Appendix 3: Regulation on the Use of a Wireless Examination Network in the Matriculation Examination

The examination network used in the Matriculation Examination may be implemented either with cables or wirelessly. The use of a wireless examination network in organising the Matriculation Examination requires a separate permission from the Matriculation Examination Board (MEB). This regulation describes the requirements for implementing a wireless examination network and provides guidance to general upper secondary schools on applying for permission to use a wireless examination network.

Through these requirements and the permission procedure, the MEB aims to ensure that the school’s exam rooms are suitable for a wireless network, that the school can manage the related practical arrangements, and that secure devices and configurations are used in its implementation. The objective is to provide every candidate with an uninterrupted and secure test environment.

The requirements for using a wireless network are as follows:

1. Invigilators must have written operating instructions for dealing with malfunctions of the wireless examination network. The general upper secondary school has the equipment and expertise to locate sources of interfering radio signals. (Requirements 1–3)
2. The network implementation and technology meet the specified requirements. (Requirements 4–17)
3. The network passes the functional tests specified by the MEB. (Requirement 18)
4. The general upper secondary school has participated in training provided by the MEB. (Requirement 19)

The application must describe in free form how these requirements are met. If a wireless network is to be used in more than one exam room (for example, the main exam room and a smaller auxiliary room), compliance with the requirements must be described separately for each room.

Permissions previously granted for the use of a wireless examination network remain valid and do not need to be renewed.

Uninterrupted wireless network traffic requires that the radio frequencies used for examination network traffic (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) are free. Free frequencies are identified with a Wi‑Fi scanner and a spectrum analyser. If the school uses only channels in the 5 GHz frequency band, it must be prepared for candidates’ computers that have wireless network adapters operating only on 2.4 GHz channels. Such preparedness may include, for example, placing candidates on a wired network, providing candidates with 5 GHz network adapters for the duration of the test, or having the candidates complete the test with the school’s backup computers.

There must be a sufficient number of free channels for all access points of the examination network (cf. Requirement 6).

During the test, traffic on the channels used by the access points of the examination network must be monitored. The purpose of monitoring is to determine whether any malfunction of the examination network is caused by interfering signals on wireless network frequencies or by other examination network technology. Observations can be made with a workstation equipped with a WLAN network adapter and software that displays the names, frequencies and signal strengths of WLAN access points. On test days, the school must also have access to a spectrum analyser and a person trained in its use, to identify and resolve potential network problems.

The written operating instructions describe the measures by which the school identifies a new radio transmitter (Wi‑Fi scanner) and seeks to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the examination network, for example by locating and shutting down the transmitter (Wi‑Fi scanner, spectrum analyser), reconfiguring the frequencies used by the school’s own examination network access points, or setting up a replacement wired examination network. The school must always contact the MEB if the operation of the examination network is disrupted.

If the wireless examination network ceases to function, for example due to a radio transmitter activated during the test, the school must be able to transfer candidates to a wired examination network. The transition must be planned to ensure that each candidate continues the test on a server belonging to the same server cluster as at the start of the test.

The placement of wireless examination network equipment aims to improve signal strength and to reduce the risk of unauthorised persons being able to modify device configurations.

The closer the transmitter is to the receiver, the better the signal quality and the more likely it is that candidates will be distributed evenly across access points. To ensure an even distribution of candidates’ computers across the access points of the examination network, access points must be placed evenly throughout the exam room and their transmit power adjusted to an appropriate level.

To build a functioning wireless network, the number of radio units in access points must correspond to the number of candidates in the examination network. Radio units refer to the transmitter–receiver units within an access point (Access Point Radios), but not to radio chains used for MIMO traffic. 

The signal is attenuated if there are attenuating materials between the transmitter and the receiver. Especially in temporarily installed examination networks, access points must be positioned so that furniture or candidates do not attenuate the signal.

The uninterrupted operation of the wireless examination network with sufficient bandwidth requires that there is a sufficiently strong signal at each candidate workstation. Signal strength is verified with a Wi‑Fi scanner application.

