Information Technology News

Wireless Network Update

NACS has recently completed an upgrade to UCI’s wireless network.

We have now retired all the old Lucent 802.11b wireless access points (APs).  These APs were about 9 years old and were only able to support the original wireless networking (”wi-fi”) standard, with comparatively low speeds.  Each of them has been replaced with a new Cisco 802.11a/b/g access point, meaning it can support three current wi-fi standards, and you can now connect at the fastest transfer speed of which your mobile device is capable.

In addition to faster speeds, the new APs support the Cisco Wireless Internet Service Module (WISM) standard, with all its advantages.  Not only are these APs dynamically configured from a central control system, allowing maximum signal strength and throughput as demand shifts, they allow “seamless roaming” so that you can move within the range of all the Cisco APs without dropping your connection.

A final advantage to the Cisco APs is that they all support Express Registration, which means you don’t have to pre-authorize your mobile device, nor do you have to arrange in advance for access for your guests.  Originally limited to a few sites on campus, Express Registration is now widely available.  A list of locations where Express Registration is available, along with additional information about the service, is maintained online.  NACS expects to add more Cisco WISM APs over time, subject to available funding.

Improving Wireless Connectivity

UCInet Mobile Access, UCI’s wireless network, comprises more than 800 access points (APs).  An “access point” is a network device which your computer connects to using wireless Ethernet.  The access point then forwards your network traffic to the wired network, in this case UCInet.

Express Registration

Express Registration allows a UCI affiliate to connect to the wireless network with a UCInetID and password, no longer requiring advance registration of the wireless card’s MAC address (that’s the 12-digit code arranged as six pairs separated by colons). Visitor Express Registration allows visitors to the campus to gain temporary access to the network without arranging for a sponsor.

WISM

NACS has recently deployed a new wireless technology (Cisco’s Wireless Internet Service Module — “WISM”) which enables a variety of new services.  WISM technology improves the performance of the wireless network by:

• automatically and dynamically allocating bandwidth as needed
• using dynamic channel reassignment to reduce channel conflicts and interference from competing APs
• dynamically adjusting the wireless transmission power output of the APs
• allowing “seamless roaming” between APs.

WISM also provides NACS with better tools to manage, monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize the wireless network, and makes Express Registration possible.

These new features are only available in certain campus buildings where WISM has been deployed, including Bren Hall, the Student Center, and the Libraries. NACS continues to deploy the WISM technology in more locations on campus and, subject to available funding, will eventually deploy WISM technology in all campus wireless network locations.

Guest Wireless Registration

NACS now offers faculty and staff the ability to sponsor temporary wireless guest access. Guest registration is intended for use by faculty and staff who need to temporarily enable wireless UCInet network access for visiting colleagues.

To add temporary guest registrations, visit the current registration page:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/mobile/registration.html

Click on the “Register to use Mobile Access” link, login with your UCInetID and password, and click the “Add Guest Registrations” link. You may register up to 25 systems. You may then select an expiration date of one day, one week, or four weeks hence.

For more information, please visit the UCInet Mobile Access main Web page at:

http://www.nacs.uci.edu/mobile/

Or, for additional help, please call or email NACS.

UCI Ranked “Most Wireless”

A recent survey ranks UCI #14 among universities responding to a recently completed survey on wireless networking.

Intel’s “Most Unwired College Campuses” survey ranks the top 100 schools for wireless computing access. The survey reveals a growing number of schools across the country where students have the freedom to wirelessly access the Internet on notebook PCs — without a traditional wired connection — and stay connected and informed whether they’re in the dorm room, library or outdoors at the campus quad.

While Intel’s focus was on students, NACS has made wireless networking a priority in recognition of its value to both the research and instructional roles of the university.

• Intel’s “Most Unwired College Campuses” Survey

BioSci Gets High-Speed Wireless

In partnership with Biological Sciences (Bio Sci), NACS recently completed the installation of UCInet Mobile Access wireless networking in McGaugh Hall using a new higher speed wireless network technology called 802.11g (”11g”). This is the first 11g service installed at UCI.

The 11g technology can perform up to five times as fast as the 802.11b (”11b”) wireless technology used at UCI until now. Another advantage of 11g is that it is “backward compatible” with 11b network cards, so computers that have worked at other UCI wireless sites will still work at BioSci (albeit at the slower speed). NACS will soon be installing 11g in Steinhaus Hall.

UCInet Mobile Access

The UCInet Mobile Access service is an extension of the campus network which supports wired and wireless portable computer network connections in numerous locations across the campus.

Around campus, particularly in classrooms and computer labs, open network jacks are managed through UCInet Mobile Access. Using the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), network addresses are issued dynamically (on request). UCI campus users are required to register the networking device they will use before connecting to UCInet at a wired Mobile Access connection point as well as in any campus wireless access zone.

UCInet Mobile Access uses an authentication scheme based on Media Access Control (MAC) addresses. A MAC address is the hardware address of the Network Interface Card (NIC) of your computer. You need to have this number while registering for the UCInet Mobile Access network and campus-wide DHCP services. Help is available online.

NACS is currently focusing on common areas where people are likely to use wireless. New coverage areas are being added on a regular basis. NACS wants to know where you would use wireless networking.

UCInet’s wireless mobile access service uses the IEEE 802.11b (”Wi-Fi”) wireless networking standard and supports connections from network cards conforming to that standard. This is a shared network technology. Like all shared networks, these networks should be presumed insecure. The Virtual Private Network (VPN) may be used to create a secure connection from UCInet Mobile Access.

NACS provides other services to help our clients with their wireless network needs. These include: free consulting, needs assessment, site survey, design, cost estimation, installation, and maintenance, and opportunities for cost sharing of equipment.

For more information, please contact NACS at nacs@uci.edu.

For information on UCInet Mobile Access
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/mobile/

For the latest in wireless coverage 
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/mobile/locations.html

For email updates on wireless coverage 
https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/ucinet-wireless

For help registering your wireless network card 
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/mobile/registration.html

For more information on the VPN 
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/security/vpn.html

For free assistance with your local wireless equipment
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/ucinet/mobile/consultation.html