pilot – April/02
An AP management tool developed by Cisco (WLSE)
Pilot at Stern Hall
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Cisco WLSE overview
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Other Wireless Pilots
• 802.11a testing
– Intel PRO/Wireless 5000 AP
– Speed, coverage area, cost
• Bluetooth
– Pico Communications
– Range, interference with 802.11b, applications
at Stanford
•
• Stern Hall Pilot
- Cisco Aironet 350
- Wireless management
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
What’s next?
1. Enhance current wireless network
•
•
Security, management & support
Pilot new technologies (802.11a/b combo, security solutions)
2. Promote and Communicate WLAN at Stanford
•
Wireless Launch – late April - early May
3. Expansion of current wireless network
•
Consulting with departments on campus
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002
Q&A
Contact me:
chudi@stanford.edu
Chudi Igboemeka
ITSS, Stanford University 04/2002