| Victoria University has over 2000 students and staff who regularly use the wireless network to access the internet and research material. That number is expected to grow significantly, prompting the university to reconsider how it manages security and the registration of these wireless users.
The process for registering students into the supporting authentication database was a lengthy and tedious manual process. "Students were required to fill out application forms to register, which were then sent to IT administration staff, who then input the student's information as well as the laptop's unique Media Access Control (MAC) address into a database before sending an email to the student confirming registration," said Tim Horvat, communications manager, Victoria University.
"This process could take up to two days to complete, so the university decided to take steps to improve students' access to its network, as well as simplify the process of student registration," he said.
NetStar's solution, a secure wireless authentication gateway with high network security, has decreased registration time from two days to just 10 minutes. Operating costs associated with the manual process have been eliminated by the new web-based registration system.
Using one of the university's wireless base stations, the student's laptop webpage is directed to a secure authentication page. Once the student logs in, relevant university resources can be accessed immediately. University staff can also access the wireless network for activities such as conducting research or uploading lecture notes.
Because each student and staff member has a unique login, laptops that have already had the MAC address captured by the university database can be shared between students to access the network.
Victoria University plans to expand its hotspots to additional sites across its 12 campuses. Currently, there are wireless base stations in all libraries and around 10% of the buildings. The university is planning to increase this figure to around 50%.
"The wireless authentication gateway maximises student and staff access to information and resources while providing a secure, convenient solution from now into the future," Horvat said.
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