Course details

1. A simple exercise on installing Redhat9 Linux, which will be used for the rest of the networking projects.
2. Basic networking concept on the TLS layer and up, then extend to VPN.
3. How to build a PPP/SSH VPN in the Linux environment?
4. How to build SSL/TLS PPP VPN in the Linux environment?
5. Basic concept on 802.11 and 802.16 for Wi-Fi wireless network, antenna, and FCC regulation.
6. Compatibility issues on difference vendors of wireless client cards, AP, and OS.
7. How to turn a Linux box to become a wireless Access Point?
8. How to install certificate (private/public key pairs) in both Linux and Windows environment for enabling EAP authentication?
9. How do we get a Windows XP client to talk 802.1x protocol for accessing wireless network using EAP-PEAP and EAP-TLS?
10. How to use Aegis client in Linux, and possibly Pocket PC environment to access a trusted (wireless) network based on 802.1x?
11. How do we use OpenSSL to create a Certificate Authority (CA) in a Linux box?
12. How do we do networking access accounting using Radius and Oracle database in our Go-Wireless project?
13. Likely contenders of next generation application: Location aware services for wireless network users, mobile application web services, and VoIP. What else?

Is it a hardware related course or programming course?
Both

What programming language will be used for the projects?
You do not need to be an expert on a specific language unless you decide to do a project on application development. But you will probably need to know enough to pick up whatever is necessary on-the-fly. And you are likely to need to pick up Linux/Unix shell commands and language (bash, for example) in order to play with Linux and to install Linux system and applications. And if you end up doing location aware service for wireless users, you will need Oracle PL/SQL, and possible C/C++/Java.

On the hardware side, you certainly will need a network client device -- ideally a laptop and/or a handheld, and possibly a NAS (Network Access Service) device such as a simple NAT router and/or wireless Access Point, preferably one that can talk 802.1x or at least with a RADIUS. Presumably you have the client gear(s) already. NAS gears will cost you somewhere between $100 to $600 depending upon how far you want to go and learn in this course.

We will provide an exclusive partial T1 network and possible outside network for you to play around. The partial T1 and the outside network are not part of the Queens College network, and the partial T1 has an authentication infrastructure using RADIUS (Remote Authentication DIal-Up User Service).

What should we expect for the term projects?
Everyone will participate in two team projects. Each team project will have at least 3 members. Each team will involve in some aspects of building a REAL community-based wireless access network. When opportunity exists, you could scope your term project that may be in corporation with a non-profit organization and possibly local business community and Flushing councilman's office.

Reference books and web resources

1. Building Linux VPN, by Oleg Kolesnikov and Brian Hatch, New rider, 2002, ISBN: 1-57870-266-6.
2. Practical VoIP, by Luan Dang, Cullen Jenning and David Kelly, O’Reilly, 2002, ISBN: 0-596-00078-2
3. Building Wireless Community Networks, by Rob Flickenger, O’Reilly, 2002, ISBN: 0-596-00204-1.
4. http://bonnet19.cs.qc.edu:7778/pls/forum/ (Data Mining/Data Warehouse E-community)
5. http://www.qcwireless.net/ and http://www.qcwireless.net/gowireless.html