Wireless Networking in Education Tom Franklin TechLearn Tom@Franklin-Consulting.ac.uk

Wireless Networking in Education

Tom FranklinTechLearn

Tom@Franklin-Consulting.ac.uk

Introduction

What is wireless networking Key issues Wireless technology and education Recommendations

What is wireless networking

Benefits

Reduced installation costsFlexibilityExtended reachNetworking Students’ ComputersEnhancing education

Disadvantages

Many rapidly evolving standards Security Management Cost of network cards in computers Performance Need to understand how signals propagate Point-to-point needs line of sight

Why so many standards?

2G

2G 3G

Blueetooth WLAN

IrDA

wired

MobilityVehicle

Walk

Fixed0.1 1 10 100 Data rate

Mb/s

2G Cellular3G BluetoothWireless LANIrDAWired LAN

Wireless networking standards

Infrared (IrDA) Radio (unlicensed – ISM and UNII)

IEEE (802.11)ETSI (HiperLAN)Bluetooth

(Mobile telephony) (Radio (licensed)) (Broadband fixed wireless access)

IEEE Standards

Standard Speed Approved in UK

Compatible

802.11 2 Mb/s 802.11b 11 Mb/s 802.11g 34 Mb/s 12 June

2003 Will come

802.11a 54 Mb/s Jan 2003 Working on it

}

Security

Doing nothing is not an option Not as good as wired network

Greatest risk is that it is often not even turned on Can be easily monitored and used Basic security easily broken (at the moment)

Treat as insecure network (as external) Implement security

Threats

Eavesdropping Rogue access points Denial of service Any PC can access the network

Security Solutions

Wired Equivalence Privacy (WEP)

Additional solutionsCustom solution from network vendorUse a Virtual Private Network (VPN)Treat as insecure network (outside the firewall)

Security need be no greater than elsewhere

Performance

sufficient for text and images Not sufficient for video (especially multi-user)

802.11b 11 Mb/s Shared 802.11g 802.11a

34 Mb/s

54 Mb/s

Shared

Shared Wired LAN 10-100 Mb/s Per user ADSL 0.5 Mb/s Per user

or shared

Signal propagation

Signals partially blocked by walls, plumbing etc.

Signals “leak” through walls Can only have limited number of access

points in an area Maximum distance for point-to-point – beware

trees!

Undertake a site survey

Reduced Installation costs

Less equipment Less cabling No need to flood wire May be only solution in rural areas

Increased flexibility and reach

No need to flood wire Can be connected to the network anywhere

Anywhere in a “room”Can cover areas that you would not wire

• Public spaces – like cafes• Outdoors – smokers can access email from their cars• The whole resource centre / library

Networking students’ computers

Increasing number of students have their own PC

Increasingly this is portable PDA or laptop Students want to be able to use them in

college Wireless simplifies these issues

Access is where the student isNo ports to be damaged through frequent useSeparate subnet for security

When to use it

Teaching areas Extending the network to new areas Public areas (library, café) Occasional use Out doors In conjunction with the existing network

How to put computers in teaching

Computer ownership is like literacy90% literate you still have to read everything100% literate changes everything

Putting computers in students’ handsUbiquitous computingComputer carts“loan machines”

Computer cart

Computers at teaching

Computers go to the studentsCurrently students have to go to the computers

All spaces can be used with computersCurrently just computer labs

Computers can be integrated into learningCurrently dominate or are absent

Ubiquitous computing

All students required to have their own computer (Laptop or PDA)Student purchaseLoan machines

Internet enabled everywhere; at all times Fully embedded in education

Recommendations (LANs)

Use wireless LANs To extend existing LANs To provide student access To bring computers to teaching

Use Wi-Fi (802.11b) with upgrade to 8012.11g Do not buy 802.11a until compatibility between

products demonstrated Ensure that security meets institutional needs Perform a site survey Consider the educational benefits from the start Assume that there will be an increase in use in

networked computer use in teaching and learning

Recommendations (WANs)

Consider for connecting remote sites interoperability does not matter as it is point-

to-point Consider wireless and satellite