We use them and I would highly recommend them. I answered some of your questions in line, but I'm sure they could probably answer some of the questions better than I. Try Bert Kashyap [[email protected]]
-----Original Message----- From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark J. Dumic Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 4:27 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [WIRELESS-LAN] Wireless Configuration Tools and Cloudpath We recently heard about a product called XpressConnect from Cloudpath that automates the process of setting up laptops for WPA access to secure campus wireless networks. We currently have a difficult time with students not following through all the steps required to setup a laptop for WPA Enterprise including installing the certificate. This product promised to simplify the task. Is anyone on the list using this product? If so can you summarize your experiences with it? Would you recommend it? Some specific questions that I have include: [PM] [PM] Yes I would recommend it. They will ensure that the certificates are set up properly, but of course Apple machines may set up automatically and bypass those efforts. The good thing is that this product works for Mac and PC. The biggest problem we run into is when Apple changes their OS and makes unexplained changes under the covers. This product supports Mac, XP and Vista. Can it determine whether a computer is capable of doing WPA2 vs WPA? We'd like to auto configure computers for the more secure WPA2 if the computer is capable otherwise configue for WPA. [PM] [PM] Don't know, but I would ask them. Can it automatically check for new drivers and patches for wireless software? [PM] [PM] I don't believe so. Some people use the built-in OS supplicants while other people use the software that comes with the wireless card. Can it configure either? Do users get to choose and/or can we specify the one we want them to use? [PM] We tell people that they have to standardize on the Windows supplicant. What it can do is turn off the vendor's driver which is very helpful. I can't imagine supporting a script for every driver out there. I would think that would be rather onerous, but it would be cool if it was possible. We tried writing our own script for all of this and the biggest issue we ran into was the third party drivers. They take care of this and will add new ones if and when necessary. Can it generate reports on types of wireless cards installed, supplicants installed, WPA2 capable computers vs. those that are not. [PM] [PM] Not that I know of, but I would ask. Are there other products in this space we should consider? [PM] [PM] The only other option we were aware of was to use Juniper supplicant. We looked at it and it was very expensive. I think there may have been other issues as well. Pete M. -- Swarthmore College ITS staff will never ask for your password, including by email. Please keep your passwords private to protect yourself and the security of our network. ********** 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/.
