EDUWIN
The EDUWIN (Education Wireless Integrated Network) project is a collaboration of all Institute of Higher Learnings in Singapore to provide free wireless roaming to staff and students. That means all NIE Staff and Trainee Teachers can roam wirelessly in another campus, for example SMU, using respective NIE log-in account. For more details, refer to the EDUWIN link on the navigation pane on your left.
11g For NIE!
Wireless @ NIE now supports the latest wireless standards IEEE 802.11g! The upgrading project, undertaken by CSC, was started in December 2003 and it was announced in our Wireless @ NIE newsletter (Jan 2004 issue). After months of implementation and vigorous tests, the project was completed and commissioned on 30 Mar 2004. NIE is the first Institute of Higher Learning to implement 11g wireless access points campus-wide.
With 11g being supported, wireless users can hook on at a max speed of 54Mbps (mega-bits per second) while still using the same radio frequency as 11b standard. The matured 11b standard (using 2.4Ghz frequency band) has good wireless coverage and range but its connection speed is low (11Mbps). The newer 11a (using 5Ghz frequency band) has big bandwidth and high connection speed of 54Mbps. However, its coverage area is smaller compared to 11b radio signal. The main advantage of 11g standard is that it has the best of both world - good coverage and high bandwidth. 11g standard is gaining popularity as newer portable computers now support both 11b and 11g. Therefore, it is definitely the right move for us to have it here in NIE. Now, we are glad to declare that NIE campus-wide wireless network (a.k.a Wireless@NIE) supports all 3 popular standards (IEEE 802.11a/b/g).
Following this announcement, we wish to inform you that we have the latest ORiNOCO 11a/b/g ComboCards available for loan from 7 June 2004 onwards. Please proceed to the ACIS Services Hub at Block 4 level 4 for the loan of ORiNOCO 11a/b/g ComboCard.
Rogue Access Points
Under NIE IT Security Policy, Staff and Trainees Teachers are NOT allowed to setup their own wireless network in NIE compound by connecting their own wireless access points (AP) to the campus network ports. By setting up these rogue AP for your own convenience, you have inevitably compromised all security measures which NIE has painstakingly implemented to protect the Institute's network infrastructure, resources and reputation. Since wireless signal cannot be constrained predictably within any physical structure, it is a tedious process to locate and identify intruders once they have compromised our defences through these rogue AP. Any installation of network devices (such as network switch, hub, wireless access point) has to be audited and approved by ACIS. Computer Services Centre conducts routine security audit on our wireless space and wired network so as to maintain the integrity of our resources and to prevent any disruption caused by unwelcomed intruders.
If you have wireless AP connecting to our campus network, please turn it off immediately.
Digital Certificate
From 21 April 2004 onwards, Wireless @ NIE is using the new digital certificate as part of its authentication mechanism. As the ACIS Services Hub is still receiving requests for the new digital certificate, we would like to inform you that it is still available. As this component is part of our wireless security mechanism, please use your NIE email account to contact our helpdesk personnel (wireless@nie.edu.sg) for the details. Please note that this exercise only affects existing wireless users who have not update their digital certificate since we announced it via email (dated 12 April 2004, subject: New Digital Certificate for Wireless@NIE).
Take note that this exercise does not affect the following group of users:
- Users with computer that connects to the campus network port via a physical cable; and
- New wireless users who install the Odyssey Client at the ACIS Services Hub after 12 April 2004.
