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Wireless networking at Yale
Description
Wireless network service enables devices to connect to the Yale Campus Network and Internet without plugging into a network jack. In order to access the network, you will need a wireless enabled desktop or laptop computer. Most laptops produced in the last 1-2 years have wireless built in; with older computers you may need to purchase a wireless network adapter. Other devices such as iPhone, Ipod Touch, and gaming consoles are now wireless enabled and able to connect to the wireless network.
Access Points: Yale wireless network
Access Points are small devices that provide wireless communication between computers and connectivity to the Yale network and the Internet. These devices are installed throughout buildings across the campus to provide complete wireless coverage. Yale ITS is working toward its goal to provide wireless coverage throughout all buildings on campus. To date, we have completed this in all residential colleges, including Old Campus, and nearly all libraries, academic or administrative buildings. Some buildings, including many on the medical campus are scheduled for renovation, in these buildings wireless networks will be installed during the time of the renovation.
These access points, which are part of the Yale wireless network, are installed and maintained by ITS. The Yale wireless network currently offers five network “names” (also known as “SSIDs”) for connecting users. These differ primarily in the level of security and access they provide:
YaleSecure is now the preferred wireless network for members of the campus community including students, faculty and staff with NetIDs. It provides full encryption of data across the wireless network,and users are authenticated using NetID and password. Your machine is not required to be registered to access YaleSecure. This is also the preferred replacement for current Medical School wireless that requires VPN, with YaleSecure no VPN is required.
Yale wireless has been the most widely used wireless network on campus in the past, although it is no longer the preferred wireless network. Yale wireless is no longer the preferred network because it is not encypted and thus provides a lower level of security. Yale wireless also requires the computer to be registered on the network.
YaleGuest is intended to support short term (less than 1 week) access to the Internet for visitors to the campus. It is not intended for regular use by Students, Faculty or Staff. As it is primarily intended for Internet access, some protected Yale websites and services are not be accessible from YaleGuest.
YaleWPA and YaleWPA2 networks are legacy secure networks which have been superceded by “YaleSecure”. They will be available this academic year (except on Old Campus), but we strongly recommend that any user of these networks migrate to YaleSecure as they will be retired July 2010.
Other SSIDs All other special use wireless networks supporting specific functions or schools will remain unchanged.
On the medical campus
To protect sensitive data and communications from access by unauthorized individuals, University policy requires a higher level of security when accessing the Yale wireless network on the medical campus. To access the wireless network at the Medical Campus, you must use YaleSecure or Yale wireless with Virtual Private Network (VPN). YaleSecure and Yale wireless with VPN encrypt all traffic between a wireless computing device and the campus network.
Wireless networks provide a lower level of security than wired networks.
Private Access Points at Yale
ITS is working to provide complete wireless availability throughout all buildings at Yale. In buildings with Yale wireless networks, ITS does not permit Private Access points as they will interfere with the Yale systems. In buildings without Yale wireless networks, Clients may install "private" wireless access points (WAPs) that are not part of the Yale wireless network, but they must be registered with ITS and meet ITS security policies, standards, and guidelines. There are special security requirements for private access points on the Medical campus. Improperly configured devices can cause serious harm to both the wired and wireless network, and negatively impact network services for other clients. Unregistered WAPs can be particularly damaging because they are difficult to locate and may not display any signs of malfunction to clients using these devices. We may disconnect access points not meeting this requirement after appropriate notice.
Eligibility
All Yale students, faculty, and staff may use the Yale wireless network. Guest of the University may use the YaleGuest. You will be required to accept the Yale University Guest Wireless Network: Terms and Conditions.
Support
Unlike the wired network, current wireless technology does not provide dedicated bandwidth for each computer. The bandwidth (speed) of a wireless network connection is lower than that of a wired network connection (10 - 100 megabit). Performance may further be impacted by the number of users within a given wireless coverage area, as well as your computer's distance from the closest wireless transceiver (or Wireless Access Point, WAP). Wireless networks therefore do not currently provide the same level of performance or consistency as a wired network. While wireless networking has been found to be acceptable for email, many applications and some web browsing, it may not be suitable for applications and web sites that have high band-width requirements (such as video/audio streaming and access to University financial applications) or large file transfers.
Finally, although buildings are being enabled with wireless networking capability, this may not always guarantee that wireless network access will be available or perform well from every possible location within a given building. While every effort is made during installation to provide comprehensive coverage within each building, many factors can interfere with wireless network signal strength and/or its availability. The most common factor is the core structural design of the building itself. Water supply lines and steel elements within the walls may impair the signal. Other factors specific to certain lab or office areas (such as large steel bookcases, book stacks, and a large number of people) may also interfere with wireless signal strength or availability.
Faculty & staff
Contact your local support provider.
Students
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Central campus
Student techs will provide the first line of support. They will attempt to resolve laptop problems and will report network failures or performance issues to ITS Data Network Operations (DNO). DNO will resolve such problems as soon as possible with the caveats that any simultaneous problems with the wired network will take precedence and we may need or want to perform extended testing before returning the network to service.