Requirement 1 requires a sufficient number of free channels in the exam room for examination network traffic. If, during the test, interfering signals appear on channels used by the examination network access points, it must be possible to change the channels while the test is in progress (access rights and ease of use).

In the wireless examination network, the candidate’s connection is transmitted from the computer to the access point and from there via the Ethernet network to the exam room server. The access points do not route candidates’ connections further by radio to other access points. This conserves radio capacity for traffic between computers and access points.

In addition, the wireless examination network must include a set of features governing data traffic and configuration.

Before use, the examination network must be tested under conditions corresponding to the actual matriculation examination. In the test, the servers used in the matriculation examination are connected to the network. The number of candidates’ computers must be the same as the maximum number used in the final test situation. The candidates’ computers must reflect real conditions: if candidates primarily use their own computers in the test, most of the computers must be of different makes and models.

A suitable test is, for example, a practice test prepared by the general upper secondary school itself, containing an amount of audio and video material comparable to that of the Matriculation Examination language test.

The purpose of this test is to ensure that:

• the ratio between network access points and computers is appropriate with regard to both the bandwidth required by the computers and the channels and transmission power used by the access points (sufficiency of channels at large exam venues)
• the performance of the network does not depend on specific device drivers of the computers, but that the network operates as expected also with the Abitti 2 candidate drive (if used by the school).

This test needs to be repeated only when substantial changes are made to the network configuration or hardware.

The operation of the wireless examination network must always be checked before the examination, in connection with the technical testing of the servers, as follows:

• Using Wi‑Fi analyser software and a spectrum analyser, verify that the examination network access points operate on the channels to which they have been configured.
• Using Wi‑Fi analyser software and a spectrum analyser, verify that the channels used by the examination network access points are sufficiently free.
• By checking the access point controller, or by “pinging” the access points, verify that network traffic from all examination network access points to the exam room servers is carried over wired (cabled) connections.
• Verify that it is possible to connect to the network using a typical candidate’s computer.

If changes falling within the scope of these requirements are made to the room arrangements or the examination network, the general upper secondary school must reapply to MEB for permission to use the wireless examination network.

A representative of the general upper secondary school must participate in training organised by MEB related to the implementation of the wireless examination network. The training addresses practical issues related to the technical requirements and implementation of the examination network.

In the application addressed to MEB, the most important aspect is to describe how the general upper secondary school has planned to comply with the regulations concerning the wireless examination network. It is sufficient for the application to describe how compliance will be achieved, without going into technical detail. The application does not need to prove that the requirements are met. Prepared instructions, measurement reports or technical specifications of the equipment used do not need to be attached to the application.

Requirement 1: State how many access points are required and describe how the frequencies required by these access points fit among the other frequencies used in the premises. This section should explain the principles of channel planning. This is likely the most time-consuming part of the application, but also the most important.

Requirement 2: State that the school has the required operating instructions and describe how they will be made available to invigilators.

Requirement 3: Describe the practical arrangements for replacing the wireless examination network with a cable‑based network. It is essential to state to what point the network is built before the test, who will build the network if necessary, and where the required equipment is stored during the test.

Requirements 4–7: Describe, in a few sentences and/or with an indicative diagram, the number and placement of access points.

Requirement 8: Describe, in a few sentences, how the measurements were carried out and whether the requirement is met.

Requirement 9: Describe how re‑channelisation would be carried out in practice if it became necessary. It is essential to state who will take the required action.

Requirements 10–17: Confirm, point by point, that the equipment used to build the wireless network meets the requirements. This can be recorded in the application, for example, using wording such as “the requirement has been taken into account in the configuration of the equipment” or “the device X used has the required feature”.

Requirement 18: Describe how testing has been carried out, or will be carried out, before the matriculation examination. The test does not necessarily need to be performed before submitting the application, but carrying it out is the responsibility of the general upper secondary school under the regulations.

Requirement 19: State which representative of the general upper secondary school has participated in MEB training and when the training sessions were held. MEB informs schools of the dates of the training sessions and the latest application deadlines for each examination.