Are there any plans to support 802.1x networks in the future?
We are hitting a lot of issues with customers in education and corporate areas.
Thanks
Yes, this is on the roadmap for 2017. It’s not something that we’ve nailed down to an actual release yet though.
I suspect we’d be starting with EAP-TLS. Would that work for your application?
Has anything around 802.1x made it into Imp OS 38? Not sure I remember seeing anything about it.
802.1x is not in release-38, no, nor is it in the forthcoming release-40. It is not currently on the roadmap for 2019, though that’s theoretically open to change if demand for it becomes large.
On the other hand, one of the selling points of our new cellular imps is that they do not join the local wifi at all, so should not trouble even the most diligent local network administrator’s security policies. We already have customers whose customers are doing just this: using cellular imps in stationary, urban locations where there is plenty of wifi, but local policies forbid the imp-based product from joining it.
Peter
Yes, as Peter says 802.1x is often just the first IT-department based hurdle that is thrown at IoT devices. If you clear that one, they’ll have another blocker for you (eg they may then insist that you support their certificate management system that’s designed for PCs).
In cases like this cellular is usually the best option. It doesn’t take much time on calls with a hostile IT department before you’ve paid for years of cellular access.
Apart from the cost of designing, manufacturing and certifying a whole new product…
Well, that is true. Just saying that 802.1x is generally only the start of the conversation, because you then need to have a compatible EAP type and determine how certs get provisioned etc.
Software-wise, moving an imp device from wifi/ethernet to cellular is just as easy as you’d expect.