Wireless LAN Enhancement
Progress
By
S K Tsui
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With the deployment of the new
Aruba Wireless LAN (WLAN) System and installation of new access
points in the past two years, we have over 600 access points
supporting IEEE802.11a, b and g standards scattered around the
main campus, Festival Walk Office and the Student Residence. The
main campus is provided with full wireless coverage capable of
supporting as many as 2000 concurrent connections.
The new system enables us to
offer WLAN service adhering to better security standards for
maximized data protection and deliver more sophisticated
applications to make the WLAN service more versatile.
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA)
Besides the current Captive
Portal and VPN authentication used in the CityU WLAN service, a
more sophisticated and robust security standard, Wi-Fi Protected
Access (WPA), is now supported.
WPA utilizes 802.1x
authentication and TKIP/AES encryption methods to safeguard user
data sent through the air. It is an attempt to quickly address
some of the problems with the previous security standard known
as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Though with improved
security, WPA is still susceptible to potential security risks
and limitations. It is advisable not to conduct, through any
WiFi network, any Internet activity which involves confidential
data or monetary transaction.
WPA is supported by most modern
operating systems and is highly recommended for our users to
establish WLAN connection. Please visit
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/csc/deptweb/facilities/ctnet/wlan/wlanmain.htm
for the procedures to configure your computer using WPA.
Using WLAN in Student
Residence
Though there are network
connections in each room and a terminal room in each Hall in the
Student Residence, there are still great demands of WLAN service
in public areas offering convenience and flexible network
connections for various functions and events.
Initially we have installed APs
in the Multifunction Hall A, B and C. We plan to apply for extra
budget to extend the coverage to common areas such as
multifunction rooms, TV rooms, canteen, etc.
Boundary-free Mobile Computing
Lately, we have been working with
other institutions and major local Wi-Fi broadband service
providers to achieve a boundary-free WLAN connectivity for our
university members (staff members and students) without any
charge. Details are as follows:
- Education Roaming (Eduroam)
City University has joined
the Eduroam to enable our staff and students to connect to
the global internet via the local WLAN of the participating
institutions while they are visiting these institutions.
Likewise, educators or students from these institutions can
connect to the Internet via our WLAN while visiting us.
Eduroam is a global wireless network using WPA (with 802.1x)
security technology to allow members of an institution to
logon the wireless network of another Eduroam participant
with the use of the credentials provided by their respective
home institution.
Currently hundreds of
institutions have joined the Eduroam. If you want to know
more about how Eduroam works and the list of participants,
please visit
www.eduroam.hk and
http://www.cityu.edu.hk/csc/deptweb/facilities/ctnet/wlan/wlanmain.htm.
- Wi-Fi Collaboration with
Local Service Providers
The collaboration between the
CityU and major Broadband Service Providers aims to provide
free-of-charge Internet access at all local Wi-Fi hotspots
such as cafes and shopping malls operated by these service
providers. The operation is similar to that of the Eduroam.
The collaboration is now in
the testing stage and will be deployed shortly.
Announcements will be made as soon as this service becomes
available.
Future Development
Integration with the phone and
video service is our next goal though technical problems, such
as those QoS and latency that are load dependent, may not be
easily resolved in the near future. As the WLAN technology is
becoming more mature and advanced, the Computing Services Centre
will constantly be looking for ways to improve and enhance the
WLAN services by accommodating the latest technology.
