Windows System Control Center – An all in one tool for IT professionals

The Windows System Control Center is an all in one tool that offers a ton (hundreds) of features.  These features are compatible with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

The installation can be made to a portable drive or installed on a computer.  During the installation, new software can be installed allowing features to be added or updated.

 

 

 

During this installation process, you may get virus alerts but the software is safe.  These alerts are false positives (the software accesses key areas that control Windows).

 

Click Allow or Safe in your anti-virus control panel.

 

 

Initially you will have 264 software installs.

 

Once the features are installed (This can initially take a few minutes),  The control center opens to dozens of categories and hundreds of features allowing you to tweak Windows or to correct problems.

 

 

CIT Continues Advanced Training on Airfiber AF24s

The Computer Information Technology class continues to receive advanced training on the Ubiquiti AF24 Airfiber.  The Ubiquiti AF24 Airfiber is a hi-power, linear 2X2 MIMO radio with enhanced receiver performance and reliability.  The AF24 has a breakthrough speed of 1.4+ Gbps real data throughput.

These devices are specifically designed for outdoor Point to Point bridging between buildings and provide hi-performance network backhauls.  These dual-independent 2×2 MIMO 24GHz hi-gain reflector antenna systems, can operate in FDD and HDD  modes providing speed and spectral efficiency in the 24GHz band.

Students learn how to configure advanced wireless devices for real world information technology and hands-on experience.

  

   

Justin, Josh and Theo’s results during a configuration of the AF24s.

Students also participate in a wireless shoot-off.   This contest challenges the students to design an antenna that will make an association between a standard access point and a laptop that will connect at extreme distances.  The contest will start the second week of April.

(L-R) Jay Matlock, Jonathan Laine, Scott Hess (designer of a parabolic dish with a helical transceiver), Tyler Clift and Kenny Cooper.

  Photo by D. Babian

  

Great details about building the Airfiber below (from 03:17 forward)

   

Photos above (D. Babian)

         

 

 

Photo Credit: (Wil McKamey)

2013 Middle Tennessee Cyber Summit: Building Partnerships and Understanding the Threat

2013 Middle Tennessee Cyber Summit:

Building Partnerships and Understanding the Threat

 

Middle Tennessee Cyber Summit: Building Partnerships and Understanding the Threat will be held on the MTSU campus May 7 and 8. This event will address criminal, intelligence, disruptive, and information cyber threats and be of particular interest to city/state/federal governments, healthcare, education, transportation, financial, utilities, and business industries.

Presentations from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TN Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service and private sector cyber security.

2013 Middle Tennessee Cyber Summit:   Building Partnerships and Understanding the Threat

 When: Tuesday, May 7 – Wednesday, May 8

Where: MTSU campus, Student Union Ballroom

Cost: $30 per attendee

Attendees: state/local/federal govt. agencies, utilities, private sector, education, healthcare, transportation, financial

Credits/Certifications: CEUs available

Middle Tennessee Cyber Summit: Building Partnerships and Understanding the Threat will be held on the MTSU campus May 7-8. This event will address criminal, intelligence, disruptive, and information cyber threats and is scheduled to include presentations from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TN Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, and private sector cyber security organizations.

Tuesday, May 7

7:30 – 8:00       Registration and Networking

8:00 – 8:30       Welcome and Introduction

MTSU Representative

TN Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons and Assistant Commissioner David Purkey

8:30 – 9:15      Emerging Threats in Cyber Security

Speaker TBA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

 9:15 – 10:45     China, Cyber, and U.S. Energy: Who, What, Why, and What’s Next

Betsy Woudenberg, Chief Cyber Officer, Intelligence Arts

A discussion of China as our cyber adversary, using cyber attacks on U.S. and global energy companies to illustrate how the Communist Party’s domestic objectives drive its cyber espionage campaigns

 

10:45 – 11:30    Vendor tables and break

11:30 – 12:30    Lunch

12:30 – 1:15      Keynote

Scott Augenbaum, Supervisory Special Agent, Cyber Crime Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigation

1:15 – 2:30         TBA

Speaker TBA, Federal Bureau of Investigation

2:30 – 2:45         Break

2:45 – 4:30         Secret Service – Cyber Crime Investigations

Todd Hudson, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service

Wednesday, May 8

8:00 – 9:00           Social Engineering

Sese Bennett, Information Officer, State of Tennessee

 

