The University of Guelph makes the switch
The University of Guelph is making a switch to secure wireless on Dec. 16, 2014, and doesn’t want to have students, faculty, and staff to be left without a connection. The decision to switch to secure-wifi has been a long time in the making and is “really about protecting, and keeping what should be private, private” explained Dave Whittle, Associate Director, IT Operations and Infrastructure at the University of Guelph.
The Computing and Communications Services (CCS) have been working towards this switch since the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester, and feel that they have “a responsibility to provide a level of protected security,” for all members of the University of Guelph community who are trusting to do their work here, explained Rebecca Graham, CIO and Chief Librarian, at the University of Guelph.
“There have been attacks against wireless infrastructures for the past 10 years,” explained Whittle, “it is very easy to intercept what is going on,” Whittle’s remarks hint to why it is so important for the University of Guelph to be making this switch now.
The CCS has worked towards promoting this switch from the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester by engaging in “a rigorous campaign of posters, and messaging across the campus to make people aware of what we are doing,” explained Whittle. “We have been trying to do more with outreach [which involves] having members of our team in high traffic areas around campus like the Science Complex, the UC, and the library to make sure that there is awareness around this change.”
For those who are visiting the campus, and need guest access, there will still be guest access. Guests will need “to have a guest login,” said Graham, which can be easily found, alongside all other information regarding the switch to secure-wifi at the University of Guelph’s CCS website for all those who have not yet made the shift.
Approximately 66 per cent of students, faculty, and staff have already made the shift to secure-wifi, according to Whittle – but “the closer we get to that 100 per cent, the happier we will be.”
The CCS believes that it is important to give people a secure and safe place to work, and this switch to secure-wifi is the first step to making sure this is the case. It is important to keep this in-mind for home networks as well. “Strong authentication and encryption [are key], encouraged Whittle.
The switch is set to take place on Dec. 16, 2014, and the hope is to have the majority of people switched over by then. If you are one of the few left without wifi upon your return to campus in the Winter 2015 semester, the help desk and support staff at the library will be there to help.