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Documentation

Mobile Computing for Windows XP

Introduction

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

Wireless Connections

To use UBWireless, you must have a wireless network card installed in 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 wireless 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. For a complete list of Wireless Internet Zones, visit
http://www.cit.buffalo.edu/ubwireless.

Wireless network cards should be installed according to manufacturers' directions. The SSID field 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 network cards. Laptops must 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, and then follow the steps for Installing UBVPN.

Installing UBVPN

The UB Virtual Private Network (UBVPN) Client allows you to securely connect to Wireless Internet Zones on campus. It also allows you to securely access UB resources while off campus when connected from third-party Internet Service Providers (ISPs) such as Time Warner Road Runner and Verizon. It cannot be used from within ResNet, wired offices on campus, wired OpenPort connections, or dial-up to UB (UB PPP).

You may see an unsigned driver warning message on Windows XP if you have not applied any of the Service Packs. Click through the message or avoid it by running Windows Update and applying all critical updates and Service Packs.

1. If you are obtaining the UBVPN Client from the UB Tech Tools 2006 CD, continue to step 3. Otherwise, visit the UB Tech Tools Software Downloads page at http://wings.buffalo.edu/computing/software.
   
2. Click Install First! under the Windows heading, then click UBVPN Client.
   
3. If you are obtaining UBVPN Client from the UB Tech Tools Software Downloads page, beside Get UBVPN there are server links labeled One through Four. Click any of these links to continue. If you are obtaining UBVPN Client from the UB Tech Tools 2006 CD, you do not need to select a download server or enter your login information. Click Get UBVPN, then continue to Step 5.
   
4. Enter your UBITName and Password, then click Log In.
   
5. Select Save to Disk, then click OK.
   
6. Click Open.
   
7. A window may appear, asking if you want to launch the UBVPN Client installer. If so, click OK.
   
8. The UB VPN installer wizard will launch. Click Run.
   
9. The UB VPN installer wizard will complete. Click Run.
   
10. Click Next to begin the installation process.
    
11. Read the License Agreement, then click Yes to continue.
    
12. Choose the directory in which you want to install the UBVPN Client. The default directory is recommended. Click Next.
    
13. Choose which program folder to install to, then click Next.
    
14. Installation for UBVPN will begin.
    
15. When the installation is complete, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now. Close all applications and save your work, then click Finish to complete the installation and restart your machine.
    

Establishing Connections in Wireless Internet Zones

To use the UBVPN Client on campus, you must be within range of a Wireless Access Point. Using the UBVPN service will result in all traffic being encrypted across the wireless network. If you do not use UBVPN, traffic will be insecure and be broadcast in clear text.

1. Click start, select All Programs, University at Buffalo VPN Client, then VPN Dialer.
2. Select oncampus.
   
3. Click Connect.
4. Enter your UBITName and Password. Click OK.
   
5. Click Continue to connect.
   

Note

Power management modes differ from Operating System to Operating System and from laptop to laptop. When your computer goes into sleep mode, the wireless network card will lose power and drop your Internet connection with no warning message. You must stop and restart the UBVPN client in order to reconnect.

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

If your computer is unable to connect to the wireless network, follow the steps in the section Configuring Your Network Settings, then follow these steps again.

Disconnecting from UBVPN

When you have finished accessing UB's network and want to disconnect from 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.

Uninstalling the UBVPN Client

To uninstall the UBVPN Client, click start, select All 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 instructions for using OpenPort are the same as for 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 network 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. Right-click on the Taskbar, then select Properties.
   
2. Click the Start Menu tab. Determine whether your computer is using the Start menu setting or the Classic Start menu setting.
   

• Start menu setting: Click start, then select Control Panel.
  
• Classic Start menu setting: Click start, select Settings, then Control Panel.
  

3. When the Control Panel opens, it will be configured for either Category view or Classic view. Using the pictures, decide which view it is configured for and follow the respective directions.

• Category view: click once on Network and Internet Connections, then click once on Network Connections.
  
• Classic view: double-click on Network Connections.
  

4. In the Network Connections window, right-click once on the icon representing your Ethernet or wireless card, below the label LAN or High Speed Internet, and left-click Properties.
   
5. In the Local Area Connection Properties window that appears, click once on TCP/IP to select it (making sure that you do not uncheck it), then click Properties.
   
6. In the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties window that appears, select the options for Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS server address automatically. Click Advanced.
   
7. Deselect the box for Register this connection's addresses in DNS.
   
8. Continue clicking OK to accept all changes until you return to the Network Connections window.

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, Mozilla, SSH Secure Shell, FileZilla, or Mulberry, you must follow these directions.

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

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, and you must attempt to re-authenticate with a valid UBITName and Password.

You do not need to sign off from the firewall once you finish accessing the Internet.

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