Toivo has hit the nail on the head as far as this issue goes, classes change time and location often enough to make this a potentially huge problem. If you choose to go down this road the technology is available but never underestimate the human factor when attempting to apply technology to a problem. The decision point, as I see it is: Does blocking access warrant the amount of time needed to deploy a special server with class schedule time of day access control and the maintenance thereof?
Chris Drever - PSU Networking (Not speaking for my employer or offering official policy.) From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Voll, Toivo Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 3:01 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in classrooms Consider what happens if the professor moves class, cancels class, lets people out early, or someone decides to skip class and work on a project for something else in a study area nearby, or is in on-campus dorms sick, trying to access class material online, or any number of similar scenarios. I don't see how these kinds of restrictions are workable - we've told our faculty that the wireless coverage serves people outside of just their classroom, and we cannot disable wireless for just one classroom - it is up to the instructor to police the class if they do not want computers or internet used. That being said, we've seen very few requests like this. -Toivo Voll (Not speaking for my employer or offering official policy.) From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Peter P Morrissey Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 2:37 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in classrooms Interesting. So if you could find a way to populate the access policy based upon the user's schedule of classes, you could deny them access to the wireless network during class times. The problem is that some professors encourage Internet access during class, so you would have to have an opt in by a professor/class preference. You could do it by AP, but what if that AP serves multiple classrooms? And, what if the student connects to an AP from an adjoining building? I know of one professor who has their TA's patrol the classroom and monitor what the students are doing. That may actually be cheaper, and more effective than a technical solution. Peter M. From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Drever Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 2:26 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in classrooms The Aruba wireless system has everything you need to control user access to the internet including: Per user session based firewall policy with time of day access, NAT, Routing, bandwidth rate limiting and the ability to kill access to rogue access points. We are quite pleased with its features. Chris Drever - PSU Networking From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:wireless-...@listserv.educause.edu] On Behalf Of Urrea, Nick Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 2:03 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in classrooms I'm compiling research to give to our Faculty Technology Committee. My question is has anybody successfully implemented a solution that restricts access to wireless internet in classrooms? Also if you have tried and were not successful in restricting wireless access in classrooms let me know. Why didn't the solution work. No opinions please about how students can just go buy a mobile broadband card from a cellular carrier, or installing microwaves in the classrooms, or that teaching techniques should improve. ---- Nicholas Urrea Information Technology UC Hastings College of the Law urr...@uchastings.edu x4718 ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
