Well, as I pointed out from the very beginning, running a premiere SSID that guarantees junk devices can't connect to better ensure some performance while having a backup SSID for all the rest is a solution. It is no different than running a 802.1x SSID. A lot of devices won't support that. But in our case, they fall back to a PSK SSID. You still preserve connectivity, but aren't connecting by the smallest common denominator.
Ryan Turner Senior Network Engineer, ITS The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill +1 919 274 7926 Mobile +1 919 445 0113 Office > On Apr 14, 2016, at 7:39 AM, Osborne, Bruce W (Network Services) > <[email protected]> wrote: > > What about 11g or 11n devices that require the lower data rates in order to > connect? > > > > Bruce Osborne > Wireless Engineer > IT Network Services - Wireless > > (434) 592-4229 > > LIBERTY UNIVERSITY > Training Champions for Christ since 1971 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Trinklein, Jason R [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 9:32 AM > Subject: Re: Turning off 2.4 on a select SSID? > > We presently do not permit 802.11a/b devices on our wireless network, but we > do allow 802.11g. Luckily, there are only a few dozen 802.11g devices > connected at any given time, the rest are 802.11n/ac. The performance hit for > supporting g appears to be minimal in our environment. > > We’ve been facing issues with special requests on our campus for supporting > bizarre end devices. The most recent request was to support a wifi doorbell, > which uses PSK and 2.4GHz only. Worse, it was easily stolen and cracked, > giving up in cleartext the key. > > Refusing to support these devices causes new problems, however. Some of these > locations instead set up their own access points to serve these special > devices, which causes channel interference with our official access points. > To set up such devices is against policy, but it causes some angst against IT > when we enforce it in these circumstances. How many exceptions do you make > for special scenarios? How often do you prop up custom location-specific > SSIDs to support unique requests? > -- > Jason Trinklein > > Wireless Engineering Manager > College of Charleston > 81 St. Philip Street | Office 311D | Charleston, SC 29403 [email protected] > | (843) 300–8009 > > > > > > > > >> On 4/13/16, 8:45 AM, "The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group >> Listserv on behalf of Frank Sweetser" <[email protected] on >> behalf of [email protected]> wrote: >> >> We were lucky enough here to start off from the beginning with a policy >> of wireless being strictly best effort. If it works, yay for you! If >> it doesn't work, plug into a wired port and we'll get around to fixing >> wireless if and when we can. Obviously we can't get away with that >> kind of position these days, but it's been much easier to start there >> than to have had the wireless network be priority one from the start. >> >> Based off of that, we've been able to stick to a basic functional >> support requirement, rather than being obligated to twist wireless >> around to support critical devices that someone else decided should >> depend on wireless. In our case, devices fall into one of three categories: >> >> - If your configuration is fully supported by CloudPath, we'll back up >> that support, including opening vendor tickets on your behalf if you >> find a real problem. >> >> - If you're outside of CloudPath support, but you still support our >> encryption and authentication requirements (WPA2/EAP-TLS), we'll pr >> work, plug into a wired port and we'll get around to fixing wireless if >> and when we can. Obviously we can't get away with that kind of >> position these days, but it's been much easier to start there than to >> have had the wireless network be priority one from the start. >> >> Based off of that, we've been able to stick to a basic functional >> support requirement, rather than being obligated to twist wireless >> around to support critical devices that someone else decided should >> depend on wireless. In our case, devices fall into one of three categories: >> >> - If your configuration is fully supported by CloudPath, we'll back up >> that support, including opening vendor tickets on your behalf if you >> find a real problem. >> >> - If you're outside of CloudPath support, but you still support our >> encryption and authentication requirements (WPA2/EAP-TLS), we'll >> provide you with an identity cert and some general directions, but >> you're responsible for the actual configuration. >> >> - If your device only supports PSK, then sorry, you're out of luck! >> This also happens to rule out all of the devices that we've seen >> require 1Mbit data rates, like the Wii, which has made it much easier for us >> to trim out those bottom rates. >> >> Obviously we've had to dump resources into wireless over the years to >> keep pace with actual requirements and user expectations, but starting >> from the convinience only stance has made it much easier for us to manage >> expectations over time. >> >> Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu | For every problem, there is a solution >> that >> >> Manager of Network Operations | is simple, elegant, and wrong. >> Worcester Polytechnic Institute | - HL Menckenovide you with an >> identity cert and some general directions, but you're responsible for >> the actual configuration. >> >> - >> >> Frank Sweetser fs at wpi.edu | For every problem, there is a solution >> that >> >> Manager of Network Operations | is simple, elegant, and wrong. >> Worcester Polytechnic Institute | - HL Mencken >> >>> On Wed, 2016-04-13 at 12:23 +0000, Chris Adams (IT) wrote: >>> I think this raises an interesting challenge that I've faced too: >>> should we enact a minimum specification requirement (ex. no >>> 802.11a/b) for wireless network access? >>> >>> For student PCs that our service desk supports, we have minimum >>> requirements, IE Windows versions, AV vendors, etc. Outside of those >>> requirements, they cannot support the machines. Should we do >>> something similar for wireless? >>> >>> Is it fair to potentially reduce the network experience for others >>> associated to access point to support devices that only utilize >>> legacy wireless methods? >>> >>> I am certainly sympathetic to allow as much device freedom as >>> possible - but at what cost to performance and user experience? >>> >>> I am interested if any of you may have already crossed this bridge. