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Internet extension service using Wi-Fi in the University MALAWI: Pilot phase: Chancellor College Chomora MIKEKA, Malawi.
The presenter gave a general description of the project, a technical description and a wireless deployment budget. Mr. Mikeka then stated that the aim of the project was to achieve a Global University System with Globally Collaborative Innovation Network. Mr. Mikeka then stated that he had started to design a wireless network with Malawi prisons authority in addition to a pilot project for agricultural extension
Telemedicine Initiative Rita MBAYIHA, Rwanda.
Miss MBAYIHA gave a general description of the Telemedicine project stating that the project had been accepted by the Rwandan government and was to be implemented in all the five major Rwandan hospitals.
University Of Khartoum Wireless Network, Huda ELHAG, Sudan
Miss El Hag gave a general description of the project, a technical description and a project budget. Miss El Hag stated that the wireless links were designed to provide access to two building outside the University Of Khartoum main campus. This project was the first phase of a project to link the five campus of the University of Khartoum.
Douala University Wireless Networking Project, Elie MABO, Cameroon.
Mr. Mabo gave a general description of the project and a technical description, he stated that the overall objectives of the project were to interconnect all the parts of the university of Douala which were not connected to strengthen the existing wireless network and to ensure effective overall management of the campus network.
The AVU In Country Strategy Chimon ALBERIC, Benin
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Mr. Alberic stated that the objectives of the African Virtual University were to increase access to higher education opportunities in Africa. The main objectives of wireless deployment in AVU were to support the Expansion of the AVU ODeL Strategy to extend the AVU VSAT network via wireless technology, to build a virtual class system and VoIP nework within the AVU Network and to facilitate AVU migration to the Open Source software .
Project On Wireless Networking For Kenya College Of Communications Technology, Dorothy Odhiambo and Albert Yugi, Kenya.
Mrs. Odhiambo gave a gave a general description of the project and a technical description and stated that the project was to be implemented in two phases phase one wireless LAN and phase two wireless WAN. The main objectives of the project were to reach the 40% of the staff community currently not connected to the KCCT network, to provide Internet access at the KCCT conference hall and hotel, to provide Internet access to the student community through a Cyber Cafe. And to establish a regional training centre for wireless networking to serve the East African region.
Wireless As A Last Mile Connection For Data And Voice Communication In Rural Kenya: Extending ICT To Rural Schools , Thomas OMBASA, Kenya
The project entails devolving internet connections through post offices in Kenya - which are connected by VSAT based networks - as PoPs (concentration nodes. Wifi wireless links will serve as last mile solutions to connect to the nodes and also interconnect to various institutions of learning within the same clusters, thereby providing internet connectivity as well as platforms for e-learning activities.
The Wireless LAN Project in University of Calabar - Iwara ARIKPO, Nigeria.
Mr Arikpo gave a general description of the project and a technical description and stated that the primary objective was to provide network connectivity to the university community of over 50,000. The participant then pointed out that initially fibre optic cables were laid, but not completed because of technical & funding problems, and that the current wireless network uses a VSAT as the Base Station at university's computer centre. Mr Arikpo said that 70% of the wireless LAN projected had been completed.
Installation Of Broadband Wireless Infrastructure For The Implementation Of The Public Service Network (Psnet) In 36 States Of Nigeria , Precious MUYIDEEN and Bassey EKPANGEDOHO, Nigeria.
The participants gave a general and a technical description of the project stating that the main objectives were to improve accessibility to public administration for all citizens, bringing transparency to government processes, to put in place a highly efficient IT system for the public service sector , to improve judicial procedures and ehance the dispensation of justice and to empower the labour force with IT skills and to improve small to medium enterprises' (SMEs) productivity. The participants also named the states that would benefit from this wireless project.
WIRELESS NETWORKING EFFORTS AT FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI, Johnson EJIMANYA, Nigeria. - Mr. Ejimanya gave a general description of the project stating that the a VSAT link had been established and that the challenge was to provide network access to the university community. Mr. Ejimanya said that a large part of the project was still in its design phase.
All The participats gave details of existing connectivity.
During this week the participants were asked to state the challenges the encountered in their wireless projects so that the training could be designed around which issues where important to the participants. The challenges bought up can be divided into the following main themes
Wireless Project Planning and Management
These challenges detailed technical issues such topographic planning, project monitoring, minimising the cost of designing and planning wireless networks, evaluating networking solutions and social issues such as convincing managment .
Radio / Wireless Issues
These challenges detailed issues such as equipment selection for both indoor and outdoor wireless networking, hands-on experience with configuring wireless systems, special issues of radio propagation in tropical climate and providing electricity for remote installations.
IP Networking and Related Issues
These were challenges such as network protection, bandwidth optimization, migrating to Open Source systems and managing multi-platform networks, preventing access to unauthorized content and Integrating wireless networks with existing infrastructure.
After identifying the challeges a timetable was set for the following week and an operating system was choosen and installed (Unbuntu Linux), so that most of the computer related activities could be carried out using linux. The participants were also asked to indicate the experiences they could share to provide solutions to the challenges.
