Overview of Meeting

Wireless Networking and Linux, Monday 23rd June.

This presentation was by CRCnet, part of the WAND Research Group in the ComputerScience Department at WaikatoUniversity.

The meeting was well attended with around 40 people present, some coming from Auckland and Rotorua.

JamieCurtis and MattBrown gave an excellent presentation, which included the following main areas (sorry if I got the order wrong):

1. a general introduction to the protocols (802.11 a, b, and g) and how it was influenced by the CSMA/CD design of wired ethernet, and proprietary protocols/hardware. Access Points vs Ad-hoc networks, bridged networks, SSID for network name, 11 overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz unregulated spectrum.
2. linux support of wireless gear, including configuration of kernel module support and use of the pcmcia-cs package, and setting up scripts to provide SSID and other network settings.
3. security, broken-ness of WEP, use of a firewall/demilitarised zone and pptp/tunnelling to only allow authorised wireless machines onto the network proper.
4. CRCnet - network of wireless links connecting schools around Waikato. Live video conferencing with Murray Pearson over the network.
5. Hardware - show and tell - almost all wireless equipment is based on PCMCIA cards, many different antennae, expected range of different designs, proprietary hardware, maximum allowable gain/dB, more directional == less power needed, prices.

This was followed by a presentation from Roger De Salis about plans for a high-speed backbone between the major centres, up to 64Gbps between Auckland and Christchurch, linking most of the universities, and for VoIP phones.

After mingling, the meeting adjourned to the tea room for hot drinks and plenty of chocolate biscuits.

Many thanks to CRCnet and the WandGroup for sponsoring the cost of the room booking.

-- JohnMcPherson

WLUG Executive Committee Meeting

26 June 2003

Meeting Minutes

Present: Daniel, Jamie, Craig B, Craig M, Perry, Greig
Apologies: Bruce, Phil
Absent: Kim, Gavin

Meeting opened at 7:03pm.

1. Minutes from previous meeting

Motion: that minutes are a true and accurate record of the previous meeting

Moved Jamie
Seconded Daniel

Motion passed

2. Reports from previous meeting

Daniel has written letter to S. Gupta - to be sealed and posted by Craig B.

Craig Mckenna has talked to ASB - we were incorrectly set up as a cheque account instead of a society account. This has been fixed and we will be credited.

3. General Business

There is interest in Linux classes in Raglan - Greig is to bring this up at the meeting. The WLUG would like to officially thank CRCnet and the WAND group for their sponsorship of this meeting.

Next meeting: BruceKingsbury - Windows replacement software for Linux
MatthewLuckie has expressed interest in a FreeBSD presentation for the month after.

Meeting closed at 7:12pm

See also OldMeetingTopics and CommitteeMeetingTopics for previous meetings