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Chris Adams, CISSP >>> >>> Director, Network & Telecom Services >>> Division of Information Technology >>> University of North Georgia >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv >>> [mailto:WIRELE [email protected]] On Behalf Of Osborne, >>> Bruce W (Network >>> Services) >>> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 8:18 AM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Turning off 2.4 on a select SSID? >>> >>> We have some management with Visio TVs that requires 802.11b rates >>> in order to associate. That presents a challenge too. >>> >>> >>> >>> Bruce Osborne >>> Wireless Engineer >>> IT Network Services - Wireless >>> >>> (434) 592-4229 >>> >>> LIBERTY UNIVERSITY >>> Training Champions for Christ since 1971 >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: Gogan, James Patrick [mailto:[email protected]] >>> Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 8:08 AM >>> Subject: Re: Turning off 2.4 on a select SSID? >>> >>> I'm unfortunately seeing that we may actually start to experience an >>> INCREASE in 2.4GHz-only devices ..... when we asked about this on >>> campus recently, I received this reply ... and this is from a central IT >>> person: >>> >>> " I wanted to point out that many brand new phones don't speak 5GHz >>> such as the Motorola Moto G (3rd generation) which just began >>> shipping late last summer. In fact, none of the generations of Moto >>> G have a 5GHz radio. Motorola has reserved 5GHz wifi for the Moto X which >>> is their >>> premium spec phone. The Moto G is a pretty common phone - I know of >>> several folks (in our department) that have such including myself and >>> a coworker who just bought a brand new one Friday. Republic Wireless >>> sells a ton of these. The Moto E, which is the base model, also >>> doesn't speak 5GHz. Several folks in our building also have that phone." >>> >>> Don't know whether to blame Motorola or folks that go for the >>> cheapest stuff possible. >>> >>> -- Jim Gogan / Univ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv >>> [mailto:WIRELE [email protected]] On Behalf Of Earl >>> Barfield >>> Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 4:07 PM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Turning off 2.4 on a select SSID? >>> >>>> >>>>> On 04/07/2016 09:24 AM, Hector J Rios wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I guess this brings up another good question, and that is, what >>>>> is the percentage of 5GHz vs 2.4GHz you all see in your institutions? >>>>> For us is still 50-50. And it’s been like that for a while. I >>>>> still see new laptops that only come with 2.4GHz adapters. >>> >>> While it can be useful to track what percentage of connections use >>> 5GHz radios, we've found that a better question to ask is "What >>> percentage of 5GHz-capable clients are actually connecting at 5GHz". >>> >>> In our environment, it varies wildly by building: some as high as 95% >>> of sessions and others, such as our outdoor spaces, down close to zero. >>> >>> We focus our resources on improving the 5GHz coverage in the >>> buildings with the lower percentages. >>> >>> All this data is in the Airwave Management Platform database. It just >>> takes a little gentle coaxing to get it out. >>> >>> In our high density spaces, we have many many APs on 5GHz with >>> directional antennas, along with turning of lower data rates and >>> raising RxSOP to limit the cell size. We turn off 2.4GHz >>> radios on all but a few APs in the room, From the user side, this >>> should look about like APs with multiple 5GHz radios. >>> >>> We're using Cisco AP3702Es right now but we're anxious to take a look >>> at the upcoming AP3802Es that should allow us to use fewer APs to but >>> the same number of 5GHz antennas serving a room. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Earl Barfield -- Academic & Research Tech / Information Technology >>> Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 >>> Internet: [email protected] [email protected] >>> >>> ********** >>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=CwIFaQ&c=7MSSWy9Bs2yocjNQzurxOQ&r=AuveJXIorHW4s-aGSHEbnQZt5LubWGCZik-5HxxaRqU&m=aT15Yz-lMtOrU2rxTLo7F6LlZRuyTkPWUMAHokr4IXc&s=Tw9w9P8HI6xCmHgUCr8EkE1kp6en3hm5Nhysgq9iIqc&e= >>> . >>> >>> ********** >>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=CwIFaQ&c=7MSSWy9Bs2yocjNQzurxOQ&r=AuveJXIorHW4s-aGSHEbnQZt5LubWGCZik-5HxxaRqU&m=aT15Yz-lMtOrU2rxTLo7F6LlZRuyTkPWUMAHokr4IXc&s=Tw9w9P8HI6xCmHgUCr8EkE1kp6en3hm5Nhysgq9iIqc&e= >>> . >>> >>> >>> ********** >>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=CwIFaQ&c=7MSSWy9Bs2yocjNQzurxOQ&r=AuveJXIorHW4s-aGSHEbnQZt5LubWGCZik-5HxxaRqU&m=aT15Yz-lMtOrU2rxTLo7F6LlZRuyTkPWUMAHokr4IXc&s=Tw9w9P8HI6xCmHgUCr8EkE1kp6en3hm5Nhysgq9iIqc&e= >>> . >>> >>> >>> ********** >>> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >>> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >>> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=CwIFaQ&c=7MSSWy9Bs2yocjNQzurxOQ&r=AuveJXIorHW4s-aGSHEbnQZt5LubWGCZik-5HxxaRqU&m=aT15Yz-lMtOrU2rxTLo7F6LlZRuyTkPWUMAHokr4IXc&s=Tw9w9P8HI6xCmHgUCr8EkE1kp6en3hm5Nhysgq9iIqc&e= >>> . >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent >> Group discussion list can be found at >> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.educause.edu_groups_&d=CwIFaQ&c=7MSSWy9Bs2yocjNQzurxOQ&r=AuveJXIorHW4s-aGSHEbnQZt5LubWGCZik-5HxxaRqU&m=aT15Yz-lMtOrU2rxTLo7F6LlZRuyTkPWUMAHokr4IXc&s=Tw9w9P8HI6xCmHgUCr8EkE1kp6en3hm5Nhysgq9iIqc&e= >> . > > ********** > 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/.
