Session ETD-Poster “Proceedings of the 2015 Conference for Industry and Education Collaboration Copyright ©2015, American Society for Engineering Education” Design of Simulation-Based Laboratories for Teaching Wireless Network Technologies Te-Shun Chou 1 , Philip J. Lunsford 1 , and Keith Thomson 2 1 Department of Technology Systems, 2 College of Engineering and Technology East Carolina University, Greenville, NC Abstract Five wireless network labs were developed and used in a wireless communications undergraduate course. The labs were designed using the simulation software Optimized Network Engineering Tools (OPNET) Modeler. The software was installed in a number of virtual desktops within a desktop virtualization environment for students conducting lab experiments. The labs provided students with hands-on experience in terms of wireless network configuration, implementation, and evaluation. The complete procedure provided a strong theoretical knowledge in the field of wireless networks and enhanced students’ practical skills for advancement in the current and future wireless communication job market. 1. Introduction Wireless communication technologies are a huge part of our daily lives. People use their personal laptops to surf the Internet and cell phones to send emails and text messages. Well- trained professionals with knowledge of wireless networks are in high demand. We developed a set of laboratories in wireless networks to provide students with hands-on experience in terms of wireless network configuration, implementation, and evaluation. The exercises not only provide a strong theoretical knowledge in the field of wireless networks, but also enhance students’ practical skills for advancement in current and future wireless communication job markets. In a university environment, wireless network experiments that use physical devices are constrained by limited resources, the high cost of actual hardware devices, and the problems associated with potential conflicts with the university production wireless environment. In contrast, simulation tools provide a simulated experimental environment for carrying out hands- on lab activities [1-3]. In this project five labs were designed using the simulation tool OPNET Modeler [4]. This approach not only saved money in purchasing real physical wireless devices, but also reduced development time in the creation of different wireless networks. With the use of a simulation tool, a complex wireless network infrastructure can be easily implemented and its topology can be quickly changed when needed. The licensed OPNET Modeler software was acquired at no charge from Riverbed under its University Teaching Program. It was installed in a number of virtual desktops within VMware