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Requirements

In order to connect to the IllinoisNet wireless network with a Windows XP computer, your system must:

• Have a WPA2-capable wireless network card
• CITES recommends you use a wireless A/B/G/N card. (B/G/N cards will work, but A/B/G/N cards will provide you with better performance). For a more detailed explanation, see Wireless Networking Speed: Ideals and Experience.
• Have Service Pack 3 installed
  (Service Pack 3 includes the patch listed below)
  or
• If you have Service Pack 2, install Microsoft's KB893357 patch as well

Note: The KB893357 patch is not automatically installed as part of Microsoft's automatic update system until Service Pack 3. If you have SP2 or earlier, you'll need to use Internet Explorer to visit the link above, install the Microsoft Genuine Advantage software, and then install the patch itself. Then you'll need to reboot your computer and return to this page.

If your system doesn't meet the requirements for WPA2, you can continue to use UIUCnet Wireless instead.

Initial configuration

1. Under the Start Menu, click Connect To, then select Show All Connections.

(Don't see Show All Connections? If you use Classic View rather than XP view, open the Start menu, click Settings, and then double-click Network Connections.)

The Network Connections window will appear.

Network Connections window

2. Right click on the icon for your wireless adapter and choose Properties. The Wireless Connection Properties window will appear.

3. Click on the Wireless Networks tab.

Wireless Network Connection Properties window (Wireless Networks tab)

4. Click the Add button.

5. In the Wireless network properties window that appears, enter the following information in the Association tab:

• Network Name: IllinoisNet
• Network Authentication: WPA2
• Data Encryption: AES

Wireless network properties window (Association tab)

6. Click the Authentication tab and enter the following information:

• EAP type: Protected EAP (PEAP)
• Uncheck the "Authenticate as computer when computer information is available" and "Authenticate as guest when user or computer information is available" boxes.

Wireless network properties window (Authentication tab)

7. Click the Properties button by the EAP Type list.

8. In the Protected EAP Properties window that appears, select the following information:

• Check the Validate server certificate item.
• Check the Connect to these servers item.
• In the servers text box, enter the following: wireless.illinois.edu
• In the list of Trusted Root Certification Authorities, check:
  • AddTrust External CA Root
  • thawte Primary Root CA (lower case t)

  Don't see these options listed? You'll need to update your root certificates

  If you don't see all three of these certificate authorities in the list, you'll need to update your root certificates at the Microsoft Updates website. While you could connect without the AddTrust certificate during 2010, users without AddTrust support will no longer be able to connect after August 2011.

  To update your root certificates:

  1. In Internet Explorer, visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
     (Microsoft does not support updating through other browsers.)
  2. If prompted to install ActiveX controls, install them as described by the Windows Update website.
  3. Once you see the Windows Update welcome page, click the Custom button.
  4. Windows Update will check your computer's collection of updates. This may take several minutes.
  5. When presented with a choice of high-priority, software, or hardware updates, choose the software updates option in the left column.
     (Of course, installing the high-priority updates at some point is also recommended. However, root certificates are found in the software updates collection.)
  6. Review the list of custom updates and choose the most recent Update for Root Certificates item (August 2010 or later) .
  7. Follow Microsoft's installation directions for the root certificate updates.
  8. Reboot your system if prompted.
  9. Return to this page to continue the IllinoisNet configuration process.
• Check the Do not prompt user to authorize new servers or trusted certification authorities item.
• From the Select Authentication Method menu, choose Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2).
• Check the Enable Fast Reconnect item.

Protected EAP Properties window

9. Click the Configure button by the Select Authentication Method list.

10. In the EAP MSCHAPv2 Properties window that appears, the "Automatically use my Windows logon name and password (and domain if any)" item should not be checked.

EAP MSCHAPv2 Properties window

• Note for campus Active Directory users: If you always log on to the UIUC Active Directory domain rather than to your computer as a local system, you could change this configuration step to use your campus AD information for IllinoisNet. See Active Directory and the IllinoisNet Network for more information.

11. Click OK three times: first in the EAP MSCHAPv2 Properties window, then in the Protected EAP Properties window, and finally in the Wireless network properties window.

You should now be looking at the Wireless Network Connection Properties window's Wireless Networks tab, and IllinoisNet should be displayed in the list of preferred networks.

Wireless Network Connection Properties window with IllinoisNet network preferred

When you click OK here, you're ready to begin the connection process.

Getting connected

When your network card has begun the process of connecting to the IllinoisNet network, a prompt bubble will appear over your task bar indicating that you need to "select a certificate or other credentials" to authenticate.

(Note: Campus Active Directory users who have altered their configuration as described above will not see this step.)

Prompt bubble over the task bar

1. Click on the Wireless Network Connection bubble in order to view the Enter Credentials window.

2. Enter the following information:

(Not sure what your Active Directory password is? Try your email or NetFiles password, or reset your AD password at the CITES Password Manager.)

• User name: Your NetID
• Password: Your Active Directory password
• Logon domain: (Leave this field blank)

Enter Credentials window

3. Click OK.

Once your wireless card has finished authenticating with the IllinoisNet network, you'll be able to use the wireless network.

(Note: You'll only need to enter this information once.)

Trouble connecting?

If you have trouble getting connected to IllinoisNet, or if your computer shows a connection but doesn't allow Internet access, remember: you can always use UIUCnet Wireless instead. Switch your selected network to UIUCnet and open a browser window to log in through QuickConnect, and you'll be ready to go.

Disconnecting when finished

When you're finished with IllinoisNet:

1. Right-click on your wireless network icon in the task bar

2. Select View available wireless networks

3. Choose a different network from the list of available wireless networks.