9:00 – 10:00      SCADA

Speaker TBA, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

10:00 – 11:15      Intrusion Case Studies

Steve Mallard, IT Director, Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville

11:15 – 11:30      Break (vendor tables close at 12)

11:30 – 12:30      Lunch

12:30 – 2:00        Keynote:SCADA for Spies

Betsy Woudenberg, Chief Cyber Officer, Intelligence Arts

An introduction to SCADA – the technology that automates critical infrastructure – and how adversaries can penetrate these systems using humans and technology

2:00 – 2:15           Break

2:15 – 4:30           Cloud/Mobility Security

Speaker TBA

Event Sponsored by:

 Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs

Forensic Institute for Research and Education

Middle Tennessee State University

MTSU Information Technology Division

Enterasys Inc.

Mandiant

Registration information:

Date: Tuesday, May 7 – Wednesday May 8

Location: MTSU New Student Union Building

Cost: $30 per attendee (No Federal funds are expended to cover any catering or food)

Attendees: state/local/federal government agencies, utilities, private sector, education, healthcare, transportation, and financial, and law enforcement

Credits/Certifications: CEUs available ($10 MTSU fee)

Register Here

For more information, please contact: Karen Austin at karen.austin@mtsu.edu or 615-494-7971

Free library for IT Professionals and the everyday user

I’ve featured Microsoft’s Technet before; but now Microsoft has even more to offer at their TechNet site.  And 99% of it is free.  The how-tos and downloads are unreal.   You can’t possibly read all of the material but it is the best resource for Microsoft products.

With thousands of articles, Technet is broken into categories where you can narrow down your search for what you need.

Articles are added daily along with scripting and every operating system you can imagine.  Visit the gallery here or visit on-line learning, virtual labs and the learning center and certification information.

Can’t get enough information?  Here’s the Microsoft Wiki which has an unbelievable amount of resources and links.  Need drivers, service packs or other downloads including evaluations?  Visit there download center.

Below is a tiny portion of their resources.

 

Router Emulators

Need to practice setting up routers or adjust a router before adjusting your own?  Here’s a few links to different router emulators.

 

Linksys (Cisco) – Soon to be Belkin?

Netgear

Trendnet

D-Link

Test your ISP’s Quality

Almost everyone is familiar with testing their internet for speed.  With sites such as   Testmy.net, a true internet speed test and Speedtest.net, you can see how fast your internet is (download and upload speeds) performing.

But what about quality?   Here’s a site that will test your ping response time and jitter. Pingtest.net

Resolve wireless issues by adjusting advanced power savings

Usually when I resolve a problem, there seems to be an outbreak of the same problem.   Lately I resolved issues with wireless networking on several laptops and a desktop by disabling the power settings.  Apparently when the laptop woke, it would not connect or was extremely slow on connecting.  Disabling the power settings in both areas resolved the issue on all of the laptops and the desktop.

Power under the Device Manager

- Right Click Computer, Manage, Select Device Manager, Double Click on Wireless card, Click the Power Management tab.  Uncheck the All the computer to turn off this device to save power

Use the Advanced Power settings to turn off power settings on wireless adapters

Click on Change plan settings (above)

Click on Change advanced power settings (above)

Scroll down to Wireless Adapter Setting, click the + sign, click the + sign beside Power Saving Mode.  Change the On battery setting to Maximum Performance and Plugged in to Maximum Performance.  Apply the settings.

A Tiny Wireless Router that provides you with mobility and a ton of features

As we go through the CWTS curriculum, students are exposed to many different types of routers.  The Zyxel MWR102 is a tiny router (only 2.9″ x 2.3″ x .6″) that you can use when in a pinch or even in a small apartment.

This tiny router packs a ton of features.  Under $20, the router’s specs prove it gives a full size router a run for the money.

