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How to Integrate
a WiFi Network for
Mobile Devices
By Joshua Smith
EDTECH 541-4172
Why set up a WiFi network for your school?
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Gives access to more children, subjects, areas of the school
and for a wider range of purposes.
Teachers and students work more efficiently
Teachers can support their pupils’ learning through their
own use of the wireless network
Teachers can use the wireless network to extract greater
value from their teaching
Students and teachers can work wherever and whenever
suits them best
Advantages for a WiFi Network:
A WiFi Network
Mobility
Saves
Money
More
Devices
With a wireless connection each student
can have their own laptop which in turn
they can use throughout the entire
school. Additionally, since wireless
means without wires, there is no cost for
cables or the installation. Lastly,
computers are not the only devices that
can make use of a wireless network,
there are currently printers, scanners,
smart phones, and tablets that can
access the internet through a wireless
connection.
Wireless Devices are on the Rise
20%
60%
15%
5%
Desktops
Laptops
Mobile Devices
Tablets
Although on the
decline, desktops still
account for 20% of
all Internet traffic.
With the honor of
initiating the modern
wireless movement,
laptops account for
60% of all traffic.
Continually on the
rise because of
affordability, mobile
devices now account
for 15% of web
traffic.
Certainly the future
of devices, the tablet
currently accounts
for 5% of Internet
traffic.
A Video Case Study
Wireless Network
Delivers CampusWide Wi-Fi for
Melbourne Girls
School
Synopsis
The wireless network has become a real
enabler in Melbourne Girls School
classrooms. It has given the teachers
and students confidence, particularly the
teachers in planning their lessons.
What is WiFi?
A wireless network uses radio waves, just like cell phones, televisions and
radios do. In fact, communication across a wireless network is a lot like twoway radio communication. Here are the two key components:
A Computer’s
Wireless Adapter
A Wireless
Router
A computer's wireless adapter
translates data into a radio signal and
transmits it using an antenna.
A wireless router receives the signal
and decodes it. The router sends the
information to the Internet using a
physical, wired Ethernet connection.
Basics of WiFi
Connected
to LANs or
WANs
2.4 GHz or
5 GHz
802.11
networking
standards
Trait #1
Trait #2
Trait #3
WiFi standards focus on specific
applications of wireless networks,
like local area networks and wide
area networks that lets you move
from one wireless network to
another seamlessly.
WiFi transmits at frequencies of
2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. This higher
frequency allows the signal to
carry more data.
WiFi uses 802.11
networking standards,
which come in several
flavors. They can move
11 megabits up to 140
megabits of data per
second.
IEEE 802.11 Standards
The Standard
802.11n
802.11ac
802.11a
802.11
802.11b
802.112012
802.11ad
802.11g
802.112007
IEEE 802.11 is a set of
standards for implementing
wireless local area network
(WLAN) computer
communication in the 2.4,
3.6 and 5 GHz frequency
bands. They are created
and maintained by the The
Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers.
Currently, the fastest is
802.11n, which is 6 times
faster than 802.11a.
.
Required Equipment for a WLAN
Network
Adapters
Routers,
Access
Points
Antennas
Repeaters
Equipment #1
Equipment #2
Equipment #3
Equipment #4
No wireless
hardware other than
adapters is required
to build a small local
network.
Routers allow
wireless devices to
join an existing wired
network.
Access points and
routers often utilize
an antenna that
significantly increase
the range of the
wireless radio signal.
Repeaters serve as
a two-way relay
station for wireless
radio signals.
How Mobile Devices Will Connect
A Standard Configuration
You can use a wireless network (WLAN)
to share Internet access, files, printers,
and other devices among all the
computers in your network. After you’ve
completed the initial wireless router
setup and added your computers and
devices to the network, you can use
your network to learn, surf the web, or
play online on any device connected to
your network.
11
Network Capacity
When developing a wireless network, a school needs to consider how
many access points are needed. In short, the number of access points
determines how broad the wireless signal is and how many users can
access the network at the same time. Thus, the following questions
should be answered when determining network capacity:
1.
How many users will need access to the network at the same?
2.
Where are the central locations the access points will be used the
most?
Distance of Access Points
Typically, wireless access points can cover generally
cover 100-300 feet indoors and up to 600-1000 feet in
open space. However, when accessed points are
placed at maximum range, they tend to suffer from poor
connections and intermittent service. Finally, the
number of users that can access a network is typically
left to the manufacturer of the access point.
Nevertheless, most wireless access points can
accommodate 10-100 users depending on the model.
Network Security: Solutions
Network security refers to any activities designed to protect your
network. Specifically, these activities protect the usability, reliability,
integrity, and safety of your network and data. Effective network
security targets a variety of threats and stops them from entering or
spreading on your network. Network security components often
include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Anti-virus and anti-spyware
Firewall, to block unauthorized access to your network
Intrusion prevention systems (IPS), to identify fast-spreading
threats, such as zero-day or zero-hour attacks
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to provide secure remote access
Network Security: Common Threats
What is a virus?
Viruses
Threats
A computer virus is a computer program that
can replicate itself and spread from one
computer to another.
What is a worm?
Worms
Trojans
A computer worm is a standalone malware
computer program that replicates itself in
order to spread to other computers.
What is a trojan?
A trojan is a type of malware that
masquerades as a legitimate file or helpful
program possibly with the purpose of
granting a hacker unauthorized access to a
computer.
Network Security: Other
Download NetGear’s 10 Easy Steps to Wirless Security:
Download Here
Resources
Holt, A., & Huang, C.-Y. (2010). 802.11 wireless networks: Security and analysis.
London: Springer.
Meru Networks. (2012, April, 25). Wireless network delivers campus-wide wi-fi for
melbourne girls school [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVEq5OBYUk8
Netgear. (2010). Ten easy steps for wireless LAN security. Retrieved from
http://www.l-com.com/multimedia/whitepapers/wp_10StepsWirelessSecurity.pdf
Nicopolitidis, P. (2003). Wireless networks. Chichester, England: J. Wiley.