We started looking at this product when it was being remarketed/resold
by Identity Engines as AutoConnect. When we learned the real source of
the product was Cloudpath, we started talking directly to them.
We did an eval of the product several months ago and found that in every
case but one or two, every machine (Windows and Mac) in our test
audience (which consisted of some of our ResNET staff and our Help Desk
folks), their machines were automatically configured for 802.1x (with
the SecureW2 supplicant pushed out) with just a couple of clicks on a
web page. And in those one or two cases that had problems, the
Cloudpath folks found what the issue was and fixed it within a day.
We were significantly impressed and have since submitted a PO for a full
subscription for XpressConnect. We're planning to then migrate to
WPA2-Enterprise for the fall semester.
Call them for more info!
-- Jim Gogan
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Peter P Morrissey wrote:
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.
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