Since we couldn't find them we would block their MAC address from joining the 
network, give the Help desk the information. When the user called about not 
being able to connect the Help desk would check the MAC and notify the user why 
they couldn't connect. This was the process but it was easily defeated by 
spoofing which is leading us to authenticating our wireless users. 

Randy Ethridge 
Network Engineer V 
Information Services 
Eastern Illinois University 
rlethri...@eiu.edu 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Powell" <spow...@wittenberg.edu> 
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU 
Sent: Thursday, August 6, 2009 6:32:12 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Open-Free Access wireless 




Randy, 



Thanks for the comments.  You state that your wireless has been open from the 
beginning.  How have you handled the copyright notices (if any) to date?    We 
saw a substantial increase in notices last school year over previous.   I’ve 
got a reasonable process in place for handling “known” offenders.   I have no 
clue how to handle “unknown” . 




Scott Powell 

Network Manager 

Wittenberg University 

spow...@wittenberg.edu 

937-525-3821 

937-327-7372 fax 

www.wittenberg.edu 







From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv 
[mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Randy Ethridge 
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 10:10 PM 
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU 
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Open-Free Access wireless 




We actually are going the other way. Our wireless has been 'open' since day 
one, but due to all the issues mentioned and the changes in the legal landscape 
(or possible changes) we are in the process of securing our wireless. We will 
be requiring daily users to use our Safe Connect platform which also has the 
ability for our help desk ( and in the future, other departments) to create 
guest accounts. We have had multiple RIAA notices with users on wireless with 
no way to track them down which was one factor in deciding to secure the 
wireless. 

Randy Ethridge 
Information Services 
Eastern Illinois University 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hector J Rios" <hr...@lsu.edu> 
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU 
Sent: Wednesday, August 5, 2009 8:11:58 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Open-Free Access wireless 




Scott, 



I think you answered your own question. We actually considered the idea at some 
point, strictly because we wanted to make it as easy as possible for everybody 
to connect to our wireless network. But in the end we decided that the cons 
were just too many. You’ve mentioned a few already. And the answer to your 
question as to how you identify who did what, is simply that you won’t be able 
to.  You might be able to map an IP to a MAC address, but then you will still 
have the tedious task of finding the physical device. I think the only 
advantage that a wide open network will give you is that you will be able to 
sniff the traffic. But so will the bad guys, and you won’t know who they are. 



We’ve made it really easy for our guests to get on our wireless network by 
obtaining guest accounts that can be created by their hosts (a faculty or staff 
member) on a web application. We then authenticate them via Cisco’s web auth. 
Responding to DMCA notices and the like still involves a little digging around, 
but you do everything from your computer. 



Hector Rios 

Louisiana State University 





From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv 
[mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Scott Powell 
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 1:33 PM 
To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU 
Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Open-Free Access wireless 



I’ve read some responses on how to handle guest access, but I’m being asked a 
slightly different question by my campus.  We are considering providing 
“free”/”open” wireless access on campus.   I can think of a myriad of issues, 
but I need to find out if anyone else has done this and any comments you might 
have.  We’ve been registering our user base, and then they access the real 
network via a webvpn.  Guests were handled via the web auth in the Cisco WLC.   
My biggest concerns are how to handle RIAA and Movie industry copyright 
notices, CALEA, as well as the “unthinkable” activity over our wireless 
network.  If it is “open”, I don’t know how I’ll be able to identify who did 
what if at all.  Any feedback will be appreciated. 



Scott Powell 

Network Manager 

Wittenberg University 

spow...@wittenberg.edu 

937-525-3821 

937-327-7372 fax 

www.wittenberg.edu 





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********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE 
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