Networking Announcements & Updates

Details
Want Wireless?
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During the first few days of school, the high demand for network connectivity prevents Network Operations from assisting students with Wireless setups.

WPI Network Operations recommends all students register their computer's wired Ethernet port since it provides a guaranteed level of service.

After properly registering their wired Ethernet connections, students can begin the process for getting wireless connectivity by going here:
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/CCC/Netops/Wireless/Setup/

Please Note: Wireless Access Points will be offline in the dorms until August 26th

Wireless Clinics will be offered on Sept 1st 4-6pm and Sept 10th 4-6pm for those that need further assistance. After those dates, Network Operations will accept student walk-ins that need assistance.

Details
On Sept 30 2007, the Wireless User 2006-2007 certificate will expire.

In order to continue to authenticate to the WPI wireless network, users should replace the certificate with the new certificate for the 2007-2008 academic year.

The new certificate may be downloaded from:
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/CCC/Netops/Wireless/Keys

You will be prompted to Login with your WPI username and password. Follow the directions specific to your operating system.

Machines that are on the ADMIN domain do not require this certificate and will continue to work past Sept 30. If you attend this year's wireless clinic or recently setup wireless (after August 1, 2007) you will have the current certificate and no further action will be needed.

Details
Students are invited to attend the Wireless Setup Clinic happening Tuesday, 9/4/2007 from 3:00pm - 5:30 pm in the Campus Center Odeum (A&B) to obtain assistance configuring their mobile device(s) to use the WPI wireless network.

Following the Wireless Setup Clinic, the wireless network will be made available to residents in the Residence Halls.

We look forward to seeing you at the Wireless Setup Clinic!

Details
On Sept 30 2006, the Wireless User 05-06 certificate will be expiring. Any users attempting to use this certificate to authenticate to the WPI wireless network will not be granted access. In order to continue to authenticate, users should replace the certificate with the new certificate for the 06-07 academic year.

The new certificate may be downloaded from:

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/CCC/Netops/Wireless/Keys

Login and then follow the direction specific to your operating system.

Machines that are on the ADMIN domain do not require this certificate and will continue to work past Sept 30. If you attended this years wireless clinic or recently setup wireless (after August 1, 2006) you have the current certificate and no action will be needed.

Details
Network Operations will be activating the wireless network in the Residence Halls and will enable students to register wireless devices via NetReg (netreg.wpi.edu). To take advantage of the WPI wireless network, you will need a WiFi compatible wireless Ethernet card that has the ability to handle WPA with 802.1x authentication, also called Enterprise WPA. Network Operations and the CCC Helpdesk will be hosting a wireless installation session from 3:00 pm through 7:00 pm in the Campus Center Odeum on Tuesday September 6, 2005. Please bring your wireless device and AC power cord and we will help you set up your wireless device to connect to the WPI network. Setup directions are also available on the Network Operations and Security web site at http://www.wpi.edu/+netops.

Details
Network Operations will be upgrading the network and phone infrastructure in 16 Eldbridge, 22 Schussler, 25 Trowbridge, 26 Hackfeld, Ellsworth Apartments (all), Fuller Apartments (all), Stoddard (A, B, and C), Daniels Hall, Morgan Hall, and Founders Hall.
This upgrade will only impact network or phone operations in buildings listed.
Please email Network Operations with any questions at netops@wpi.edu

Details
In an effort to prevent the spread of recent viruses, TCP and UDP port 135 had been temporarily blocked on the WPI VPN server. As a result of this block, WPI users had not be able to use certain Microsoft applications which rely on MS-RPC/DCOM networking protocols, such as Microsoft Outlook/Exchange. Now that the virus is under control, the block is being lifted, allowing these applications to work again.

Note that the block is only being lifted on the VPN. This port has been and will continue to be blocked at the Internet gateway for all traffic that does not use the VPN.

