august 27, 2003 evaluation of winc manager a wireless network management software from cirond...

August 27, August 27, 20032003

Evaluation of WiNc ManagerEvaluation of WiNc Manager

A Wireless Network Management Software from A Wireless Network Management Software from Cirond Technologies Inc.Cirond Technologies Inc.

by

Kassim Olawale

Radio Science LaboratoryRadio Science LaboratoryDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The University of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia

Evaluation of WiNc Manager

OutlineOutline

WiNc Manager TestingWiNc Manager Testing

FeaturesFeatures

Further testing of featuresFurther testing of features

RecommendationsRecommendations


WiNc Manager TestingWiNc Manager Testing

Beta testing started in June Beta testing started in June

Software downloaded and installed Software downloaded and installed

APs were set up and connected to a wired APs were set up and connected to a wired network for testing network for testing

Assessments based on the software Assessments based on the software documentation and testsdocumentation and tests


WiNc Manager FeaturesWiNc Manager Features

Summary of Important features Summary of Important features Basic AP configurations Network load balancing Channel Assignment Security Mapview

Advantages and disadvantages relative to Advantages and disadvantages relative to campus networkcampus network


Basic Access Point ConfigurationsBasic Access Point Configurations

read, set or change most variables that read, set or change most variables that configure an Access Pointconfigure an Access Point

Communicates with APs using Simple Communicates with APs using Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

If the AP does not support SNMP, If the AP does not support SNMP, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is usedHypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is used



Access Point NameAccess Point Name ManufacturerManufacturer Firmware VersionFirmware Version Regulatory DomainRegulatory Domain SSIDSSID Description of APDescription of AP Channel number to useChannel number to use MAC AddressMAC Address IP AddressIP Address

Subnet MaskSubnet Mask GatewayGateway Wireless Transmit RateWireless Transmit Rate Wireless Transmit PowerWireless Transmit Power MAC Address Filter ListsMAC Address Filter Lists MAC Address Access MAC Address Access

Control Lists (ACLs)Control Lists (ACLs) Packet Fragmentation Packet Fragmentation

ThresholdThreshold RTS ThresholdRTS Threshold StatisticsStatistics


Basic Access Point Basic Access Point ConfigurationsConfigurations



AdvantagesAdvantages Enables a single location for changing AP

configurations for entire network. Changes can be applied to any number of APs at

once (depending on variable being changed).

Disadvantages Disadvantages Not all variables are available for editing. WiNc Manager currently does not support Cisco

Aironet AP1200 running IOS. It supports VxWorks on AP1200 and IOS on AP1100


Network Load BalancingNetwork Load Balancing

Load balancing using number of clients in Load balancing using number of clients in network network

Threshold number of clients beyond which Threshold number of clients beyond which redistribution is triggered can be manually redistribution is triggered can be manually setset

If no threshold specified, the software If no threshold specified, the software attempts to keep number of clients on all attempts to keep number of clients on all APs equalAPs equal


Network Load Network Load BalancingBalancing


Network Load BalancingNetwork Load Balancing

AdvantagesAdvantages Constantly overloaded APs could be easily

relieved requires that such APs’ coverage areas overlap those

of other AP(s) with smaller number of clients

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Aggregate throughput on an AP could reach a

maximum even with low number of users


Channel AssignmentChannel Assignment

Can assign channels to APs automatically Can assign channels to APs automatically using four of the eleven channels in the using four of the eleven channels in the IEEE 802.11b standardIEEE 802.11b standard


Channel AssignmentChannel Assignment

AdvantagesAdvantages Manual management of channel allocations to APs, while

still possible, is not necessary Capacity is increased by one-third over the traditional

three-channel network deployments

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Research suggests that it should be possible to use

more than four of the eleven channels provided in the IEEE 802.11b standard. This depends on the physical distance between the APs with overlapping coverage area and their transmit power.


SecuritySecurity

Use of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) Use of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) with automatically rotated keyswith automatically rotated keys

MAC Address filter listMAC Address filter list

Provisioning of network access for clientsProvisioning of network access for clients


Use of Wired Equivalent Use of Wired Equivalent PrivacyPrivacy

Four keys can be provided at a timeFour keys can be provided at a time Supports keys of length 64, 128 and 256 bits Supports keys of length 64, 128 and 256 bits Same WEP keys can be provided to multiple APs Same WEP keys can be provided to multiple APs

at the same time by selecting the APs before at the same time by selecting the APs before making key changesmaking key changes

WEP will be used for data transmission, but may WEP will be used for data transmission, but may also be used for authentication also be used for authentication

AutoKey (optional)AutoKey (optional) Automatic distribution of WEP keys to clients using

Cirond Technologies WiNc or pocketWiNc software Automatic key rotations (following a specified schedule)


WEP : WEP : AutoKeyAutoKey


Use of Wired Equivalent Use of Wired Equivalent PrivacyPrivacy

AdvantagesAdvantages Data is protected when transmitted with WEP encryption AutoKey eliminates the need for network users to

manually enter unfamiliar WEP keys on their user equipment

AutoKey also allows rotation of keys on schedule

DisadvantagesDisadvantages AutoKey requires that users install Cirond Technologies

software on their user equipment Without AutoKey,

users have to manually enter WEP keys in their equipment WEP keys cannot be changed regularly enough to defeat an

intruder’s effort to learn the keys from transmitted packets.


