For those of you that meet at an armory

[brasda91]

Here's the sitrep.  Our squadron will be moving into the new NG Readiness Training Center this fall.  The training center is scheduled to be completed then.  I contacted the NG project officer and asked if it would be possible for our office to have a phone line and internet access.  He said the phone would not be a problem.  Internet is another story.  There is a CAC card, or someting to that effect, that all NG members use to log into the internet system.  These cards are only issued to NG/Reserve members, active duty personnel, state contractors and the sort.  Unfortunately we (CAP) don't fall into any of the categories.

Any captalk members, meeting at an armory where you have your own CAP office space?  Do you have internet in your office?  How did you get it?  Have any of your members, that are not members of the NG or reserve, get issued a card?

Basiclly I'm looking for other squadrons that have the same set-up as we are going to have so I can utilize your tactics on internet access.

[RiverAux]

I would think that if you really had to get internet in the cap office you could ask for an entirely separate "civilian" line to be run in and paid for at CAP expense. 

[brasda91]

I would think that if you really had to get internet in the cap office you could ask for an entirely separate "civilian" line to be run in and paid for at CAP expense. 

Not sure.  Do you think that would be harder to pull off logistically/politically?

[RiverAux]

Cost would probably be the main concern, but there may be some NG rules about running in lines like that.  Logistically it shouldn't be a big deal, any more so than putting lines in elsewhere. 

[NIN]

Its a pain to get access to NIPR.  The CAC card is the military ID with the SmartCard chip in it.  After 1 July 06, all access to the NIPR has to be authenticated (via keyboard reader or similar) with a CAC card.  (I know this because on 30 June 06, while at Fort Bragg for Annual Training with the ACA, we were granted Internet access and less than 12 hrs later we suddenly could not access the Internet.  Put a call in to the Comm shop folks who just grante the access.  "Whoops, sorry, need a CAC card after midnight.." Grrrrrrr..)


At my armory, we had a router that we plugged in and freely accessed the 'net.  I assumed that the former CO, an NG O-4, had arranged some kind of deal with the Guard, and when I took over a year ago, we continued to plug in the router on meeting nights. One night, we forgot it.  Big huge blow up.

Now the NG here uses Bradford Network's Campus Manager product to secure their ports on the statewide WAN.  Its pretty funny because that's the same product we use at my college (where I manage the IT dept), and Bradford Networks' company HQ is about 3/4 of a mile down the road from our armory (*nothing like getting support from an engineer who can walk to your location and help out*).

On a whim I plugged in my laptop a couple weeks ago and was presented with the Campus Manager authentication screen. I was half tempted to try the default passwords on their box and grant my machine access, but I had about zero interest in winding up in some federal prison.

Internet access is like some kind of secret pinky-handshake thing on a military installation now.  You'd be better off getting one of those 3G routers and a Sprint or Verizon data card.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Depending on the presence of classified materials in the Armory, you may not be able to run your own telephone line.  I recall that was an inspection item on physical security inspections to assure signal integrity.

I used to have a unit that met in an ROTC armory, but we did not even try for internet access.  The ROTC was on the college net, and I just used my home computer.  They gave us a phone extension, but we were not listed in the phone directory as a separate unit.

[Tubacap]

I'm in the exact same situation that you are in currently.  The only thing that I have been able to scare up is to use the free dial up account from national on the phone line.  We also have a member who has an aircard, so that works when he brings it.  Getting into the NG internet system is definitely tricky.  I will keep you posted if we have any breakthroughs, although this is not one of the huge priorities right now.

[brasda91]

you may not be able to run your own telephone line.

The project manager on the NG side the phone would be good to go.  I assume all of the offices will be wired for phone.  I would like to have a seperate number that would be specifically for CAP.  I may be asking a lot.  I will know more over the course of the year.

[brasda91]

At my armory, we had a router that we plugged in and freely accessed the 'net.


You'd be better off getting one of those 3G routers and a Sprint or Verizon data card.

What we do now is go to the classroom where the internet is available and plug our laptop in.  Not sure they know we do that.  I believe it was ok'd right before my return to active CAP service.

One of my seniors has volunteered to donate a router to us.  Before I started in on this project, we thought we would be able to leave the router plugged in all the time.  It wouldn't affect the NG's internet, but would allow us wireless access.  I see that probably wouldn't be possible after my conversations with the NG.  What we probably can do for the time being is plug in the router on meeting nights for internet access.  (We actually meet in the old VA clinic that is next door to the armory.  We have to take the laptop over and plug into the internet, but then we don't have printing options.  Using the router, we would be able to stay in our building with the laptop plugged into the printer).

I've not looked into the Sprint or Verizon card, I guess because I believe it would be too expensive.  The more I look at it, looks like the router is the way to go for now.

[drcomm]

We meet on an Air National Guard base and are having the same issues with internet access.  We do have a member who is a member of the local guard group and he has access but we do not have data lines into our closet...I mean office.  We have discussed the air card but determined the cost to be too much.  This is becoming more of an issue as time goes by and NHQ puts more and more things online, some things available only online.

