Computing & Communications Center
Network Operations

OS X

WPA Wireless Installation

Please note that along with other various enhancements and import bug fixes, the patches released by Apple include important enhancements to the wireless subsystem. Therefore, we highly recommend that you ensure that your Apple system is fully up to with all patches before proceeding with these directions.

Requirements

NOTE - Your wireless card needs to be registered through WPI Network Registration (http://netreg.wpi.edu/) prior to working on the WPI Wireless Network.

  1. Make sure your wireless card is registered through WPI Network Registration (http://netreg.wpi.edu/). Select [Register New Machine], then choose Wireless: Mobile Wireless Systems from the IP Range list.
  2. Download the Wireless User and Network Operations CA files from the secure download page. You will also need the password there to unlock the certificate file.
  3. Open a Finder window. Navigate to the Applications folder, and then the Utilities folder. Find and launch the Keychain Access application.
  4. Select File -> Import.
  5. Select the netops-ca.cer file to import, and X509Anchors for the Keychain. If there is more than one CA file, repeat for each one.
  6. The WPI NetOps CA certificate should now appear in the list of certificates in the X509Anchors keychain.
  7. Select File -> Import again. This time, select the Wireless-User.p12 file to import and login for the keychain. When prompted, put in the password for the certificate from the secure download page.
  8. The Wireless User 05-06 certificate should now appear in the login keychain.
  9. Launch Internet Connect from the Applications folder.
  10. From the menu, select File -> New 802.1X Connection
  11. From the Configuration list, select Edit Configurations.
  12. Create a new configuration with a name of your choice, such as WPI. The values should be:
    • Network Port: AirPort
    • User Name: left blank
    • Password: left blank
    • Wireless Network: WPI-Wireless
    • Authentication: TLS checked, all others unchecked

  13. While TLS in the Authentication list is highlighted, click the Configure button and ensure that the Wireless User 05-06 certificate is selected.
  14. Click Ok out of the dialog boxes, and then close Internet Connect.
  15. The first time that you attempt to use certificate authentication, you may be presented with a dialog box asking for permission to use the Keychain. You should select Always Allow
  16. The first time that you connect to the network, you should be presented with a dialog box warning that the server certificate is untrusted.
  17. Select Show Certificate and ensure that the server certificate is named WPI NetOps Radius Server, and is signed by the WPI NetOps CA certificate.
    If the certificate is named differently, or is not signed by the correct CA, you are attempting to a network that is falsely claiming to be the WPI wireless network. This is likely to be a malicious attempt to fool users into connecting to an attackers network, and should be reported to WPI Network Operations imediatelly.
Your computer should now automatically connect to the WPI-Wireless network.
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.edu
Last modified: Aug 01, 2011, 14:08 EDT
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CCC Network Operations - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Phone: +1-508-831-6666 - Fax: +1-508-831-6669 - netops@wpi.edu