WIRELESS NETWORKING

1
WIRELESS NETWORKING

• Terry Gray, Scott Mah, David Richardson, Marc
  Hudson
• UW Computing Communications
• January 2002

2
Agenda

• Background
• Objectives
• Policy Issues
• Technology Issues
• Deployment Status
• Pricing and Process
• Conclusions

3
Wireless Categories

• Wireless by Purpose
• Point-to-Point links
• Access networks
• Wireless by Spectrum
• Optical
• Infrared
• RF
• Wireless by Range...

4
Wireless RF by Range

• PAN/HAN (Personal/Home-Area-Network)
• Bluetooth
• HomeRF
• LAN (Local-Area-Network)
• IEEE 802.11 (US)
• ETSI HiperLAN2 (Europe)
• MAN (Metro-Area-Network)
• LMDS, Fixed Wireless
• WAN (Wide-Area-Network)
• Ricochet (R.I.P.)
• CDPD
• 2.5G, 3G, etc, etc, etc

5
LAN Wireless Standards

• IEEE 802.11 2.4GHz, 1-2Mbps, FHSS, DSSS
• IEEE 802.11b 2.4Ghz, 11Mbps DSSS (WiFi)
• IEEE 802.11a 5Ghz, 54Mbps
• IEEE 802.11e QoS, etc
• IEEE 802.11g 2.4GHz, 20Mbps
• In US, all use unlicensed ISM bands

6
802.11a Successor?

• Faster
• Shorter distance
• More power consumption
• Available this year, but...
• Wont replace 802.11b too soon
• Probably need WAPs for both, or dual-mode WAPs

7
CC Wireless Objectives

• Provide 11 Mb coverage throughout selected
  facilities
• Allow roaming within facility space
• Deploy scalable and manageable approach
• Provide high-availability service, fully
  integrated with campus wired net
• Balance between secure and convenient

8
Policy Issues

• Part of campus network infrastructure
• DIY is OK if it doesnt interfere but less
  convenient for users
• Want to allow temp or small-scale ad hoc
  deployments with minimum overhead
• Large-scale deployments need to be coordinated
  with CC
• Campus-wide access control policy
• Security/abuse liability

9
Technical Issues

• Infrastructure Topology
• Roaming
• Access control Security
• Interoperability Obsolescence
• QoS
• Interference
• Relationship to Bluetooth, etc
• Manageability

10
Wired vs. Wireless Issues

• Server suitability
• Performance
• Performance variation
• Price/Performance
• Interference
• Technology maturity
• Advanced services
• Security

11
Infrastructure Requirements
12
Roaming

• Layer 2 (802.11) vs. Layer 3 (Mobile IP)
• Vendor incompatibility
• LAN vs. WAN
• We will support L2 roaming within a building by
  dedicating one subnet for all access points in
  the building.

13
Current Access Control Policy

• Goals
• avoid embarrassment of drive-by hackers doing bad
  things via UW network
• avoid numerous problems with getting windows
  login to work thru firewalls
• Implementation
• Auth required only for off-campus access
• All UWnetID holders are authorized
• Roaming between buildings not supported

14
Access Control Deployment

• Using a commercial product from Vernier
• Provides access control for "downstream" networks
  (wired or wireless)
• Supports L3 roaming, transparent to client
• Uses NAT
• No special s/w required on client machines
• Intercepts port 80 requests
• Incorporates UW pubcookie authentication
• MAC-address-based security

15
Access Control Futures

• Need to look at performance issues closely
• Evaluating feasibility of adding pubcookie
  authentication to CC Logical Firewall

16
Operational Challenges

• Performance monitoring
• Performance problem diagnosis
• Capacity planning
• QoS
• Abuse tracking

17
Coexistence Guidelines for Departmental DIY WLANs

• Must coordinate frequencies with NDC
• Must configure your AP(s) with a non-default,
  non-null SSIDs
• Your AP(s) must NOT accept broadcast SSIDs
• Use minimum necessary power to cover your area
• Layer 2/3 black holes are easy to create

18
Current Deployments

• CC Pilot Project
• Kane Hall, Rm. 130
• Mary Gates Hall
• Gerberding Hall
• Odegaard Undergraduate Library
• Other wireless projects
• CSE, CC, Business, Law, MCIS, ...

19
Pilot Project Lessons Learned

• Success depends on cooperation w/depts
• It takes more wire than you think!
• Site surveys frequency sweeps needed.
• WEP is not secure use SSH, SSL, etc.
• Technology still evolving
• 2.4GHz phones interfere badly

20
How much does it cost?

• Wireless survey
• Facilities pathways, electrical, and asbestos
  abatement
• New subnet for wireless access points
• Installation of wireless access points
• Ongoing operations, maintenance, and security for
  wireless access points

21
Monthly Rates

• 75 per month per access point
• 500 installation per access point
• If equipment and project is funded through
  one-time capital dollars, then the monthly rate
  for operations and maintenance is
• 35 per month per access point

22
Ordering Wireless Solutions

• Wireless networking Web site
• www.washington.edu/computing/wireless/
• Initiate request by email to install_at_cac.washingto
  n.edu
• Call 206-543-5068
• Project assigned to a Customer Account Manager to
  coordinate activities within CC and contractors

23
Conclusions

• Wireless is very addictive.
• It will be very popular.
• It will be very problematic.
• It will cost more than you expect
• In offices, it is not a replacement for wired.
• The dust has not settled.

24
References

• Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA)
• Wireless LAN Association (WLANA)
• Portable Computer Communications Association
  (PCCA)
• Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
• WAP Forum
• Bluetooth Special Interest Group
• Mobile Wireless Internet Forum (MWIF)
• Wireless Information Networks Forum (WINForum)
• Wireless Data Forum
• http//www.80211-planet.com/
• http//www.wireless-nets.com/guide.htm
• http//www.practicallynetworked.com/