Details
AppleTalk is a protocol developed by Apple Computer, Inc. to provide peer-to-peer file sharing and printing between devices on the network. Support for the AppleTalk protocol has been declining over the years, and emerging network equipment and technologies no longer support it. In order to move forward with new networking technologies at WPI, we will be required to decommission AppleTalk routing, which is not supported by current and future generations of network equipment.

Apple Computer, Inc. has supported the use of TCP/IP as a standard network transport since MacOS 8.0, which was released in 1997. Additionally, Apple stopped routing AppleTalk on its corporate network in October of 1999.

WPI Network Operations will be terminating AppleTalk routing at the end of E Term, on August 11, 2003. AppleTalk zones will no longer appear in the Chooser. It will no longer be possible to browse AppleTalk file sharing and printing services located on different subnets. Access to printing and file sharing services on remote subnets will now require TCP/IP.

Details
Several recent security incidents have prompted Network Operations to restrict all outgoing SMTP E-mail connections (TCP port 25) to only those originated from the CCC E-mail servers in order to facilitate scanning for viruses and preventing spam. This change should not affect ADMIN and ACADEMIC Exchange/Outlook users, users of Pine via the CCC Unix systems, CCC Webmail, or POP/IMAP users already configured to use smtp.wpi.edu as the outgoing SMTP server.

Users and departments that handle their own outgoing E-mail will be required to configure their E-mail clients and servers to relay all outbound E-mail to the CCC SMTP server, smtp.wpi.edu. This will affect departmental email servers, Unix and GNU/Linux systems running sendmail or other MTAs, and POP/IMAP users who do not already use smtp.wpi.edu as the outgoing SMTP server.

Details
The Waltham and Southboro campuses will be recieving network equipment and cabling upgrades within their respective facilities. The upgrades will take 5-6 hours and will ONLY affect the network within the Waltham and Southboro campus buildings. These upgrades will not disrupt the main campus network or CCC computing services.

Waltham's upgrades will take place on July 2nd between 12-6pm
Southboro's upgrades will take place on July 3rd between 10am-4pm

Details
Several recent security incidents have prompted Network Operations to restrict all outgoing SMTP E-mail connections (TCP port 25) to only those originated from the CCC E-mail servers in order to facilitate scanning for viruses and preventing spam. This change should not affect ADMIN and ACADEMIC Exchange/Outlook users, users of Pine via the CCC Unix systems, CCC Webmail, or POP/IMAP users already configured to use smtp.wpi.edu as the outgoing SMTP server.

Users and departments that handle their own outgoing E-mail will be required to configure their E-mail clients and servers to relay all outbound E-mail to the CCC SMTP server, smtp.wpi.edu. This will affect departmental email servers, Unix and GNU/Linux systems running sendmail or other MTAs, and POP/IMAP users who do not already use smtp.wpi.edu as the outgoing SMTP server.

Details
AppleTalk is a protocol developed by Apple Computer, Inc. to provide peer-to-peer file sharing and printing between devices on the network.
Support for the AppleTalk protocol has been declining over the years, and emerging network equipment and technologies no longer support it. In order to move forward with new networking technologies at WPI, we will be required to decommission AppleTalk routing, which is not supported by current and future generations of network equipment.

Apple Computer, Inc. has supported the use of TCP/IP as a standard network transport since MacOS 8.0, which was released in 1997.
Additionally, Apple stopped routing AppleTalk on its corporate network in October of 1999.

WPI Network Operations will be terminating AppleTalk routing at the end of E Term, on August 11, 2003. AppleTalk zones will no longer appear in the Chooser. It will no longer be possible to browse AppleTalk file sharing and printing services located on different subnets. Access to printing and file sharing services on remote subnets will now require TCP/IP.

Details
Salisbury Labs, Mass Acadamy, ATO, PGD, SAE, TC, and TKE experienced 30 minutes of down time due to a Battery failure. The defective equipment has been replaced.

Details
On Friday afternoon, November 2, the WPI Wireless network experienced sporadic performance due to a bug in the current code. The bug fix was made available Monday morning, November 5, and the wireless network was back on line by 11:00 am.