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Wireless network access project

1 Wireless network access project

Overview & Background

The Wireless Networking Project has it's roots in the TAFE Online 2 Access to New Technologies (ANT) project which began in June 2006. The aim of this project was to implement a range of new technologies and conduct trials within teaching & learning environments across TAFE NSW.

In the first stage Sydney Institute received funding to purchase wireless network hardware. For the initial trial @ Ultimo it was decided by the ANT reference committee to set up a wireless lounge in DG 40 and wireless connectivity for the area in the Learnspace (the ground floor of D Block). The Lounge was Launched in June 2007 and opened for use in semester II 2007.

Since October 2007, Workforce Development have been evaluating the use of wireless technology in a range of professional development workshops in the leanspace & New Staff Inductions held in Turner Hall @ Ultimo.

In 2008 Sydney Institute in conjunction with Sydney Regional IT Services extended the roll-out of wireless coverage to all colleges. In August 2008 the wireless lounge on dg-40 was converted to a connected classroom, and while it continues to have wireless coverage it no longer serves as a dedicated lounge.

In mid 2008 Ultimo Library began trials with students and staff.

The long term plan is to have all enclosed spaces within buildings across the Institute wirelessly enabled and this has largley been acheived in 2010.

Connecting to the Sydney Institute Wireless Network

Overview

Wireless hotspots are progressively being enabled at campus locations throughout the institute. The following is a resource guide to assist you connecting to the network. This is a wiki page so if you have any suggestions or improvements please feel free to add/edit the content, if you have have questions or have experienced difficulties in connecting add them to the page discussion area.

You will need the following prior to connecting

You require your DET (portal) user name and password to connect to the wireless network
Your own personal or TAFE notebook which is wifi enabled and has the transmitter turned on
Be within range of a Sydney Institute Wireless access point
Record and save all the previous information that you are changing on your laptop. This will include your network connection settings and pop-up settings.

There are 2 ways to connect to the wireless network

Students and Staff using laptops not supplied by ITSU such as personal notebooks, netbooks or section/library notebooks where you log on using a local user name and password
Staff using laptops which have been built by ITSU using a Standard Operating Environment(SOE), which are connected to the domain and the staff member concerned has previously logged onto the network using a wired network cable and thus has their profile locally stored.

For Students and Staff using notebooks not supplied by ITSU

Enter the Proxy Address to your internet browser

Internet Explorer V7

How to add a proxy address in Internet Explorer v7:

Open Internet Explorer
Click Tools – Internet Options
Click on the Connections Tab
Click LAN Settings
Tick ‘use automatic configuration script’
Enter the following proxy in the address line: http://pac.det.nsw.edu.au/det/wireless.pac
Uncheck all other options
Click Ok

NOTE: If you have the ‘disable pop-ups’ feature enabled in your internet browser, you will need to:

Open Internet Explorer
Click Tools.- Internet Options
Click on Privacy
Select Pop up Blocker – Pop up Blocker Settings
In the ‘Address of website to allow’ field enter the following address: securelogin.arubanetworks.com
Click ‘Add’
Close the browser

Mozilla Firefox v3
How to add a proxy address in Mozilla Firefox v3:

Open Mozilla Firefox v3
Click Tools – Options
Click on the Advanced Icon
Click on the Network Tab
Click Settings
At the Bottom tick Automatic proxy configuration URL, enter the following address: http://pac.det.nsw.edu.au/det/wireless.pac
Click Ok

NOTE: If you have the ‘disable pop-ups’ feature enabled in your internet browser, you will need to:

Open Mozilla Firefox v3
Click Tools - Options
Select the Content icon
Click on the Exceptions button that corresponds with the ‘Block popup windows’ option.
In the ‘Address of website’ field enter the following address: securelogin.arubanetworks.com
Click Allow.

Close the browser

Connecting to the wireless network

Connect to the ‘SydneyInstitute’ wireless network using your usual wireless connection procedure.

Authenticating

Open the web browser and authenticate with your DET portal user name – followed by @DET if you are a DET staff member or @EDU if you are a student – and password. A new browser window with a logout link will pop-up.

If you wish to access the internet while connected you will be required to authenticate again using your DET Portal user name and password – this will occur as a separate pop-up request or through the DET Portal web site.

Disconnecting

When you have finished your session on the wireless network, log out using the link in the Logout browser window.
If you wish to connect to another network or internet connection (i.e. At home) you will need to recover your original network connection settings that may have been changed when you connected to the Sydney Institute wireless network.

Troubleshooting
If your internet browser appears to ‘freeze up’ after authentication to the wireless network, try closing it, restarting your computer and connecting again.

Watch this movie on Accessing the internet using Internet Explorer 7 via an Access Point

Watch this movie on Accessing the internet using Firefox 3.0 via an Access Point

Download a printable version of this guide

For staff using laptops which have been built by ITSU

This method of connecting to the wireless network is for staff members who use computers built by ITSU using a Standard Operating Environment(SOE) and have logged onto the wired network previously and have their current domain profile on the notebook so they can log onto their account while the computer is not connected to the network.

It provides full wireless LAN functionality with with access to team shares, printers etc. Once configured users can boot their notebooks and be on the DET network in the same way as they would if connected with a wired cable.

What you need to use this method

A notebook built by ITSU and joined to the domain
Have a wifi enabled notebook and be in range of a Sydney Instituite access point
Have the notebook wireless setting configured for automatic connection to the networt
A blue network LAN cable and a live network Socket inside TAFE

1. Connect your notebook to the network using a blue LAN cable

You will need to do this so that your domain profile is copied to the notebook and to enable the wireless network to authenticate and validate your account.

Plug your notebook into a local network socket on a TAFE campus using a blue network LAN cable
Log into the domain using your normal TAFE domain login account

2. Connecting to the wireless network

Connect to the ‘detnsw’ wireless network using your usual wireless connection procedure.

Once connected you you will need to leave the computer for a while to authenticate your identity. You may asked to enter your network password.

Once you are connected you can remove the Blue cable and test that the wireless connection works by browsing the web and linking to a team share.

When you change your domain password you will need to reconnect the notebook to the network using the LAN cable and re authenticate.

There are a range of different SOE builds on notebooks within SI make the process complicated, the more recent your laptop the better. The Winows 7 builds seem to work the best.