Second Week
The schedule for the second week was varied and included lectures and experiences on the following topics
Introduction to Networking and OSI Layers Model
The lecturer detailed the layers of the OSI model and and the protocols involved in networking, the lecturer also spoke about IP adressing schemes and compared the TCP/IP model to the OSI model.
Discussion: The Real Digital Divide The Economist
The participants were asked to discuss the article in the economist which addressed the issue of huge investments in ICT by developing countries as a means of bridging the digital divide but the article stated that the contribution of these investments to national development was doubtful. Several participants voiced opinions disagreeing with the articles and Ms Odhiambo suggested writing to the editor to voice the opinion of the participants.
Security in Wireless Networks
The lecturer discussed issues such as the meaning of security and how it relates to networking, is wireless insecure by definition?, what actually happen to a network in terms of security attacks, examples of security techniques by networking layer , how to protect a wireless network, the tools that can be used to monitor and secure the network. Exercises on Security, Authentication and Authorization were also carried out.
Techniques for Bandwidth optimization
The lecturer stated the importance of bandwidth optimization especially in developing countries in which resources are scarce, he then went on to identify inefficiencies in bandwidth optimization and tools and techniques for traffic load monitoring, packet sniffing and protocol analysis. The lecturer then went on to detail methods for bandwidth optimization at the different network layers. The layers discussed were Host-to-Net layer (Physical + Datalink layers), Internet and Transport layer, Application layer and policy layer.
Examples of bandwidth optimization: proxy, monitoring tools
The lecturer stated the importance of bandwidth optimization policies and the importance of identifying user needs. The lecturer then described the different types of proxies dividing the proxies into two main types IP level proxies and Application level proxies. The lecturer then detailed different open source filtering, monitoring, antivirus and antispam tools. The lecturer gave a practical demonstration on how to use some of the tools during a second session.
Topographical planning
The participant stated the importance of topographical planning and spoke about some topographical planning tools such as topographical maps (containing contours, co-ordinates i.e. WGS or UTM, appropriate resolutions i.e. 1:10,000 or 1:25,000 etc. ), Global Postioning Systems, binoculars, and stated that there are various software tools available, but most are reliant upon the availability of topographical data to the appropriate degree of accurancy being available in digitized format.
Experience on proxy configuration
One of the participants gave a partical demonstration on how to configure a squid proxy server.
Solar power
The lecturer emphasized the importance of photovoltaic systems as energy sources for developing countries especially in remote areas. the lecturer stated that the initial investment in such systems is high but once installed the systems can have alife span of about 20 years. Photovoltaic systems can be used as an alternative source of energy for access points and equipment in remote aresa in which the power grid is not present. The lecturer also gave some pratical examples on how reliable photovoltaic systems can be designed.
Third Week
The third week started with a discussion on how to organize the program for the week, the main idea was that the week should be devoted to practical hands on experience to cover challenges which had not yet been discussed.
Equipment selection and integration
The first part of the third week was concentrated on wireless equipment selection and integration of wireless and wired networks. The discussion covered topics such as the criteria for wireless equipment selection, the diferences between indoor and outdoor equipment, the challenges in integrating wired and wireless networks. There was also a discussion devoted to the main differences between wired and wireless networks, the differences mentioned encompassed issues such as physical medium, bandwidth, flexibility, identity of users, security etc.
Review of the projects by participants
The participants also reviewed what knowledge they had gained in the first two weeks of the training, the cooments were all very positive.
IP Routing
The lecturer detailed networking and internetworking devices, the concept of routing, routing types and the differences and advantages and disadvantages of the main types of routing. The lecturer also spoke about the relationship between network layers and network devices.
Open Source
There was also a lecture on open source user authentication
Practical experience in wireless equipment configuration
A part of the week was devoted to exercises on access point and antenna configuration for wireless links. The access points configured were lynxsys access point and a metrix box. The configuration involved hardware configuration of the devices followed by software configuration. These exercises also showed alternatives ways of equipment installation and testing
Planning and implementing the link at University of Trieste This part of the training included sessions in which the equipment was configured, the link planned and then implemented at the University of Trieste, a trial link was setup and tested. The link was 400m in length from the university to the house of a professor. After the field activity there was on how to improve and optimize wireless link design and implementation.
Financial considerations for WLAN projects The lecturer discussed methods of estimating cost and benefit of wireless LAN projects
Fourth Week
Financial considerations for WLAN projects Prof Repici discussed some sample projects showing how the participants could do the financial analysis of the projects. The professor then stated that the best way to do the analysis was by means of IRR method which shows the rate of return on investment
Hands-on experiences on the effect of physical and environmental conditions on WiFi links During the session on the effect of physical and environmental conditions on WiFi links the instructors demonstrated different environment conditions in the laboratory, measurements were taken to see how different conditions effected the strength of the received signal. The emphasis was on using simple inexpensive measuring tools.
IP subnetting Professor Chauhadury discussed the principles of IP subnetting, showing ways in which subnetting schemes could be applied to networks and giving some practical exercises
Optical communications technologies Professor Chauhadury gave details on optical technologies showing the advantages of these technologies and comparing them to other technologies used in networks. The lectures were divided into two sections: a section on optical fibre and a section on optical wireless technology.
The participants then discused the challenges they were still facing and were divided into groups to do some discussions with the instructors.
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