RE: [MLUG] Plain text wep key?

["McNutt, Justin M." <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Well, for the record, changing the WEP key on UMC campus doesn't have anything to do with firmware (although changing things on *any* network device - or booting it - *is* a good way to find failing hardware).  The only reason we change it every now and then is to do a sort of periodic "flush" of the network, forcing all those folks who shouldn't have it to do the work to go out and get it again.  Probably doesn't take them long, but there it is.

Static WEP does, indeed, suck as an encryption method, especially given how much broadcast traffic there is on most large networks like ours.  We're working on getting 802.1x working in a way that would allow for dynamic WEP keys, which is quite a bit harder to break.  It's pretty freakin' tricky to get working, though, especially on Linux.

As to "when are we going to get wireless?" (at Mizzou or not), you gotta understand that while it's more or less trivial to install an AP or two in your house, building an enterprise wireless network is no mean feat.  Just for starters, your house is likely built of wood and drywall.  Campus buildings tend to be steel and concrete.  Then throw in the fact that dozens of people tend to bring in their own PoS wireless gear - and 2.4GHz cordless, and microwave, and... - and it's pretty difficult to build a supportable wireless network.

Plus, it's really expensive.  You don't want to build a campus WLAN out of LinkSys APs, and there's a *big* price difference between those and the Good Stuff that provides 802.11a/b/g+802.1x+WAP+etc...

...and even then, the farking APs die and won't come back for no reason when the AP manager reboots (also for no reason) and then the technology gets bought by Cisco and your support dries up...  but I digress...  ;-)

--J

> -----Original Message-----
> From: EMAIL:PROTECTED
> [mailto:EMAIL:PROTECTED]On Behalf Of Mike Miller
> Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2005 10:20 PM
> To: MLUG Members
> Subject: Re: [MLUG] Plain text wep key?
> 
> 
> On Thu, 31 Mar 2005, Jonathan King wrote:
> 
> > It was a god-send when McAlester Hall got wireless this 
> year.  I'm not 
> > sure the last time I plugged a notebook into an ethernet 
> jack actually 
> > was....
> 
> 
> There's one way that you guys are getting ahead of some of us 
> up here.  I 
> don't know why, but it has been taking forever to get 
> wireless running in 
> our building.  On the other hand, most of our buildings have 
> wireless in 
> most work areas and we have a central X500 login system.
> 
> Mike
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