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Wireless Networking in Education

Explore wireless networking in education, benefits (cost-savings, flexibility, reach), disadvantages (security, standards), solutions, performance, installation cost reduction, flexibility, networking students' computers, and recommendations. Discusses signal propagation, wireless LAN standards, security solutions, and implementing wireless technology effectively to enhance learning.

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Wireless Networking in Education

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

  2. Introduction • What is wireless networking • Key issues • Wireless technology and education • Recommendations

  3. What is wireless networking

  4. Benefits • Reduced installation costs • Flexibility • Extended reach • Networking Students’ Computers • Enhancing education

  5. 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

  6. Why so many standards? Mobility Vehicle Walk Fixed 2G Cellular 3G Bluetooth Wireless LAN IrDA Wired LAN 0.1 1 10 100 Data rate Mb/s

  7. Wireless networking standards • Infrared (IrDA) • Radio (unlicensed – ISM and UNII) • IEEE (802.11) • ETSI (HiperLAN) • Bluetooth • (Mobile telephony) • (Radio (licensed)) • (Broadband fixed wireless access)

  8. IEEE Standards }

  9. 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

  10. Threats • Eavesdropping • Rogue access points • Denial of service • Any PC can access the network

  11. Security Solutions • Wired Equivalence Privacy (WEP) • Additional solutions • Custom solution from network vendor • Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) • Treat as insecure network (outside the firewall) • Security need be no greater than elsewhere

  12. Performance • sufficient for text and images • Not sufficient for video (especially multi-user)

  13. 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

  14. Reduced Installation costs • Less equipment • Less cabling • No need to flood wire • May be only solution in rural areas

  15. 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

  16. 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 is • No ports to be damaged through frequent use • Separate subnet for security

  17. 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

  18. How to put computers in teaching • Computer ownership is like literacy • 90% literate you still have to read everything • 100% literate changes everything • Putting computers in students’ hands • Ubiquitous computing • Computer carts • “loan machines”

  19. Computer cart

  20. 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

  21. Ubiquitous computing • All students required to have their own computer (Laptop or PDA) • Student purchase • Loan machines • Internet enabled everywhere; at all times • Fully embedded in education

  22. 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

  23. Recommendations (WANs) • Consider for connecting remote sites • interoperability does not matter as it is point-to-point • Consider wireless and satellite

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