Wireless Network The back story of our Wireless (reading will help you understand what is going on in the building): At Robeson we have a non-broadcasting wireless network. This means that if you are using a laptop (or any wireless device) and you look for available wireless networks, you will not see our network listed. In order to connect to the network you must manually enter the connection settings for your computer/device. The steps to complete to get connected vary depending upon the operating system of the computer or for the type of device you are using. Wireless networks that most people are accustomed to use a network name (referred to as the SSID) and a network key (or password). This setup is designed to prevent unwanted computers/devices from connecting to the wireless network. Our wireless network does not use this method of authentication. We use an even more secure method for authenticating devices on the network. Each device must install a small file, known as a certificate, which is then used in the authentication process. To gain access to the network you have to enter a legitimate username and password. This means there is no single password to gain access to the wireless network. You have to possess a CPS account in order to log in with the certificate. So from a network security stand point, this method is far more secure because individual user accounts can be disabled and that person would no longer be able to access the network. If we had a single network key, and we wanted to deny access to a single user, we d have to change the network key, which would affect everyone else on the network. Having a user authentication method does have a couple drawbacks however. First, if you are not a CPS employee and/or do not have a CPS user account you cannot access the wireless network unless someone else logs in for you (Which would violate the purpose of having of individual user accounts, plus this account info isn t always saved permanently so this may be a temporary fix). Second, you have to have an updated operating system (at least Windows XP service pack 3) to be compatible. Finally, some users have experienced issues authenticating their user names despite having successfully logged in to CPS assets before. As a solution to the aforementioned issues with the wireless network, we have a secondary wireless network which uses the older single network password authentication method. This is our guest network that is intended to satisfy the internet needs of any guest that visits our building. Of course there is a small downside to using the guest network, you cannot access any CPS website or application (such as IMPACT). By isolating guests away from CPS assets security is maintained, but guests can access the rest of the Internet freely. Having said all that, I will share with you my experience with both networks (CPS and guest). In some cases I have experienced connectivity issues. I have witnessed computers configured correctly unable to connect to the wireless network. I have experienced a laptop that had previously been connected for several days in a row, mysteriously being unable to connect on a random day that follows that string of days being connected. I have knowledge of a user whose user account simply does not work, yet it works when using IMPACT or Gradebook (i.e. her user name and password are correct but the wireless authentication fails every time as if her information was incorrect). I have seen a computer that was working on the CPS network, then being attached to the guest network and not being able to reconnect to the CPS network again. Ultimately, when the system works, it works fine. When it doesn t, there doesn t seem to be any rhyme or reason for the failure. In cases like these, all you can hope to do is to delete the settings and try again.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONNECTING TO THE GUEST NETWORK (SSID: CPS51608) ON WINDOWS SYSTEMS Remember, this setup will not give you access to any CPS website or online application. Windows XP users: 1. Right-click on the wireless signal icon and select View Available Wireless Networks 2. Click Change advanced settings 3. Click the tab labeled Wireless Networks at the top 4. In the Preferred Networks area, click the Add button 5. In the Network name (SSID) box enter: CPS51608 6. Check the box under the network name line that says, Connect even if this network is not broadcasting 7. Uncheck the box towards the bottom that says, The key is provided for me automatically 8. Change the Network Authentication to: WPA2-PSK (leave Data Encryption as AES) 9. Enter the following into both the Network Key line and the Confirm Network Key line (note: the key is case sensitive so you must enter the capital and lower case letters correctly): a. *RoB*high*535 10. Click OK, then click OK again on the Wireless Network Connection Properties window 11. Your wireless signal should automatically connect to CPS15608 (our guest network) and it should now be listed in your Available Wireless Networks list (you may need to refresh the list) Windows 7 users: 1. Right-click on the wireless signal icon and select Open Network and Sharing Center 2. Click Manage Wireless Networks on the left pane 3. Click Add and choose Manually create a network profile 4. In the Network name box enter: CPS51608 5. For Security Type, select WPA2-Personal from the drop-down list (leave Encryption as AES) 6. In the Security Key line enter: *RoB*high*535 7. Check both boxes for: Start this connection automatically and Connect even if the network is not broadcasting 8. Click Next (you should see, Successfully added CPS15608 ) 9. Click Close, then close the Manage Wireless Networks window 10. Your wireless signal should automatically connect to CPS15608 (our guest network) and it should now be listed in your Available Wireless Networks list (you may need to refresh the list)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONNECTING TO THE CPS ENTERPRISE WIRELESS (SSID: CPS) ON WINDOWS SYSTEMS Until you download and install the proper certificate to your computer, you will not be able to connect to CPS wireless nor will you have the CPS certificate available. Windows XP users: Method 1: Super Easy Automated Method 2. Go to: http://robeson-adm01 3. Log in using your CPS username and password 4. Click on the News link at the top 5. Click More News at the bottom left 6. Under CPS (RADIUS) and CPSWIRELESS (WEP) wireless configuration, click the link for Configuration utility for CPS (radius) and CPSWIRELESS (WEP) 7. Choose Run (twice) to open the configuration utility. 