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On Thu, Jul 21, 2005 at 02:09:29PM -0400, Erik Selke wrote: > Are departments permitted to put up their own wireless access points? > > This feels like a stupid question, but I couldn't find any definitive > answer and it always helps to point people to a reference point of "this > is where it says no" before I tell them so. My initial guess would be > that it would be strictly verboten, but a search through the MSUNAG > archives leads me to believe maybe it is not. I have gotten this question before; I will include a paraphrase of the question and my reply. I will also see about including this type of information in our "http://wireless.msu.edu/" site. ----- > Does MSU have any guidelines for Wireless for campus buildings? We > have implemented wireless in part of our building. We have the MSU IP > pass through the devices so each of the computer/laptop/PDA has to > register with MSU DHCP server. Just wanted to see your recommendations > and make sure we are compliant with MSU before we implement though the > whole building. There were some guidelines being developed, but I don't know that they have been formalized. Mostly, those guidelines were being developed around the use of the radio spectrum. The specific guidelines for 802.11a/b/g use were not finished. If you are not aware of the central wireless system, MSUnet Wireless, you should take a look at "http://wireless.msu.edu/". While implementing the central wireless solution for your building may be more expensive than what you may be able to do on your own, it does have a number of advantages, including the central support, which includes pre-installation planning, site survey, installation, post-installation coverage survey, and ongoing support. The central solution also includes Web-based authentication, and as of recently, a limited guest access feature. Also, coverage maps will be posted to the web site showing what parts of your building are covered. [ Ed note: The coverage maps are no longer accessible, due to security concerns. ] If you still need to implement your own wireless system (hopefully just as an interim solution), then it is best to set up your units in a transparent fashion, so that each computer has to register with the central MSU DHCP server. It sounds like that is your plan, so that part is good. The only other point is that you should choose a reasonable SSID that identifies the sponsoring unit. In particular, don't include "MSUnet" in the SSID. ----- So the answer is yes, a department can install their own wireless system, but you should keep the central wireless system in mind. One important consideration not mentioned in the above excerpt is that ACNS will be implementing the central wireless system in a number of public areas, including most University classrooms, over the next couple years. So the central wireless system will be present in many buildings, and having a common look-and-feel will simplify end-user support. But no, we cannot mandate the use of the central wireless system in departmentally-controlled spaces. Doug -- Doug Nelson, Network Manager | [log in to unmask] Academic Computing and Network Services | Ph: (517) 353-2980 Michigan State University | http://www.msu.edu/~nelson/