MAC Address filter MAC Address filter listlist

Clients may be allowed or disallowed Clients may be allowed or disallowed access to wireless network based on their access to wireless network based on their MAC addressesMAC addresses

Different MAC Address Access Control Lists Different MAC Address Access Control Lists (ACL) for different APs on the network is (ACL) for different APs on the network is possible possible Access control lists programmed onto the APs New lists (external to the APs)


MAC Address filter MAC Address filter listlist

AdvantagesAdvantages This may serve as an additional security

feature in the network

DisadvantagesDisadvantages It will be difficult to manage MAC Address lists

for a large network such as that in UBC MAC addresses can also be copied by potential

intruders


Provisioning of Network Provisioning of Network AccessAccess

WiNc Manager creates an encrypted WiNc Manager creates an encrypted provisioning data fileprovisioning data file

The file is used once by the client to The file is used once by the client to connect to the network and register accessconnect to the network and register access requires that the client be running Cirond

Technologies software

WiNc Manager maintains automatic key WiNc Manager maintains automatic key distribution to the client (if WEP keys are distribution to the client (if WEP keys are set and AutoKey enabled)set and AutoKey enabled)



AdvantagesAdvantages If provisioning is enabled, only clients that

have been provisioned can access the network Access to the network can be denied to specific

clients by disabling their access provisioning

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Provisioning of network access requires that

clients run Cirond Technologies software


MapvieMapvieww

Real-time graphical presentation of the wireless networkReal-time graphical presentation of the wireless network Shows APs and clients in the network

Background will represent plan of the physical location of Background will represent plan of the physical location of the APs (optional)the APs (optional)

APs not configured will be shown as rogue APsAPs not configured will be shown as rogue APs Physical location of APs require an initial setup in WiNc Physical location of APs require an initial setup in WiNc

ManagerManager This is easy to achieve using the various setup and calibration

tools provided

Links are drawn between each client shown and all the APs Links are drawn between each client shown and all the APs it is associated withit is associated with

Location of clients are estimated using the location of the Location of clients are estimated using the location of the APs they are associated withAPs they are associated with


MapvieMapvieww


MapvieMapvieww

AdvantagesAdvantages Useful in assessment of network performance and load (in

terms of number of clients) Easier to explain why some APs are overloaded compared

with others in the same building or environment APs that are offline and rogue APs are easy to spot

DisadvantagesDisadvantages Relies on clients running Cirond Technologies software to

report rogue APs Location of clients may not be very reliable, unless they

run Cirond Technologies software


Further Further TestingTesting

Set up clients to APsSet up clients to APs use Orinoco RG1000 as clients

Test network load balancingTest network load balancing


ConclusionsConclusions

Some features in WiNc Manager are only available Some features in WiNc Manager are only available or practical when clients run Cirond Technologies or practical when clients run Cirond Technologies software (WiNc for clients or pocketWiNc).software (WiNc for clients or pocketWiNc).

Examples of these features include the Examples of these features include the use of WEP with AutoKey reporting rogue APs on Mapview positioning of clients on Mapview provisioning of network access to clients

In a network that uses WiNc Manager, use of Cirond In a network that uses WiNc Manager, use of Cirond Technologies software in clients is recommendedTechnologies software in clients is recommended


ConclusionsConclusions

Software was assessed for use in UBC wireless networkSoftware was assessed for use in UBC wireless network The advantages and disadvantages listed will help in The advantages and disadvantages listed will help in

deciding suitability of the software deciding suitability of the software Additional considerations on WiNc Manager includeAdditional considerations on WiNc Manager include

Cirond Technologies should enable support for Cisco Aironet AP1200 running IOS

No other software is available to provide throughput load balancing

Research on use of channel assignment algorithms better than a four-point autochannel is still ongoing

Mapview, included in the software, is valuable for real-time visual evaluation of the performance of the network

august 27, 2003 evaluation of winc manager a wireless network management software from cirond...

Documents

number of aps

multiple aps

installed aps

access pointcommunicates

wired network

aps coverage areas

entire network

software documentation