8. You will be asked a question about how users will log in to the computer. a. Click Yes if you log in to the computer using your CPS credentials (if it s a CPS computer you are probably doing this) b. Click No if you do not use your CPS credentials (if this is your personal laptop you would choose this option) 9. Allow the configuration utility to complete, it may take a minute or so, and you will come to a screen that states, Auto configuration was successful! Click OK 10. Windows will now attempt to connect the CPS (radius) wireless signal. You will eventually need to enter your credentials (username, password, and domain) to authenticate your connection a. If you do not get the credentials window to pop-up, go back to your available wireless networks window and disconnect/reconnect to the CPS signal Method 2: Advanced Manual Method 2. Go to https://certificates.admin.cps.k12.il.us/certsrv/ to download the CA Certificate Chain. You will be able to login using your CPS credentials 3. Once logged in, click the link: Download a CA certificate chain or CRL 4. Click on the link Install CA certificate chain then save the download to your computer 5. Once downloaded, double-click on the downloaded file and choose Yes to install the certificate on your computer 6. Once installation is complete your web browser will be redirected to a page stating, The CA certificate chain has been successfully installed 7. You are ready to configure your wireless signal manually 8. Right-click on the wireless network icon and select View Available Wireless Networks 9. Click on Change advanced settings under Related Tasks 10. Select the Wireless Networks tab at the top, and click Add a. Note: if you are using third party wireless network management software you cannot follow the rest of the steps. Uninstall that software and use the built-in Windows setup 11. In the Network name box enter: CPS 12. Check the box for Connect even if this network is not broadcasting 13. For Network Authentication select WPA2 or WPA2 Enterprise (if available) and leave encryption as AES 14. Click on the Authentication tab and select Protected EAP (PEAP) under EAP type
Method 2: Advanced Manual Method continued 15. Click the Properties button (you will see this) a. Enter the server information shown below, and check the box for CPS-root b. 16. Click the Configure button a. If you use your CPS credentials to log in to the computer check the box for Automatically use my Windows logon name and password (and domain if any) b. If you do NOT use your CPS credentials (if the computer is your personal laptop for example) UNCHECK the box Automatically use my Windows logon name and password 17. Click OK through all the open screens 18. Windows will now attempt to connect to the CPS wireless network. If your machine is not a member of the domain, a bubble will pop up by the clock telling you to click on it to enter your credentials a. If you get the bubble, click on it and enter your credentials b. Remember: Without valid CPS credentials you cannot access the CPS wireless network, you must use the CPS15608 guest network instead
Windows 7 users: Note: the automated configuration utility method shown above for Windows XP is not compatible with Windows 7. As a result you must enter the connection settings manually 2. Go to https://certificates.admin.cps.k12.il.us/certsrv/ to download the CA Certificate Chain. You will be able to login using your CPS credentials 3. Once logged in, click the link: Download a CA certificate chain or CRL 4. Click on the link Install CA certificate chain then save the download to your computer 5. Once downloaded, double-click on the downloaded file and choose Yes to install the certificate on your computer 6. Once installation is complete your web browser will be redirected to a page stating, The CA certificate chain has been successfully installed 7. You are ready to configure your wireless signal manually 8. Right-click on the wireless signal icon and select Open Network and Sharing Center 9. Click Manage Wireless Networks on the left pane 10. Click Add and choose Manually create a network profile 11. In the Network name box enter: CPS 12. For Security Type, select WPA2-Enterprise from the drop-down list (leave Encryption as AES) 13. Check the boxes for both Start this connection automatically and Connect even if the network is not broadcasting 14. Click Next and choose Change connection settings 15. Click the Security tab at the top 16. Make sure Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP) is the chosen authentication method and click Settings 17. Check the boxes for Validate server certificate and Connect to these servers a. Enter the server information: radius.cps.k12.il.us b. Check the box for CPS-root under Trusted Root Certification Authorities 18. Make sure Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2) is the chosen authentication method and click Configure a. If you use your CPS credentials to log in to the computer check the box for Automatically use my Windows logon name and password (and domain if any) b. If you do NOT use your CPS credentials (if the computer is your personal laptop for example) UNCHECK the box Automatically use my Windows logon name and password 19. Click OK through all the open screens 20. Windows will now attempt to connect to the CPS wireless network. If your machine is not a member of the domain, a bubble will pop up by the clock telling you to click on it to enter your credentials a. If you get the bubble, click on it and enter your credentials b. Remember: Without valid CPS credentials you cannot access the CPS wireless network, you must use the CPS15608 guest network instead