APN – UW Network Connection via Third-Party Cellular Service


The service described here is purchased from and delivered by major cellular service carriers. UW-IT works with the carriers to facilitate the initial configurations. The UW-IT Mobile Communications team is available to consult with UW departments/units to help assess whether this is a reasonable solution for their specific use cases.  

If your cellular-capable UW device can use Husky OnNet to make a secure connection to the UW network, that is a great, no-cost option. Occasionally though, UW network connectivity is best supported via a secure, private cellular network connection rather than an ethernet (wired) or Wi-Fi connection. Cases where cellular connectivity may be a reasonable solution include... 

  • The device will be used in locations for which there is no acceptable, affordable, or secure way to establish a wired connection or get Wi-Fi access. Examples: 
    • remote locations (e.g., research stations/sensors in locations with no infrastructure)
    • locations where wired infrastructure should not be installed (e.g., archeological ruins)
    • Use of the local network is not advisable (e.g., public-use networks, networks requiring no authentication) 
  • The device is not stationary and it will not be confined to an area with UW Wi-Fi coverage (e.g., IoT device on a drone, a vehicle, a free-roaming creature) 
  • The historical versions of the device required a telephone (POTS) line (e.g., out-of-band modems for network device management). 

For those familiar with virtual private networks either as a physical network connection or an application on your device such as Husky OnNet, the concept is similar: the device is provided with a UW private IP address and a secure connection is established between the UW network and the UW device. UW network-related access privileges and constraints for the device will be the same as for all other UW network connected devices.  

Things to verify when considering an APN service: 

  • Can a sim card be used in my IoT device? 

  • Does my IoT device have access to a power source (either wired or battery)? 

  • Does the device support DHCP (dynamic host control protocol)? 

  • Is the vendor’s carrier signal sufficient in the area(s) where the device will be connecting? 

  • Is the vendor’s traffic prioritization level sufficient for my service? 

  • The traffic to/from the device will not be subject to the UW border firewall rulesets. Does this traffic require a firewall? (If yes, please email help@uw.edu to request a consultation about firewall needs and options.) 

 

APN Service Information 

  • There are currently two branded APN options from major cellular carriers: AT&T FirstNet and T-Mobile T-Priority. (See below.) Most of the vendors’ online information about these solutions is related to first responder networks. The APN service for UW is delivered over a carrier network where traffic is differentially prioritized in the event of congestion. Confirm with the provider the level and nature of the priority assigned to your specific UW APN service as well as the impact the priority level may have on your service. 

  • The APN service establishes a private connection to the UW network. By default, accessibility of and by the device to devices and networks outside of the UW network is restricted. If such access is needed, advance configuration by UW-IT is required. 

  • The APN service provides a secure, private connection between the device and the point of entry into the UW Network (border router).  Normal UW network-related access privileges and constraints for the device will be the same as for all other UW network connected devices. 

  • All APN traffic is subject to UW’s central Intrusion Prevention System (“IPS”) scans. 

  • UW-IT facilitates two types of APN service from the carriers: 
    • Departmental/Unit APN service. UW-IT assigns a dedicated block of 10Net private IP addresses to the department/unit contracting for the APN services; UW-IT provides these to the carrier who in turn configures their system to use these P addresses when the deparmtnet/unit's device(s) connect to their APN service.
      • APN traffic is not subject to any central firewall rules. Groups needing firewall rules in place should consult with UW-IT as use-cases and solutions for APN customers will vary.
    • General APN service. In this case, UW-IT provides the carrier with a block of private 10Net addresses that are dedicated to the APN service but not to specific departments/units. Addresses are then assigned to any of the various connecting UW devices regardless of the group that owns/manages the devices and contracts for the service.  

 

At a high-level, how does a department/unit get the APN service? 

  • Department/unit contracts for the service from the carrier and informs UW-IT.  

  • UW-IT works with carrier to configure the service, as required. 

  • Customer works with the carrier for device set-up and connection. 

If you are opting for a departmental APN installation (dedicated block of private IP addresses), UW-IT will need to be engaged to work with the carrier prior to service turn-up. Two things will occur: a) the UW private IP address block is shared with the carrier; and b) both UW-IT and the carrier will implement the appropriate traffic exchange protocols (border gateway protocol or “BGP” peerings) needed to support the service. 

Once the service is purchased, and any required initial configurations completed, the carrier will provide the customer with SIM cards for each device. When the SIM card is installed in the device and first ‘seen’ on the carrier’s network, several things happen:  

  1. The device is assigned a UW private IP address (10Net) from the appropriate UW IP address block designated for this service. 

  1. The service attributes associated with the carrier’s SIM identify the device as a UW APN customer needing to connect directly (and securely) to the UW network. Using the attribute information and BGP peering, a ‘tunnel’ (a virtual, private network connection) within the carrier’s system is established between the device and the appropriate UW network router. 

  1. Once the tunnel is in place, the device is recognized as a UW network-enabled device and network traffic flows between the device and the UW network. 

UW entities with budget approvals may contact the carriers directly to order these services. (See contact information below.) UW-IT Mobile Communications is available to answer questions or provide information related to these services. 

 

As of January 2025: 

 

T-Mobile – T-Priority (APN Service) 

    • Phone: 425-770-5338 

 

AT&T - FirstNet (APN Service) 

    • Kyle Abernethy - Sales Manager - ka336q@att.com Phone: 360-608-3009 

    • Christian Hammerl - Service Manager - ch6692@att.com Phone: 714-330-3596 

    • Dillon Hundley - Service Manager - rh430h@att.com Phone: 971-470-7944