Students using their phones as hotspots

[Sibrows]

Is there a way to deal with students using their phone as a personal hot spot in school to circumvent the web filter on a school provided iPad?

 

We are currently running a Meru Wireless Network (MC3200 on 6.1-0-3).

[synaesthesia]

Class control in lesson time, no outside of lesson time. There's only so much you can do, you can't block what they view on their own phones on their own data plans. Not sure if you can force a fixed WiFi network via an MDM, that may be worth visiting.

[LiamH]

Teachers?

 

But on a serious note, not really. We had a mixed blessing in my last job due to terrible signal coverage in the area, and I know schools in the past used to jam cellular signals, but afaik that is illegal.

 

Like Synaesthesia said, the only way I can think of stopping this is if you deny them the ability to connect to unauthorized wifi's on the iPads.

[Marshall_IT]

If the iPad is supervised you might be able to stop it joining other networks but I'm not sure.

Also dependent on the ownership, this will stop them joining their own wifi at home.

You could force them to always use your proxy using the global proxy setting on the iPad but again needs supervision on the iPad.

 

We dealt with this by initially having heavy sanctions for students found using their own hotspots.

 

We have a relatively good intake and the students generally respond quickly to new rules.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Marshall_IT

[Sibrows]

Thanks for all of your responses.

 

As you've already alluded using MDM will stop them connecting at home.

 

I was half hoping for a function on the Wireless System that monitored unauthorised Wireless Networks and dealt with them in some way. I believe that Rukus have a solution for this from a discussion with a network manager using their system.

[Marshall_IT]

You need to be very careful using that as it can also disrupt your neighbours home wifi, but yes, it should be possible. I think it's called rogue ap detection.

[Sibrows]

I've found the settings and have started to use the option to 'block BSSID's in the block list' in an attempt to avoid irritating the neighbours.

[Marshall_IT]

Ah that looks good. Not sure I've seen this. Where is it and what version are you running?

[Sibrows]

The controller is a MC3200 running 6.1-0-3

 

I'm sure you've seen the 'Rogue' options along the bottom menu. I've been lifting the MAC addresses of the APs from here an entering them in the 'Blocked List' under:

Configuration > Rouge APs

The 'Block only BSSIDs in the blocked list' is a 'Mitigation' setting on the global tab.

The Blocked list is one of the other tabs

[Marshall_IT]

Ah okay, i see a similar thing on my zd3000 with 7.? Now in rogue devices