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Connecting


Overview of Wireless Access at uWaterloo

IST provides wireless service across campus.

The recommended method of connecting is via Eduroam. Eduroam provides end-to-end data encryption and provides access to wireless networks at other co-operating educational institutions worldwide. Eduroam requires your uWaterloo authentication (used for Quest/WatIAM, etc.), which is then usually stored on your computer, so that you don't have to provide authenication each time.

At present, the uw-unsecured SSID is also available on campus. This provides unencrypted access to the wireless network, which is less secure if you are visiting web sites that are not using https (SSL encryption) security, such as Facebook. Uw-unsecured is required in the short term to accommodate older hardware and operating systems that cannot use Eduroam, but will be phased out eventually. If you use the uw-unsecured connection, you browser will automatically redirect to a log-in page, where you provide your uWaterloo credentials.

Some areas of campus also have the uw-guest SSID, which also provides unsecured access to the wireless network without a password. This SSID will also be phased out eventually.

For help please visit your faculty's local computing Help Desk, or the IST CHIP (MC-1052).

Connecting to Eduroam

The XpressConnect Automated Configuration Tool

The XpressConnect configuration tool automates the wireless configuration for Eduroam for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, MacOS X, and Ubuntu Linux. For those who don't have access to XpressConnect, instructions for manual connection to Eduroam are provided below.

Windows 7 Configuration

The following screen snapshots were taken from a Windows 7 system. Note that you will need administrator permissions on the system in order to carry out the following configurations.

Eduroam should be automatically detected and configured if you choose to connect to it.

Finding the Eduroam Network

Once you click "Connect", you will be presented with an authentication dialogue box. Authenticate with your uWaterloo user ID and password (WatIAM/Quest password). For your user ID use the form your_id@uwaterloo.ca so that you can connect to eduroam at other participating educational institutions.

Eduroam Authentication

At present, Windows 7 users get a warning message. Click on "Details" and confirm it says
Radius server: eduroam.uwaterloo.ca
Root CA: Globalsign Root CA
Then it is OK to click the Connect button. You will not get the warning again.

Windows 7 Warning Message

Vista Configuration

The following screen snapshots were taken from a Windows Vista system. Note that you will need administrator permissions on the system in order to do the following configurations.

Eduroam should be automatically detected and configured if you choose to connect to it. When wireless networks are detected, click "Connect to a network".

Finding the Eduroam Network

Select "eduroam" and then click the "Connect" button.

Select the Eduroam Network

Click "Enter/select additional log on information".

1st Authentication Dialogue

Enter your WatIAM/Quest user ID and password. Make sure you add "@uwaterloo.ca" to your user ID.

2nd Authentication Dialogue

Click "Enter/select additional log on information".

3rd Authentication Dialogue

Click OK to accept the GlobalSign Root Certificate Authority certificate.

4th Authentication Dialogue

Success.

Successful Connection Dialogue

Windows XP Configuration

The following screen snapshots were taken from a Windows XP SP3 system. Note that you will need administrator permissions on the system in order to carry out the following configurations.

To view available wireless networks, right-click the wireless icon in the Windows task bar (usually on the lower right of your screen, near the clock), and click on View Available Wireless Networks.

View Available Networks

To configure Eduroam, click on "Change advanced settings" in the "Related Tasks" section.

Configure Eduroam

The Wireless Network Connection Properties window will open. Click the "Add" button in the "Preferred networks" section.

Configure Eduroam

In the Wireless Network Properties dialogue window that pops up, enter eduroam as the network name, set WPA2 as the Network Authentication and AES as the Data Encryption method. Click OK.

Set Network Properties

In the Wireless Network Properties dialogue window, go to the Authentication tab. For the "EAP type", select Protected EAP (PEAP). Then click the Properties button.

Select EAP Type

In the Properties window, make sure that "Validate server certificate" is checked. Check "GlobalSign Root CA" as the trusted root certification authority. Make sure the "Authentication Method" is Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2). Then click the "Configure" button.

Select Certificate Authority

In the EAP MSCHAPv2 dialogue, uncheck "Automatically us my Windows logon name...", and click OK, then OK again.

