Passwords are not changing. Only the SSID names for 802.11a are changing. The web login change is entirely a back-end change - we are having a number of problems with the current web login system, so we are swapping it out for another. The new page will probably look slightly different, but will be along the same lines as the old one.
The VPNs are not affected in any way by these changes. On Tue, May 15, 2007 at 10:40:41PM -0400, Jessica Tyler wrote: > FYI for UMD folks > Passwords may or may not be changing > > -------- Original Message -------- > Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 13:22:09 -0400 > From: Karl Reuss > > > On Sunday May 27th at 4am several changes will be made to the UMD wireless > network. > > > - The web login function used on the 'umd' wireless network will be > replaced by a new system that will look and function much the same as > the old system. This new system is being installed to address > problems users have experienced with the current system, especially > caching issues that lead to "user already logged in" messages. > > Please note that users are still encouraged to move away from the > 'umd' wireless network web login and use the more secure login method > provided by the 'umd-secure' wireless network. See: > http://www.oit.umd.edu/nts/noc/wireless/connect.html for more details. > > > - Over the next several months the names of the 802.11a wireless networks > will change from 'umd' to 'umd-fast', and from 'umd-secure' to > 'umd-secure-fast'. > > Currently the 'umd' and 'umd-secure' wireless networks are available > on both the 802.11b/g and 802.11a frequencies. OIT recommends the use > of 802.11a with equipment that supports it. 802.11a is generally > faster than 802.11b/g because it does not have to support the older > 802.11b protocol, and there is less interference. Many new laptops > support both 802.11a and 802.11b/g, however some software drivers, > when presented with two networks with the same name, only allow the > user to select the 802.11b/g name. By changing the names of the > 802.11a networks, users will be allowed and encouraged to use the > preferred 802.11a frequencies. > > On the 27th the first phase of this name change will take place. > The new names will be made available in parallel with the old > names. Over the next several months users will be encourages to > use the new names in preference to the old. At a future date we > will announce when the old names will be removed. > > > Wireless Network Names > 802.11b/g 802.11a > > Guest/general access > current 'umd' 'umd' > new 'umd' 'umd-fast' > > Secure access for campus users > current 'umd-secure' 'umd-secure' > new 'umd-secure' 'umd-secure-fast' > > > > > - System software will be upgraded to the latest maintenance release. > No user impact should be seen. > > > > -Karl Reuss > Network Engineer > OIT/NTS
