[lug] Question about Mesa Networks

[Nate Duehr]

Paul E Condon wrote:

>I've just got connected to internet via Mesa Networks. Since it is
>local, I'm supposing that others who have been with then longer than
>I are members of this list. Mesa uses fixed wireless, but otherwise
>seems to offer always on service much like Comcast. My question is:
>
>What special security considerations are there when using Mesa Networks?
>I'm worried because their informational materials make it sound as if
>there are no problems, but I wonder...
>
>My security concerns are rather modest. I run a small LAN, 2 Linux, 
>2 iMacs, 1 print server. I have been using dial-up, so this is the
>first time that I have to confront the nasty aspects of always-on
>internet service.
>
>TIA
>  
>

Shouldn't really be any different than connecting to any other public 
network.  Firewall off whatever's not in use, and virus protect the OS's 
that need to be.  ;-)

I can ask a friend who's on Mesa what he sees on his outside interface, 
but generally with Wireless ISP's the only major difference is on a lot 
of them you see everyone's ARP traffic rebroadcast by the Access Point 
out to all user-endpoints when the main routers are looking for someone 
since Layer-2 is put over-the-air in many of the newer 
commercially-designed wireless systems.

On some Wireless ISP's you don't get true public addresses (just like 
some wired ISP's) and you can sometimes see mixed "real IP" traffic and 
"RFC 1913" traffic if you're watching who's ARP'ing for what... so 
essentially someone evil could hijack a real address they see the main 
routers ARP'ing for.  But that's really no different than wired networks 
other than they seem to do their Layer-2 filters a little better and 
most wired networks are switched these days.

Mesa's on the Motorola Canopy system, aren't they?  Nice RF stuff, 
expensive as hell to deploy though -- wonder how many years they have to 
operate and at what capacity to pay that monster bill back to Mother M...? 

I hear the admin stuff on Canopy for the network operator is really nice 
compared to some of the more inexpensive solutions.  Did you get to see 
the installer do any of his/her magic during your turn-up? 

Always interesting to see how it all works... RF toys.... and...  
mmmm.... beeer....

Nate Duehr, nate at natetech.com