Zyxel Specs- USB Powered 150Mbps Wireless-N Fast Ethernet Travel Router

Features:

• Pocket-sized router/AP for internet access on-the-go
• 3-in-1 Functionality – Router, Access Point, and Client Bridge
• Wirelessly share a wired Internet connection with multiple friends, colleagues, or devices.
• 802.11n wireless connectivity for data transfer rates of up to 150 Mbps
• USB or AC power provide flexibility for any situation

  Hardware Specifications:

• Ports:
• Two (2) 10/100 Mbps (1x WAN, 1x LAN)
• One (1) MiniUSB (For Power) 

  Power:

• 5V DC USB 

  System Specifications:

• Wireless Standard:
• IEEE802.3, IEEE 802.3u
• IEEE802.11n auto rate up to 150Mbps
• IEEE802.11b/g compatible auto rate up to 54Mbps
• IEEE802.1x MDI/MDI-X adaptive flow-control
• IEEE802.1p
• IEEE802.3x
• IEEE802.3az

  Operating Modes:

• Router
• Access Point
• WiFi Client Bridge   Yep, even a wireless bridge…Wireless Security:
• WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK

  Security:

• 64/128-bit WPA/WPA2
• SPI Firewall
• WPS Setup 

  Routing and IP Management:

• Static IP
• DHCP
• PPPoE
• NATUnit Dimensions:
• 0.61 x 2.93 x 2.32-inches (H x W x D)   Is anything smaller?

Setting the optimal MTU inside of your router

How you find the optimal MTU settings is truly a matter of opinion.  Here is what we do…remember setting firewalls, routers and your computer will truly tweak out your connection.  Start on the outside and change your router or firewall first and then each computer (Use TCPOptimzer for computers).  Don’t forget access points and other devices.

• Find an ISP or a website you can ping.
• Ping the website from the command prompt (Windows) using the following command
• ping -f -l 1472 http://www.yourwebsiteaddress.com   (the -l is an “L” that is a lowercase and there is a space between each command and switch)
• Hit the enter key
• If you receive the message of fragmentation, reduce by 10 or 20 until you get responses.  Increase the number by 1 until you are 1 less away from getting a fragmentation message (midpoint – between high and low)
• Now add 28 to this number.  (Why? This is because you specified the ping packet size – and did not include the header which is 28bytes)
• This will give you your MaxMTU size.  (Enter this into your devices and into your OS)

Other Operating Systems

Linux users

ping -s 1472 www.yourwebsiteaddress.com

Apple users:

ping -D -s 1472 www.yourwebsiteaddress.com

Linux and Apple commands are case sensitive.

Here’s a quick example where I ran all the way down to 1400.  Therefore I would add 28bytes and the MaxMTU would be 1428.

C:\Users\x2370>ping -f -l 1450 http://www.somewhereoverthere  (use your ISP here)

Pinging http://www.somewhereoverthere [ IP Address] with 1450 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.168.1.1: Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.

Ping statistics for  IP Address:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 1, Lost = 3 (75% loss),

C:\Users\x2370>ping -f -l 1400 www.somewhereoverthere  (use your ISP here)

Pinging http://www.somewhereoverthere IP Address] with 1400 bytes of data:
Reply from IP Address: bytes=1400 time=161ms TTL=110
Reply from  IP Address: bytes=1400 time=80ms TTL=110
Reply from  IP Address: bytes=1400 time=60ms TTL=110
Reply from  IP Address: bytes=1400 time=124ms TTL=110

Ping statistics for  IP Address:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 60ms, Maximum = 161ms, Average = 106ms

Always test your internet before and after.  Use a true speed test such as Testmy.net

Testmy.net has been around since 1996 and uses real world speed test.  Testmy.net also is NOT owned by an ISP so there isn’t a chance of inflated scores or speeds.

Give it a try and use the Download and Upload link from the menu.

Using a GPS to perform a Wi-Fi survey

It is important to perform a wi-fi survey so that you can determine not only the perfect place to locate your access point or bridge but to gain an understanding of the channel co-existence challenge you may face.  With wireless access points in surrounding neighborhoods and businesses, you will need to  perform a survey by walking around and mapping out the BSAs (Basic Service Area) of wireless that surrounds you and your organization.

Below is an example of our school’s perimeter.  Matt, Chris and James, students in the Computer Information Technology, class performed a survey using a Microsoft GPS and Vistumbler.  This survey revealed access points and their channels of current wireless at our institution and  includes APs in surrounding businesses and neighborhoods.  These were mapped using Google Earth after exporting their KML file from Vistumbler.

This type of survey allows IT professionals to analyze data exported to ensure the correct channels can be used at their organization.

After exporting the wireless information, you can analyze each access point or wireless device by clicking on it.  Below is an example of the information exported into Google Earth.   Each device shows SSID, Network Type, Mac Address, Channel, Security, Encryption Type, Data Rates, Latitude, Longitude and Manufacturer information.   Analyst using this information can also determine the best placement of wireless devices along with channel information.

