The mailing list for users of the eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT)

[Ayres G.J. <g.j.ayres AT swansea.ac.uk>]

Hi,

 

As for multiple eduroam profiles…

From the apps development point of view, one possible solution to this may be to allow the eduroam profile to be duplicated to a new SSID in the app.

This could be a button in the app that requires the user input for the SSID, and just copies the installed eap-config provided settings to the new SSID.

Then a new drop down could be included when more than one eduroam profile exists, to allow users to choose which to apply credentials to and connect.

Maybe all this would be hidden until advanced mode is turned on in the app.

 

As for additional open/PSK based networks…

Additional PSK or open networks that are set in the CAT website will be much trickier to get into the app.

The eap-config spec doesn’t contain any 802.11 info at present, and any additional work to add or expand on this will need a lot of work, including updating the cat.eduroam.org system and the app.

Or possibly a new API call on the cat.eduroam.org site the app could call to get network names etc, assuming connectivity to CAT site.

It has been thought about previously, but it’s not going to be as quick a fix im afraid.

 

Gareth.

 

From: Chris Phillips [mailto:Chris.Phillips AT canarie.ca]
Sent: 24 June 2015 20:39
To: Alan Buxey; Brian Epstein; Ayres G.J.; 'Christopher Peterson'; 'cat-users AT geant.net'
Subject: Re: [cat-users] Android CAT and Multiple SSIDS

 

Chiming in  on this..

 

At our location, we have a proximity issue with Aps  broadcasting eduroam from two different organizations/Sps, each obviously with different networks.  

Even at my desk, my eduroam connection flips between ours and a university that has a floor in our building only 30ft below me. 

 

The second SSID we have for eduroam is 'eduroam-CANARIE' and I usually connect to the 2nd one to avoid this problem.

We already do dynamic VLAN assignments based on local or visitors and almost exclusively use eduroam for our SSID in the office as well.

 

The second SSID is in line with the compliance statement[1] appendix, section B.2:

B.2. eduroam SPs IEEE 802.11 wireless networks MUST broadcast the SSID "eduroam". If there is more than one eduroam SP at the same location, an SSID starting with "eduroam-" MAY be used. 

 

I'll join in with the others asking for the 2nd SSID support in the Android app to align even better (the Android app is pretty good!) with this corner case for eduroam service. 

I understand it will take time, but the feature is valued in the field --  when you need it, you really need it and it makes a big difference.

 

While I think 802.11u/hotspot 2.0 will help solve this problem, it will take forever (years) before being deployed at scale and enough ubiquity to deal with this.

 

 

Chris.

 

 

[1] https://www.eduroam.org/downloads/docs/eduroam_Compliance_Statement_v1_0.pdf

 

From: Alan Buxey <A.L.M.Buxey AT lboro.ac.uk>
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 3:09 PM
To: Brian Epstein <bepstein AT ias.edu>, "Ayres G.J." <g.j.ayres AT swansea.ac.uk>, 'Christopher Peterson' <cspeterson AT ias.edu>, "'cat-users AT geant.net'" <cat-users AT geant.net>
Subject: Re: [cat-users] Android CAT and Multiple SSIDS

 

What is the secondary SSID used for? Why can't you just use the 802.1X technology for network decisions using eduroam as the SSID?

Alan