Use of Wireless at UWA

The University of Western Australia – IT Policy Committee – Adopted 12-Dec-01

 

 

Policy on Campus Use of Unregulated Radio Frequency Spectrum (final)

 

Preamble

 

The following policy was first considered by the University’s IT Policy Committee on 22-Aug-01, and by the Technical Advisory Committee on 21-Sep-01, and has undergone further refinement following a period of consultation.  It was formally adopted by the IT Policy Committee at its meeting held on 12-Dec-01.

 

The pilot Wireless LAN (see http://www.snap.uwa.edu.au/) being deployed as part of the IT Strategy Implementation Plan (in common with all such Ethernet Wireless LANs) is based on the IEEE 802.11b HR protocol, which utilises the 2.4GHz ISM (Industrial/Scientific/Medical) microwave radio frequency band designated for low-power unlicensed use .  Many other devices – such as cordless phones, Bluetooth, wireless speakers, microwave ovens, and security devices – use the same 2.4GHz frequencies.  Scientific experiments may also use these frequencies.  The amount of mutual interference between these and the University’s Wireless LAN networking devices is unclear.  Other unregulated frequencies (eg 5GHz to be used by IEEE 802.11a) are also of concern.

 

The fact that these frequencies are unregulated means that anyone can employ them for whatever purpose they choose (within some constraints imposed by the ACA – eg the magnitude of the power allowed).  There are no provisions to deal with conflicting use of the same or close frequencies.  This means that any individual or section of the University (or any outside body) could deploy systems which utilise these radio frequencies, and which could result in interference with reception of the University pilot Wireless LAN.

 

If such interference is to be avoided, there needs to be some form of controlled environment in operation.  There are three possible courses of action to achieve this:

 

(a)      By-Laws:  this is the only way that the University can impose its wishes on all people entering the Campus;  it is used for vehicular access, and other such activities.  Changes to the By-Laws require the Governor’s approval and gazettal.

(b)     Regulations:  these are used to control the actions of all members (staff and students) of the University (but not outsiders);  changes to Regulations require Senate approval.

(c)      Policy Statements:  these are not as strong as Regulations, though perhaps nearly so;  they can be changed and updated quite readily – depending on their scope, they could be adopted by the IT Policy Committee or by Academic Council on the recommendation of the ITPC;  however, they may be less easy to publicise, as there is no uniform location where they may all be found.

 

In the current situation, the IT Policy Committee has agreed that course (c) be pursued.  The main threats to unimpeded performance of the Wireless LAN, as it gets further rolled out across the University, are likely to be legitimate departmental initiatives, or accidental student or staff radio activity, so education and consultation (within the context of agreed arrangements) will be employed (at least initially).

 

Policy:

 

(a)      It is the intention of the University, subject to satisfactory performance of a pilot being deployed in the 4th quarter of 2001 and the availability of adequate resources, to roll out a Wireless LAN, based initially on the unregulated 2.4GHz radio frequency band, gradually right across the University Campus at Crawley (and possibly Nedlands, and potentially anywhere else that the University carries out its affairs – hereafter such locations are designated “the Campus”).

(b)     The University wishes to make it clear that this Wireless LAN, as an item of general infrastructure, must have precedence whenever conflicts may arise in use of the relevant radio frequency(ies).

(c)      Responsibility for this Wireless LAN and for resolving conflicts or potential conflicts in use of the relevant radio frequency bands rests with University Communications Services (UCS).

(d)     Any unit or member of the University that wishes to employ these radio frequency ranges for any application on Campus, or wishes to invite others to do so, and where it can reasonably be expected that interference may occur, must first consult with UCS to ensure that there will be no clashes, and receive their approval to proceed.

(e)      Where another existing application already utilises these radio frequencies, then the responsible unit must advise UCS, who will work with them to eliminate or reduce to acceptable levels any actual or potential interference.

(f)       Where other units wish to install similar Wireless LAN base stations, or have already done so, then wherever possible these should be incorporated into the Campus Wireless LAN, in order both to increase its coverage and to eliminate interference.  Such responsible units must advise UCS, who will work with them to achieve incorporation into the Campus Wireless LAN;  they will then become subject to the same terms and conditions as those stations under the direct control of UCS (although UCS will not normally accept operational or financial responsibility for them).

(g)      Where no satisfactory resolution to (d), (e) or (f) above can be achieved, then UCS will refer the case to the IT Policy Committee for a ruling, which would normally be expected to rule in line with (b) above unless there are exceptional reasons otherwise.  It should be noted that if no resolution can be found, then this could even result in a requirement that the interfering system be closed down.

(h)      Where unwitting use is made of this frequency band, and this becomes known, then the University reserves the right to prohibit such use, or to set limits on its use.  Depending on the magnitude of the problem created or potentially created, this may be determined by UCS, or by the IT Policy Committee on the advice of UCS.  In any event, all such cases will be reported to the IT Policy Committee from time to time.

(i)        UCS will be commissioned and equipped to monitor the situation and to investigate and resolve apparent conflicts.

(j)       The above guidelines apply to all unregulated radio frequencies, not just to the 2.4GHz band.