Agreed Joel. On the one hand, I want to require that all devices that come onto our WLAN comply with certain standards. It’s a pain in the rear to run MAC filters, PSK networks, etc just because a student has a non-.1X compliant device.
On the other hand, I’m realistic and realize the outrage it would cause. It’s a matter of incentives really. The companies who make these devices know good and well that colleges and businesses will instruct their IT departments to “Just make it work.” Thus, there’s no incentive to design good, standards-compliant products. From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU] On Behalf Of Coehoorn, Joel Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 3:53 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Trying to get the Wi-Fi Alliance's Attention Not sure I agree with the "separate certification" idea. Too many of students will still expect their residences to work with just "living room" specification. To many of our faculty expect their classrooms to work that way. [http://www.york.edu/Portals/0/Images/Logo/YorkCollegeLogoSmall.jpg] Joel Coehoorn Director of Information Technology 402.363.5603 jcoeho...@york.edu<mailto:jcoeho...@york.edu> The mission of York College is to transform lives through Christ-centered education and to equip students for lifelong service to God, family, and society On Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 2:41 PM, Thomas Carter <tcar...@austincollege.edu<mailto:tcar...@austincollege.edu>> wrote: Well written and definitely on point. Our users think wireless should “just work”. Roaming, Dot 1X, etc is a foreign language to them. It works at home with their Linksys, why can’t it work here? They think (and sometimes say) “the problem must be your wireless network and not my wireless device.” Thomas Carter Network and Operations Manager Austin College 903-813-2564<tel:903-813-2564> [AusColl_Logo_Email] From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU<mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU>] On Behalf Of Hinson, Matthew P Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 2:27 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU<mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Trying to get the Wi-Fi Alliance's Attention Lee, Good write-up. I found myself nodding in agreement frequently as I read along. The biggest problem I see in the trenches of WLAN administration is a lack of knowledge about the Alliance at all. Their marketing has been so successful that “Wi-Fi” has become synonymous with 802.11 wireless networking. I cannot tell you the number of times a user brings a particular device on our network that can’t do .1X or some other critical standard. 10/10 times, you can check the Alliance’s database and find out that it isn’t certified. Of course, when you explain to them that their device isn’t working, they immediately default to “Well I’ve never even heard of that Wi-Fi Alliance thing.” TL;DR: I see the biggest problem as people not caring whether the device is certified or not, to say nothing of the quality of said certification. -Matt Matthew Hinson CWAP From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lee H Badman Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 2:47 PM To: WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU<mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU> Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Trying to get the Wi-Fi Alliance's Attention I know self-promotion is in poor taste, but wanted to share this http://www.networkcomputing.com/wireless-infrastructure/the-case-for-wlan-interoperability/a/d-id/1318718? and encourage anyone of like (or opposing) mind to add comments. I'm told that the Alliance is at least reading along, FWIW. -Lee Lee H. Badman Network Architect/Wireless TME ITS, Syracuse University 315.443.3003<tel:315.443.3003> ********** 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/.