U of Texas Wi-Fi ban
p2pnet.net News:- “Wireless networking (WiFi) on the UTD campus is now an accepted service covering almost the entire campus, even the newest buildings. With that acceptance has come a new freedom to ‘connect’ practically anywhere anytime.”
The above is a post on the University of Texas at Dallas site here, and it goes on, “UTD is also one of the first institutions to deploy wide scale wireless for student residences (Waterview Apartments).”
Not any more, though.
Waterview Apartment residents have been told no wireless access points other than “university-installed ones” will be allowed -”with a specific exception,” says a post here.
“No 802.11b or 802.11g wireless access points may be installed within the Waterview Apartments by residents. Only 802.11a wireless access points will be allowed and those must be set only to the specific channels provided for that purpose … In other words, no access points using the 2.4GHz band may be used and only certain frequencies in the 5GHz spectrum.”
What’s up?
“Some students in Waterview have been experiencing problems when trying to connect to the UTD Wireless Network. The reason has been found to be the result of over 100 wireless access points being set up by residents. These access points are connecting to Comcast Cable Modems or to SBC DSL (or other providers) for their Internet access and then are being shared out to other residents within the same or adjacent suites.”
This creates, “interference or an actual denial of service to other students not wishing to utilize these ‘unknown’ access points, as the wireless network cards attempt to connect to the nearest and strongest signal available – which is often the ‘unknown’ access points. Locking down the access points does not help this problem, but actually makes it even worse.”
September 10th, 2004 at 12:25 am
All those WI-FI users in the apartment complex might even be connecting directly to each other to form a wireless – and anonymous – P2P network.
Can’t have that, now can we?
http://p2pnet.net/story/69
http://www.sonbuddy.com/
http://computerworld.com.my/pcwmy.nsf/0/4BDD7B0BE7AE45D448256E6F0024F1A2?OpenDocument
September 10th, 2004 at 1:42 am
Or is it because you may be able to *gasp* download illegal things on a non-yooniversity controlled AP?
September 10th, 2004 at 9:47 pm
What happens if they don’t unplug the APs broadcasting DSL/Cable? Are doors kicked in? I am curious to hear feedback?