[PHall]

Speaking as a Telephone guy. (AT&T Service Tech)

When you get your phone line, make absolutely sure that you insist that you are not on the government phone system.
What you want is a regular outside phone line.

That way you can get DSL or even use dial-up and you don't have to deal with all of the military security crap because you won't be on their LAN.

[Eclipse]

You might check on wireless broadband.

One of my units is getting it as no cost from the provider.  It comes in on a small, flat, antenna, and is independent of any phone service or cable provider.

I use it in my home, as well (have for probably 7 years), and the service is comparable to cable, (though no 6+Mbps bursts).

(note, this is not satellite)

[brasda91]

Speaking as a Telephone guy. (AT&T Service Tech)

make absolutely sure that you insist that you are not on the government phone system.

I understand what you're saying.  I appreciate the advice.  I just find it hard to insist.  It's the "don't bite the hand that feeds you" theory.

On the other hand  if we'd had phone in the building they tore down in order to build the training center, I would be more apt to insist on a separate landline.

[pixelwonk]

You might check on wireless broadband.

One of my units is getting it as no cost from the provider.  It comes in on a small, flat, antenna, and is independent of any phone service or cable provider.

I use it in my home, as well (have for probably 7 years), and the service is comparable to cable, (though no 6+Mbps bursts).

(note, this is not satellite)

concur.

We've got it for our meeting facility and it's been very stable.
Haven't managed the no-cost thing tho. 

[Slim]

I don't know if this would work or not...

Assuming someone has an aircard, couldn't you just set up a wireless, peer-to-peer network, using that person's computer as the net connection, and set it up to allow sharing that connection?  Then everyone else configures their laptop to use that net connection when logged in?  It should also allow file and printer sharing.

"Hey Bob, got next month's schedule handy?"

"Hold on, John.....ok, check the shared folder."

I don't know if a wireless router would make a difference or not, but I have my desktop at home, and my laptop set up for file and printer sharing, with the printer on the desktop.  I can also move files between the two by dragging and dropping.  There is a wireless router hooked up to the DSL modem.

FYI, I have a Sprint aircard, paid $30 for the card (which uses a PCMCIA slot.  Unlimited service is $60/month

[mikeylikey]

Call your States NG DOIM Office.  They are found in most states Dept of mil and vet affairs sections. 

Ask about getting service to your unit in (insert armory name here).  Offer to pay for installation if they are hesitant.

[smj58501]

Aircards are a great way to go. I have one for my personal use that I lend to the squadron when needed. They work great for places where internet access is questionable at best, like armory classrooms. They also come in handy when you need to set up shop for ops in places like remote FBO's and hangers. Also, with the undependability of GlobalStar (at least in our area of the world), we can still do a pseudo-SDIS mission for the customer by landing and transmitting pics (we would NEVER break FCC rules by using an aircard in the air, would we  :angel: ?)

Bottom line is rather than worry about if where you are going will have wireless access, just take your access with you. For the most part as long as you can get cell coverage you can probably get aircard coverage. Obviously pick the right provider for your area.... Verizon Wireless is the most dependable up here. These things have proven themselves useful enough that our wing is looking at ways to finance acquisition and contracts for "enough" aircards to be distro'ed to squadrons in different parts of the state.

As far as access to the NG network, unless your guard has set up a "public" wireless system for visitors to catch a signal (some training centers have them for MWR, and for folks on TDY to VPN back in to their home networks), you are generally going to be out of luck. Mother Army has gone half past anal on this (I don't really blame them), and have pushed policy down through all their MACOM's (including the NG) dictating who can get onto the network, and how it is done. Your local guard folks really have no choice in the matter. We are struggling to field enough CAC card readers so our traditional Soldiers can access the very Army Knowledge Online accounts we are supposed to be sending "official" business emails to them on. It is a frustrating Catch 22... we are supposed to use the technology to "collaborate" with our people, but our people are still somewhat frozen out of our net.

I am in the NG full time, and the only way our CAP folks get on our NG network is if it is through my work computer with me at the helm. I would encourage you to resist the temptation to plug in to a jack in an armory classroom or otherwise try to beam in to a wireless signal you know is not a confirmed public one. You are just going to get some young readiness NCO or Officer in Charge in trouble, and sour a relationship.

Its nothing personal, its just business folks.

[Lancer]

I concur with NIN on the 3G router solution for those of you with WWAN aircards.  Such as this device from Linksys (Cisco). I'm going to see about getting our wing to invest in some of these for mission use.

I just came across the device pictured below during recent research and it looks pretty promising. It's called a 'Personal Hotspot' If you have a USB WWAN device, you can plug it in and share your connection, OR, if you have an EVDO capable cell phone, you can plug it in and share it's connection as well. Very cool indeed.


http://www.cradlepoint.com/phs300/phs300.php