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Mobile Computing for Windows 2000

Win 2000: Mobile Computing

Platform: Windows

General Information

OpenPort is an open access, on-campus network. It provides Internet access to laptop and handheld users. The OpenPort network includes network jacks in the Cybraries and University Libraries, as well as Wireless Access Zones around campus. An active UBIT account is required to use these services.

Wireless Connections

To use UB Wireless, you need to have a wireless card installed on your machine.

The University at Buffalo currently suggests using a Cisco Aironet 350 128-bit encryption wireless network card, as it works best with UB's Wireless Access Points. Users with other cards may not be able to take advantage of future security measures at UB.

Wireless Access Points are installed on the North Campus in a variety of locations, including Bell 101, Capen Cybraries, the Law Library on the second and fourth floors, the Student Union, Center for the Arts atrium, and Cybraries on the second and third floors of Lockwood Library. Wireless Access Point locations on the South Campus include the basement, first, and second floors of Abbott Hall in the Health Sciences Library.

Wireless Network Cards should be installed according to manufacturers' directions. The SSID should be set to broadcast (blank) whenever possible. If this is not possible, the option Any should be selected. Wireless clients that are not capable of using the broadcast SSID will need to set the SSID to UB_Wireless. Also, WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) should be disabled and the client should be configured for Infrastructure mode (as opposed to AdHoc mode), both of which are default settings for most wireless cards. Laptops need to be configured with DHCP.

If your laptop does not connect after following the instructions, you should follow the steps in the section Configuring Your Network Settings, described later in this document, and then follow the steps for Installing UBVPN.

Installing UBVPN

The UB Virtual Private Network (UBVPN) Client allows you to securely connect to the wireless OpenPort network. The UBVPN Client is available on the Tech Tools CD, or you can download it from http://wings.buffalo.edu/computing/software/. Click on the link for Windows downloads, and select UBVPN from the list of available downloads.

  1. Click Next to start the installation process.
    Begin Installation
  2. Read the License Agreement. Click Yes to continue.
    License agreement
  3. Choose the directory in which you wish to install the UBVPN Client. The default directory is recommended. Click Next.
    Install program location
  4. Choose the location in which you want the program folders to be installed. Click Next.
    Program Folder
  5. UBVPN will install.
    Installing
  6. When the installation is complete you will be asked if you want to restart your computer. Select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Close all applications and save your work. Click Finish to complete the installation and restart your machine.
    Restart - Installation Complete

Establishing Connections In Wireless Access Zones

To use the UBVPN Client, you must be within range of a Wireless Access Point.

Note

Using the UBVPN service will result in all traffic being encrypted across the inherently insecure wireless network.

  1. Select Start, Programs, University at Buffalo VPN Client, VPN Dialer.
  2. Select oncampus.
    vpn dialer
  3. Click Connect.
  4. Enter your UBITName and Password. Click OK.
    enter username and pasword
  5. Click Continue to connect.
    timeout

The UBVPN session will time out after three hours of on-campus inactivity. If the UBVPN times out and your IPSec connection is terminated, click OK and bring up the UBVPN Dialer again.

Important: Power management modes differ from OS to OS, and from laptop to laptop. When your computer goes into sleep mode, the Network Interface Card (NIC) loses power and will drop your Internet connection with no warning message. You must stop and restart the UBVPN Client in order to reconnect.

Disconnecting From UBVPN

When you are finished accessing UB's network and want to disconnect from the UBVPN, right-click the UBVPN icon (which resembles a padlock) in the System Tray of the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Select Disconnect.
Disconnect

Uninstalling the UBVPN Client

To uninstall the UBVPN Client, select Start, Programs, University at Buffalo VPN Client, then Uninstall VPN.

Wired Connections on OpenPort

To use OpenPort, you need the following:

  • A 10/100 Ethernet adapter suitable for your computer
  • A category 5 Ethernet cable

    Note

    The configuration and connection instructions for using OpenPort are the same as ResNet.

If your Ethernet adapter is not installed and you do not feel comfortable installing it, or if you encounter problems during installation, contact UBMicro, UB Commons Suite 109, at (716) 645-3554.

Configuring Your Network Settings

Follow these instructions if you have a wireless card and your connection did not work after following the wireless instructions, or if you want to configure your computer for a wired OpenPort connection. You only need to follow these directions once.

  1. Click Start, then Settings, and then Control Panel.
    control panel
  2. Double-click the Network and Dial-up Connections icon.
  3. Double-click on the Make New Connection icon to start the Network Connection Wizard.
    Network and Dial up connections
  4. From the Network Connection Wizard window, click Next.
    network connection wizard
  5. Select the Dial-up to the Internet option and click Next.
    connection type
  6. Select the option labeled I want to set up my Internet connection manually, or I want to connect through a local area network (LAN) and click Next.
    Internet Connection wizard
  7. Select the option labeled I connect through a local area network (LAN) and click Next.
    Internet connection type
  8. Click Next.
    Connection configuration
  9. When asked if you would like to set up an email account, select No and click Next.
  10. Look for the box labeled To connect to the Internet immediately, select this box and then click Finish. Make sure this box is not checked, and click Finish.
    Complete

Configuring the TCP/IP Stack

  1. Right-click on the Local Area Connection icon in the Network and Dial-up Connections window, and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
  2. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties.
  3. Make sure that the options Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically are both selected. Click OK twice.

Your computer is now properly configured.

Establishing Your Wired OpenPort connection

Each time you want to connect from a wired OpenPort connection to the Internet to use software such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, SSH Secure Shell, WS_FTP, or Mulberry you must follow these directions.

  1. Start a web browser.
  2. When your web browser first attempts to contact a webpage outside of the OpenPort domain, you will be presented with a login window.
  3. Enter your UBITName and Password and click OK.
    4. user authentication

If the authentication is successful, your web browser will continue to load the page you originally requested. Otherwise, the web browser will display Access Denied. In such a case, you will have to attempt to re-authenticate with a valid UBITName and Password.

You do not need to sign off from the firewall.