Overview

 

Campus wireless network allows access to all computing facilities from mobile or portable computer users. It is important that wireless users have a clear understanding of airspace and shared radio frequency use on campus. The remainder of this document alerts members of the campus community to the potential problems that could result from devices using the same radio frequency.

 

 

 

Rationale

 

The UMBC Policy for Responsible Computing (IT-01) designates the Office of Information Technology (formerly University Computing Services) as the entity responsible for the campus data network. The purpose of this guideline is to establish acceptable practices that support a secure and robust wireless (presently 802.11B/G) network infrastructure.

 

This guideline was established to ensure that the UMBC community has a clear understanding of proper procedure and usage. OIT reserves the right to modify this guideline as necessary. Any changes to this guideline will be posted to the OIT web security web site, www.umbc.edu/security.

 

 

 

Airspace Guideline

 

Presently the UMBC wireless network uses the FCC unlicensed 2.4 GHz Industrial/Scientific/ Medical (ISM) band, though this could change over time. Wireless transmissions within that band conform to the IEEE 802.11 DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) wireless LAN specification. Certain other "wireless" devices exist in the market place that also employ the same 2.4 GHz frequency band and can cause interference to users of the wireless service. These devices include, but are not limited to other IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN devices, cordless telephones, cameras, and audio speakers.

 

In order to assure the highest level of service to the users of the wireless network, OIT needs help from all members of the campus community in minimizing the potential interference from those devices. OIT requests that use of all other 2.4 GHz devices be discontinued in university-owned buildings. In cases where the device is being used for a specific teaching or research application, OIT will work with faculty to determine whether there are circumstances under which use of the device may still be accommodated without causing interference to wireless users.

 

OIT will approach the shared use of the 2.4 GHz radio frequency in the same way that it manages the shared use of the wired network. While we will not actively monitor use of the airspace for potential interfering devices, we will seek out the user of a specific device if we find that it is actually causing interference and disrupting the campus network. In these cases, OIT reserves the right to restrict the use of all 2.4 GHz radio devices in university-owned buildings and all outdoor spaces on the UMBC Campus.

 

If you think you have an existing system that may use 2.4 GHz radios for transmission or you are planning to purchase a wireless system and you are uncertain if it employs 2.4 GHz radios, please contact the Helpdesk at 5-3838 or send mail to helpdesk@umbc.edu. The network services group can assist in determining if such devices will cause interference to the UMBC wireless network.

 

Providing Wireless Access to a Department

 

Wireless networks provide great flexibility, especially for mobile computing; however wireless networks do not have the performance, reliability, or security of a wired network connection. For that reason wireless networks are not recommended as the primary network connection for staff or faculty that must access administrative systems as a significant part of their duties. OIT will make a best effort to provide a robust wireless network but departments should not depend solely on this network and should still get a network jack for network access where security, performance, or reliability is required.

OIT will assist departments wishing to expand wireless in your department. Please contact the helpdesk, 5-3838, to request that a network technician perform a wireless survey of your area. OIT will coordinate the purchase, getting a network jack installed, configuring and testing the access point. OIT has standardized on Cisco wireless access point and will require the department to purchase the current standard. Department are required to pick up the cost of this wireless access point, network jack, and data line (approximately $500 in total). As of fall 2003, OIT has a limited number of Cisco wireless access point available to install on campus and will waive the fee for the wireless access point ($340) while access hubs are available.

 

 

Wireless Network Management and Security

 

The Wireless network is designed as a client-only network. Users are not assigned a fixed-IP address in the 802.11b frequency space and the client-only aspect means that outside entities cannot initiate a connection to the wireless device as they would a web server. Departments are not encourage to run servers that are connected via wireless networks because we do not provide a fixed IP address. We do realize that academic departments doing research may require this and this will be enabled through a VPN tunnel and the department can advertise the VPN assigned address.

 

Users should assume that wireless transmissions are completely unencrypted and potentially unsecure. Users should use a VPN client or a protocol that uses strong encryption (such as SSH or https) to connect to the UMBC services where your password is transmitted. VPN software is available from the OIT Helpdesk, 5-3838.

 

 

Wireless Research

 

OIT has allocated the 802.11a frequency for research purposes. Any entity that would like to perform research on wireless should purchase equipment capable of utilizing the 802.11a frequency.

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