MSCHAPv2 Properties

Back in the Wireless Networks tab, check that eduroam is now in the "Preferred networks" area. Click OK.

Check Eduroam Is Now Selected

In the task bar, you should now see a notification to supply credentials for the Eduroam connection. Click on the notification.

Supply Credentials Notification

Authenticate with your WatIAM/Quest credentials. Add @uwaterloo.ca to your uWaterloo user ID.

Authentication Dialogue

Mac OSX Configuration

The following instructions are based on Mac OSX 10.6 (Snow Leopard).

Turn on Airport if it's not already on.

Turn Airport On

Select Eduroam.

Select Eduroam

You will be asked to verify the certificate. Click the "Show Certificate" button and verify:
Radius server: eduroam.uwaterloo.ca
Root CA: Globalsign Root CA
You may be asked to accept the certificate. You will need your Mac's admin account user name and password to do this. Then click the "Continue" button.

Select Eduroam

Authenticate with your WatIAM/Quest credentials. Add "@uwaterloo.ca" to your uWaterloo user ID and check "Remember this network".

Authentication Dialogue

Troubleshooting Eduroam Connection on the Mac

  1. Turn Airport Off (see figure above.)
  2. Open Network Preferences and unlock if necessary (see figure above.).
    Network Preferences
  3. Select Airport in the left-hand pane.
  4. Click the "Advanced" button; select and delete Eduroam from the "Preferred Networks" box.
    Delete Eduroam from Preferred Networks
  5. Select the 802.1X tab; select and delete the Eduroam user profile.
    Delete Eduroam User Profile
  6. Click OK/Apply.
  7. Restart your computer.
  8. Reconfigure the Eduroam connection using the instructions above.

If All Else Fails, Delete Stored Certificates

  1. Search for "certificates" in the Help menu.
  2. Choose "Changing a certificate's trust setting" from the Help Topics.
    Search Help for Changing Certificate's Trust Settings
  3. Click on "Open Keychain Access" from the "Changing a certificate's trust settings" help page.
    Keychain Access Panel
  4. Delete any Eduroam certificates.
  5. Restart your computer.
  6. Reconfigure the Eduroam connection using the instructions above.

Configuring Ubuntu

The following discussion is based on an Ubuntu 10.04 distribution.

To begin, look for the wireless networking icon in the Panel (near the date display). Right-click and check that wireless is enabled.

Check Wireless Is Enabled

To check that the Eduroam network is available, left-click the wireless networking icon, then select eduroam by clicking it.

Check Eduroam is Available

Select PEAP as the authentication type.

Set PEAP Authentication

Store a local copy of the GlobalSign Root CA certificate. Download this from the GlobalSign site. Copy the text and save it to a plain text file with extention ".crt" somewhere on your system.

Get GlobalSign Root CA Certificate

In the CA Certificate box, browse to the certificate file you saved in the previous step.

Select GlobalSign Certificate

Enter your athentication information. Use your WatIAM/Quest userid and password. Add "@uwaterloo.ca" to your user ID and click Connect.

Authenticate

Once connected, you will be notified by a pop-up message and the wireless icon will change. You can also verify the connection by right-clicking the wireless networking icon and selecting Edit Connections, or use the System menu and select Preferences, then Network Connections, and look under the Wireless tab.

Verify or Edit Wireless Connections

Eduroam and Other Wireless Devices

Many other hand-held devices can also connect to Eduroam, include Blackberries, iPhones, and Android smartphones. While we cannot provide official support for all these devices, help can often be obtained from your local computing Help Desk, or from the IST CHIP (MC-1052).

Please check our Facebook page which contains a forum for interactive documentation of procedures for unsupported wireless devices.

Wireless Printing

Printing to any network printer in ADS and Nexus domains is supported from Windows, MacOS X, and Ubuntu Linux laptops. Windows printing is accomplished by downloading and running an executable that configures the chosen printer. For Mac and Linux operating systems, printing is accomplished via SMB protocol. Configuration instructions are generated for each selected printer.

Please visit the omniprint page to set up wireless printing.