An Isolated Distance Education Lab Environment For The Study Of Wireless Devices

Many educational institutions that offer curriculum classes in wireless technologies include protocol investigation and security configuration. Wireless technology labs help to reinforce theory and concepts, and to provide educational experiences not available through classroom lecture. Secure, remote access to lab equipment enables students to perform experiments 24/7 from any location thus maximizing the utilization of the equipment and providing scheduling flexibility to the students. Student laboratories for wireless devices can be problematic in institutions that offer wireless network access. This production wireless environment can be disrupted or even disabled if a student misconfigures the laboratory equipment. This paper describes our success with the adoption of an isolated, remotely-accessible faraday cage that houses wireless equipment, permitting even the most invasive wireless projects to be performed in an area that offers production wireless network access. Our lab isolation is optimized for the ISM 2400-2483 MHz frequency band thus providing isolation for IEEE 802.11b/g radio communication. Current laboratory exercises include wireless access point configuration, wireless network interface card configuration, wireless network sniffing, WEP cracking, rogue access point detection, and wireless-based DoS attacks. Remote control of devices inside a faraday cage is inherently problematic. Any wiring penetrating the wall of the cage is a potential source for RF leakage. Our approach is to use fiber optic cable for all data transmission into and out of the isolation area. Power delivery into the isolation area requires care to provide grounding filters for the frequency range of concern. Heat dissipation from the isolation area is aided by forced airflow through the cage. Details of our implementation are given.