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Documentation

Mobile Computing for Mac OS X

Introduction

OpenPort is an open access, on-campus network. The OpenPort network includes network jacks in the Cybraries and University Libraries, as well as on-campus Wireless Internet Zones. 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.

Wireless Access Points are installed on the North Campus in a variety of locations, including Bell 101, Capen Cybraries, the second and fourth floors of the Law Library, the Student Union, the Center for the Arts atrium, the Cybraries on the second and third floors of Lockwood Library, Alumni Arena, and the Natural Sciences Complex. Wireless Access Point locations on the South Campus include the Diefendorf Complex, and the basement, first and second floors of Abbott Hall in the Health Sciences Library. For a complete list of wireless sites, visit
http://ubit.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 cards.

If your laptop does not connect after following the instructions, you should follow the steps in the section Configuring the TCP/IP Stack, and then follow the steps for Installing UBVPN.

Obtaining UBVPN for Mac OS X 10.4

1. Obtain the UBVPN Client from the UB Tech Tools CD, or visit the UB Software Downloads page at http://ubit.buffalo.edu/software.
   
2. Select Save to Disk, then click OK.
3. The CiscoVPNClient installer will appear on the Desktop. Double-click on the installer.
   
4. Double-click on the Cisco VPN Client.mpkg file.
   
5. Click Continue when the notice about installing the software appears.
   
6. Click Continue to install the UBVPN Client.
   
7. Read the Software License Agreement. Click Continue.
   
8. Click Agree to continue.
   
9. Select your Hard Disk. Click Continue.
   
10. Click Install to install the Client into your Applications folder.
    
11. Enter your computer's Administrator username and password. Click OK.
    
12. Please wait while the program installs onto your computer.
    
13. Once the installation is complete, click Close.
    

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 Client 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. Launch the UBVPN Client by clicking on the alias made during installation or else double-click Macintosh HD, click Applications, then select VPNClient.
   
2. Select oncampus from the Connection Entries choices, then click Connect.
   
3. A new window will appear. Enter your UBITName and Password into the Username and Password fields, respectively, then click OK.
   
4. A UB banner will appear. Click Continue to connect.
   
   

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

If your computer is unable to connect to the wireless network, follow the steps in the section Configuring the TCP/IP Stack, then follow these steps again.

Power management modes differ from OS to OS, 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.

Disconnecting from UBVPN

When you have finished accessing UB's network and want to disconnect from UBVPN, click the Disconnect button located on the top left-hand side of the UBVPN window. (It is located in the same spot that the Connect button was located.)

Uninstalling the UBVPN Client

To uninstall the UBVPN Client, launch the Terminal, located in the Utilities folder in the Applications folder. When the Terminal opens, enter:
sudo /usr/local/bin/vpn_uninstall

Enter your Administrator password when prompted to do so, then enter yes and press Return to uninstall the UBVPN Client.

Enter yes and press Return to remove all profiles and certificates.

The UBVPN Client will uninstall. When it is complete, you can close the Terminal.

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 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 Wired OpenPort

Follow these instructions in order to configure your computer for a wired OpenPort connection. You only need to follow these directions once.

1. Select System Preferences from the Dock, then open Network.
2. Click Location, then select New Location from the pull-down menu.
   
3. Enter a location name (e.g., OpenPort) into the Name your new location field.
   
4. Click Show, then select Built-in Ethernet from the pull-down menu.
   

Configuring the TCP/IP Stack

Follow these instructions if you have either 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. Select the TCP/IP tab.
2. Select Using DHCP from the Configure IPv4 pull-down menu. If you are using Mac OS X version 10.2, the Configure IPv4 option is labeled Configure.
   
3. Click once in the Search Domains text box, then remove any information already present.
4. Enter the following domain names in the Search Domains text box:
   buffalo.edu
   acsu.buffalo.edu
   resnet.buffalo.edu
   openport.buffalo.edu
   cse.buffalo.edu
   eng.buffalo.edu
5. Click Apply Now to keep the changes you have made.
   

Establishing Your Wired OpenPort Connection

Your computer is now properly configured. Each time you want to use a wired connection to connect to the Internet and use software such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Fugu, 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. 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 have finished accessing the Internet.

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