Channel co-existence is when access points share channels that are very close to one another.

802.11 wireless on 2.4 Ghz has three non-overlapping channels.  These channels are 1, 6 and 11.  The closer channels are, the more likely interference will take place.  With the amount of wi-fi in use today, IT professionals have to chose between 2.4 Ghz and 5 Ghz and and try to select channels that are not in use if possible.   Professional access points and bridges can also adjust power as necessary.   A dense population can make this very challenging.

If you look at the students’ survey by zooming out to see how many access points can be seen, this is what you are looking at!  Now you can see why site surveys are important at your organization.

In addition to this survey, a secondary survey using a spectrum analyzer is very important to search for interference from other sources.  (See our review of the Airview Spectrum Analyzer)

Channel information (Chart from Wikipedia)

 

Here’s another look at a wireless survey showing vertical lines and signal strength.  (James M. KML survey)

Wireless settings and what they mean

Doing research on wireless settings of your access point can be confusing and very technical.  Here’s a couple of settings you will find in your wireless AP -

• RTS- (Ready to Send) threshold specifies the packet size of RTS transmissions.  You can use this to control traffic flow through your access point.  This can help if you have a lot of computers or mobile devices connected.  A lower threshold means that RTS packets are very frequently, consuming more bandwidth and reducing the throughput of the packet.   Generally the default setting is OK (2347).  Lower only 1 point at a time if you need to adjust this setting.  (Connectivity problems)

• CTS (Clear to Send) Protect -With CTS enabled or in Protection Mode, CTS should assist 802.11B/G devices and help them to have a chance to transmit to the access point.  If you have a very efficient network, and the error rate is low, disable CTS protection to gain better performance.

• Fragmentation Threshold – The default fragmentation threshold is set to 2346 bytes,  this disables packet fragmentation.  If you suspect radio interference you can lower this 1 point at a time (always test by lower 1 at a time) . This will increase overhead on the network and can greatly reduce throughput so lower only 1 at a time and test.

•  DTIM is The delivery traffic indication message.  It is an element included in beacon frames. Basically if data is buffered on the access point and needs to be picked up, this setting tells associated computers to check for buffered data.   A setting of 1 tells associated computers to check at every beacon.

• Beacon – A Beacon tells clients to check the access point.  If you have a value of  10, clients check the access point on every tenth beacon. The default on many routers is two beacons. Most devices allow a setting from  1 to 255 beacons. A beacon is much like a lighthouse.  The access point sends a beacon that tells devices that it exists.  So therefore a beacon rate set to 10 sends 10 beacon frames per second.

• Preamble –  the preamble is a pause before data is sent.   Short preamble pauses briefly and long gives a long pause before data is sent.   None crowded networks may benefit from a short preamble.  Long preambles can pause and may even help with connectivity on a crowded network.

• Radio Mode – If you have laptops that are 802.11g only, it is best to select 802.11g in the radio (quicker connections and no slowing down).  Mixed Mode can cause latency (pauses).  You have to take into consideration any devices (guests) that may enter your network.   These devices may have 802.11b.   Setting to 802.11g can slow 802.11n devices.   If you have devices that are g and n or even b, leave the device on Auto or Mixed Mode.

  
  (Sample)

  Having connection problems to certain websites or getting updates?  Adjust your MTU from 1500 to 1492 or lower on both the AP and remember, you may need to adjust your MTU on your network card.

One in four wireless networks are still unsecure

Annually our class studies wireless technology and its implementation into homes and industry.   Surveys are conducted to analyze security used, transmit power and geographic location of wireless technology.  According to Wigle.net, Security has improved over the last nine years.  Home users are still setting up their wireless wrong by not providing a WPA2 (AES) form of encryption.  Approximately 23% of home users still have open internet that neighbors or anyone passing by can use.   (22 million are secure and 9 million remain unsecure!)  Vendors have tried to make setting up wireless easy and secure by providing WPS and/or a setup utility disk that walks the user through step by step.  Once you have secure wireless, you should change the password periodically to prevent users from learning what your passphrase is.

Wigle provides a map of wireless throughout the globe.  As users find wireless, they upload their data to Wigle and the database is free to the public.

With GPS technology today, anyone including malicious wardrivers can map out coordinates of unsecured wifi.  Make sure you secure your wifi.

See our other articles on wireless technology

Note:  During a survey we do not use packet analyzers or methods to see data on the wireless networks.