If your College of Engineering lab or department requires network service, whether adding wall plates, bandwidth, activating existing wall jacks, name service, changing the configuration or capability at the router or switch level, or just advice or feedback on a network-related issue, please contact the CAEN network group. Adding to or modifying the network in a department is that department's responsibility, however on projects with a networking component, CAEN is available to provide design assistance. On larger projects, CAEN may be able to participate in the process by reviewing drawings or monitoring progress at the site. Scheduling and availability may depend on the size and complexity of the project, and the amount of lead time CAEN receives.

Basic computer network installations are available to CoE faculty and staff from CAEN. Customers will be charged the CAEN labor rate. To order a network installation, refer to the instructions on the CAEN Ordering and Purchasing page. Once the request has been processed, CAEN staff will contact the customer to schedule the installation.

A computer network installation with the CAEN Operating Environment (COE) is available for a one-time fee of $100 to all Engineering departments. This service includes unpacking and setting up the computer in a departmental environment, connecting the machine to the CAEN network (including most cables and transceivers where required), and providing a static IP address. It also includes a COE installation instead of the simple vendor-supplied operating system. A COE installation includes the same security and anti-virus patches and updates that have been applied by CAEN in its sites as of the installation date, as well as selected licensed software provided by the hardware vendor, as well as selected campus site-licensed software from CAEN. Once a computer is installed on the network, owners may choose to sign up additional add-on subscription services including lab software and automatic system updates.

Wireless Access Points

The College's wireless network is centrally managed by CAEN. This includes the placement and configuration of wireless access points, such as their power and channel settings to ensure optimal coverage with minimal interference. Installation of additional access points by departments may interfere with the overall functionality of the wireless network. If there are areas in your department that do not have adequate wireless coverage, please Contact CAEN and request the installation of an additional access point. The access point will be installed as part of the overall College wireless network.

Routers and Switches

Installing small switches, usually with eight ports, in offices or labs is a convenient and low cost way to provide additional network ports. Installing these devices does not present a problem to CAEN, and they may be installed with no notification to CAEN. The installation of routers, NAT devices, or other "active" network electronics is not permitted by CAEN.

A note on NAT devices: A NAT device is a router that assigns IP addresses to devices connected to it, and translates those internal addresses to a single external-facing address. They are typically used in situations where there is not a sufficient number of IP addresses on a network, such as in residences where one IP address is provided by the cable or telephone company and several IP addresses are required for the various computers and printers in use.

NAT devices on the College network are strongly discouraged by CAEN. There are enough IP addresses available at CAEN that NAT devices are not needed. The installation of NAT devices on the network may be motivated by the idea that they will provide some security for the devices that are "behind" them, because they tend to protect a computer from the network. However, a firewall or more fully featured router is often a better approach when dealing with a vulnerable computer. A document prepared by ITSS, Security Considerations of NAT, stresses the point that NATs are not intended to serve as security measures.

If you are considering the use of a NAT device to provide additional IP addresses, you should instead Contact CAEN to request additional IP addresses. If you are considering the use of a NAT device as a firewall or other protective barrier to the Internet, Contact CAEN and we will assist you to develop a more robust and maintainable network security solution.