The CAEN Wireless network is available to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the University of Michigan. It provides easy access to the Internet with a web-based authentication system, as well as offering the proven security of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). The network is based on IEEE 802.11g technology. For a comparison of some differences between the web-based system and the VPN, see our CAEN Wireless Comparison Chart. Note: Users can browse the entire College of Engineering web site without logging into CAEN Wireless.

Web-Based Access

In order to access many web-based resources, users simply need to start their laptop and open up a web browser. The browser will automatically be redirected to the main CAEN Wireless login page where users are asked to enter their U-M uniqname and UMICH.EDU (Kerberos) password. This system is especially useful for those with handheld devices (PDAs), who cannot run the Cisco VPN client. It should be noted that, due to security measures, this web-based access will only allow certain network traffic to pass. For example:

• Web resources that can be accessed with most web browsers, like Webmail
• SSH and SFTP/SCP connections to anywhere on the Internet
• SSL-based (IMAPS and POP3S) email access to anywhere on the Internet

Specific information on what traffic is allowed through the web-based system is available.

VPN-Based Access

For those who require access to network resources beyond what is described above, the CAEN Wireless network also provides a Virtual Private Network (VPN), designed to provide an encrypted and secure wireless environment to the entire U-M community. This is accomplished in a number of ways to allow the best wireless computing experience available at U-M (Note: You are not required to log in at web-based system in order to use the CAEN Wireless VPN):

• Standards-Based Wireless Equipment - CAEN Wireless is based on 54 Mb/s, IEEE 802.11g compliant wireless hardware. The only requirement for 802.11g wireless hardware is must be Wi-Fi (Standard for Wireless Fidelity) certified. This means the hardware is inter-operable with other manufacturer's wireless equipment.
• Support of Most Operating Systems - In addition to the built-in Mac OS X VPN client, the CAEN Wireless VPN supports a limited number of common operating systems used by the Cisco VPN client. For more information, see Cisco's Release Notes.
• No Registration Required - Access to the Internet is done using your U-M uniqname and UMICH.EDU (Kerberos) password. There is no need to register the hardware address of your wireless adapter. Just turn on your computer, log in using the VPN client, and go!
• Secure, Encrypted Data Transfer - Given the insecure nature of wireless networks, the CAEN Wireless VPN has been designed to address any security concerns. It is separate from the rest of CAEN; simply connecting to this network will only provide access to the VPN server. Connecting to the Internet requires that you run a VPN client. This will authenticate and encrypt your traffic, ensuring that all of your wireless computing is secure.

Note: The CAEN Wireless VPN only encrypts your wireless network traffic (i.e. data sent "over the air"). To ensure that all traffic is secure once it traverses the Internet, you should use encrypted protocols such as SSH, SFTP, SCP, and SSL whenever possible. It is also important to make sure your computer is updated with the most current operating system patches and anti-virus software. Following good IT security practices will help protect your computer both on the CAEN network and on the internet at home.