Hi Matt, Thanks for sharing. The RJ-45 block-outs may also be a good investment for us.
Thanks Sean Sean Gray | B.Sc (Hons) Voice, Collaboration & Wireless Network Analyst ITS, University of Lethbridge From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Community Group Listserv <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Matthew Craig Sent: September 23, 2021 1:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Protecting Cisco 1815w APs Caution: This email was sent from someone outside of the University of Lethbridge. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you know they are safe. Suspicious emails should be forwarded to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. We use standard flush-mount boxes, such that there is no protruding box to tamper with most of time; the device is flush with the wall. If a protruding box must be installed, there really is no way to prevent people from making holes in it or ripping it off. We utilize the locking screw with cover-up sticker that comes with the device. This helps… one has to go through the trouble of discovering the sticker and having a sufficient screwdriver to back the screw out, or straight up ripping it off the wall (which can be difficult) For the RJ-45 ports, if we don’t want them to be used (such as the passthrough if not used), we use RJ-45 block-outs Cisco offers Physical Security Kits we keep in stock that has additional screws and stickers plus the RJ-45 block-outs: AIR–SEC–50= If we need bulk RJ-45 block-outs for a large project or something, we buy: https://www.amazon.com/Lindy-RJ45-Port-Blockers-40471/dp/B00F3VBOU6/ref=pd_bxgy_147_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XG25B9TBZNJX5B4YXE4Z All of these above really help. If we don’t want an ethernet cable removed we use port-lock kits, although this is rarely used: https://www.cdw.com/product/Panduit-outlet-port-lock-kit/1648217?cm_cat=google&cm_ite=1648217&cm_pla=NA-NA-Panduit_CN&cm_ven=acquirgy&ef_id=CjwKCAjwy7CKBhBMEiwA0Eb7au_NZdEqvxzyZ2RGMPSAOGiK-G4pC_EpSZvKNBgjXTxWKMAI1MOfZxoCfsoQAvD_BwE:G:s&gclid=CjwKCAjwy7CKBhBMEiwA0Eb7au_NZdEqvxzyZ2RGMPSAOGiK-G4pC_EpSZvKNBgjXTxWKMAI1MOfZxoCfsoQAvD_BwE&s_kwcid=AL!4223!3!496173788312!!!g!325109538940!!12244136370!117820874592 Our most common issue is people using the device to step up higher on the wall or smashing it with furniture. I am unaware of any way to truly prevent this. We are a charge-back shop, so any replacement is bought by the building owner (sometimes they choose to simply not replace them and go without), so its not a big deal to us personally. - Matt On Sep 23, 2021, at 11:19 AM, Eric Jensen <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: WARNING: This email originated external to the NMSU email system. Do not click on links or open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe. Hi Sean, We have quite a number of the 1815W access points deployed throughout our campus housing as well. We haven't noticed much issue with the LAN ports on the bottom getting damaged, but we have had occasional issues with students disconnecting them. Ours are primarily mounted on surface mount j-boxes, so students will typically just remove a knockout hole and fish the cable out to disconnect, but we've had some get pried off as well, which, thankfully, has primarily just damaged the mounting plate. We haven't done much to prevent it, but we do shut the switchport down to the room whenever an AP is disconnected, to provide an opportunity for educating the user. Additionally, this year we had stickers printed to place on each AP with (very brief) instructions for connecting to our different wireless options, as well as to the wired ports on the bottom of the unit, and include our helpdesk website and phone number. The idea being that having readily available instructions/help will reduce work for us as well as frustration for the students. Don't really have any hard numbers as to how much it has helped, but our Residence Life staff were pretty enthusiastic about the idea. All of that said, I know Oberon makes an enclosure that works with those APs (https://oberoninc.com/products/1017-wh/<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Foberoninc.com%2Fproducts%2F1017-wh%2F&data=04%7C01%7Cmatcraig%40nmsu.edu%7C650989b12373408afd3508d97eb6511e%7Ca3ec87a89fb84158ba8ff11bace1ebaa%7C1%7C0%7C637680143776063162%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=nDw14UfDoUP0v1aV1LRKOdh%2FxHHUyn%2BTpppwqUXKbzk%3D&reserved=0>), which you could utilize if the problem is pervasive enough. However, for us it's a low enough occurrence rate, and the 1815W units are inexpensive enough, that it would be far more costly to install the enclosures, in both time and money, than it is to deal with the occasional disconnected/damaged AP. Cheers, Eric -- -- ------------------------------------------------------- Eric Jensen Senior Network Communications Specialist University of Alaska - Office of Information Technology email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> phone: 907-450-8326 ------------------------------------------------------- On Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 8:55 AM Gray, Sean <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Hi Everyone, I hope you are all surviving another semester start up without too much pain! We have a large number of wall mounted Cisco 1815w access points on campus. Lately we have noticed that the LAN ports are getting damaged and are looking at way to stop people tampering with the patch cables. I’m interested to see if anyone else has experienced this problem and am wondering what steps they took to protect their access points? 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