On Thu, 13 Feb 2003 00:52:41 -0800 Sameer Verma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >I hope that I can add a little to conversation since I have been > >using the said network for a few months. > > > Lucky you. I will have to shell out $120 to buy "yet another WiFi > card" to satisfy the "requirements" of SFSU's network > <http://www.sfsu.edu/~helpdesk/docs/internet/wireless.html> No, I bought my Sony used...didnt have the luxury of purchasing a new laptop at the time (nor would work ever supply me with one). It is too bad that my Senao that I bought from surf n' sip doesnt work... I bought the Cisco afterward. > > > > > >>Until 802.11i is approved as an IEEE standard, everybody's security > >>implementations are going to be a bit different. So as far as I > >know,>only Cisco NICs work with Cisco APs that use Cisco's LEAP > >>implementation. That's supposed to change once the standard is > >>approved and an upgrade is expected to be available via firmware > >>upload (for Cisco gear that is). > >> > >> > > > >Agreed. From what I understand about the SFSU wireless implemetation, > >the University level support had to choose a secure type of > >authentication for their wireless network. They did not want to > >supply Park Merced and the surrounding areas with free or easily > >breakable wireless. > > > Instead, they have a network that does *not* supply most of the > student/staff/faculty with access. As of one year ago, none of the 30,000+ students, staff and faculty had wireless access except those that knew people with 'experimental' networks. > > >There were some options available (hi Sameer!) > > > Hi Jason :-) > > >but in the > >end, the CSU has an aggresive pricing agreement with Cisco and the > >Cisco product DID fit the bill. Until the industry regulates itself, > >there will be compromises to be made. > > > It is a technological solution, but not an organizational one. It did > fit the bill, but the bill is WRONG. Very strong position, but debate is good in academic institutions. > > >That said, SFSU is not even close to > >the only .edu to go with Cisco's LEAP authentication. Google it and > >you will see. From speaking with workers at SFSU they fully intend > >to implement 802.11i once it is standardized. They wanted /A/ > >wireless network and they decided to choose LEAP. > > > > > We'd have to wait for 802.11i to standardize. Then we'd have to wait > for ALL vendors to provide firmware upgrades. Then we'll have to wait > for ALL vendors to provide us with client side stuff. 3G (or maybe 4G) > will be here by then (2010). The standards for 802.11g havnt been written, but it will be hard to find a 'b' only card in 12 months. There is a saying about those that are early adopters to technology... they dont mind living on the /bleeding/ edge. 802.11i products will ship well before the standards solidify. CAT6 took for ever to ratify, the market came in with CAT5e and CAT5e+. NO ONE in the pc or open source world even thought about 802.11b seriously when Apple/(Lucent) released their Airport sooooo many years ago. Like USB it would have sat in the duldrums for years if it hadnt been for Apples marketing. Apple is also smart that it knows the education market is important. A large portion of universities that have WiFi also use LEAP. They updated their firmware to support these customers. Remeber that there is little difference between Airport cards and their siblings made by Agere (or Lucent, Orinocco, or if they have changed their name sagain let me know please ;) ). One could argue that a lobby for secure authentication to be built in to a WiFi card would be a more productive use of energy, but I wont argue that. Most users of WiFi do NOT know the difference between authentication and encryption. > > > > > > >>Currently non-Cisco NICs can be used with Cisco APs, but only when > >>LEAP is turned off, or if mixed-access (LEAP and non-LEAP devices > >>together) is allowed (but that defeats the purpose of LEAP of > >>course!). > >> > >> > >> > > > >A few cards support cisco LEAP out of the box without third party > >supplicants (i havnt gotten any supplicants to work). > >*Cisco 340 & 350 cards of all formats (pcmcia, pci, minipci ...) > >*Xircom CWE1130-NA (these were discontinued after Intel bought > >Xircom) These cards are actually relabeled Cisco 340 cards (even says > >it on the card) > >*3COM 3CRWE62092B cards with Xjack antennae. These support LEAP > >(thanks again Jared) and have a neat retractable antenna > >*Apple Airport 802.11b > >*Apple Airport Extreme > >*Apple Airport Base stations also support LEAP, however I have not > >played with this feature. Forgot to mention some Dells are/were shipping with Cisco cards in them. They disguise their relabled cards as TrueMobile so it is hard to tell which ones are Cisco. > > > > > The idea for an organizational solution at a university is to support > ALL cards that support Wi-Fi. A university cannot/does not dictate its > > students to buy a particular brand of Wi-Fi. It is kinda like saying > "Please drive to SFSU and park there only if you drive a Yugo". Remember, the purpose of a university is to be a place of education. It is not an ISP. WiFi is a luxury, not a form of necessary transportation. On a campus with multiple computer labs per building that are open to any university student, staff or faculty the argument of /need/ is a bit weak. We both have been playing with this technology for a while, and my biggest push is out of geeky delight. To argue that WiFi is a necessary part of my education is a bit much. It is certainly convienient. Now, if either of us wanted to drive our cars (which we both have the luxury of not having to) to the campus, we would have to /buy/ a parking permit for the day. This cost is much higher for one semester of parking than one WiFi card is that will last 4+ years of education. Sure, you can park a few blocks away for free, but you will have to move your car every hour or so. Most classes are 1 hour+. Good luck going a semester without a parking ticket. A student can go to the lab for free computing, or they can buy a LEAP card for convienience. Their choice (and ours). After all is said and done however, neither of us are making the decisions as to what to implement. Like local politics, our voice can be heard and we can influence if organized and loud enough, but in the case of SF-- MUNI still is not predictable or reliable. > > > At least I have my own network :-) > Sameer I believe I still have access to it after this thread, right? :) -stone -- general wireless list, a bawug thing <http://www.bawug.org/> [un]subscribe: http://lists.bawug.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless
