Smith College provides the convenience of wireless data network access in most locations to the campus community. Use of the wireless network should be in conformance with the college’s Policy on the Policy
on the Acceptable Use of
Computer Resources.
Wireless
networking is a broadcast
and shared form of communication,
and as such presents a variety
of additional issues and
security risks that are not
present with a wired connection.
Wireless data protocols also
use the shared 2.4 GHz frequency
airspace which is open and
used by a variety of other
technologies, including cordless
phones, microwave ovens,
and BlueTooth devices; this
also presents reliability
and performance issues for
wireless networking.
Therefore,
Smith College has adopted
the following policies
and recommendations relating
to the deployment and use
of wireless networking
on the college’s
network.
- Smith Guest network access is offered for temporary use to guests of the Smith College community; it offers limited bandwidth and restricted access to Smith services. Smith Guest access should not be used by Smith students, faculty or staff, except as needed for short term Internet access while resolving authenticated network access problems.
- Only
wireless access points
provided and installed
by ITS, or authorized and
approved by ITS, are permitted
on the college’s
campus LAN.
- Personal
access points are not permitted;
where such devices are
found connected to the
network, data access
to that location will
be disabled until the
access point is removed.
- Client
computers with wireless
network interface cards
(NICs) are not permitted
to be configured to act
as access points.
- When
conflicts arise between
devices using the 2.4 Ghz
airspace and Smith's wireless
LAN, precedence will
be granted to the wireless
data network. Exceptions
can be granted; requests
for an exemption to
this policy should
be directed to the
college CIO.
Departments
may request wireless network
access in specific locations
not currently covered
by submitting an application
to the Director of Network Operations or to designated
alternates.
Smith does not currently require all wireless communications to be encrypted, but use of the Smith Secure wireless mode is very strongly encouraged. Use of other secure communications options, such as SSH and HTTPS, is also highly recommended when such options are available.
Access
to Banner data or other
Smith business systems
via wireless access, regardless
of location on or off campus,
is strongly discouraged,
even when using encrypted
protocols.
_________
Approved
by ITCC: February 22, 2005
Last updated: August 2012