How to add your own private wireless service at your AUB on campus apartment

Transcription

1 How to add your own private wireless service at your AUB on campus apartment The objective of this document is to assist you in buying, configuring, and installing your own private wireless service at your AUB on campus apartment. Contact for Help and Support Contents Introduction... 2 Pre-requisites... 2 Physical Installation... 3 Configuration... 3 Setting up and securing your wireless network:... 3 Configuring client computer... 6

2 Introduction AUB wireless services, AUBwlan and AUBdot1x, cover the majority of AUB campus and Medical Center, however, these services do not extend into Faculty Apartments I, II, III and Harriri Building as directed by AUB administration. The option is left in these buildings to the tenants themselves to add their own private wireless connections within their apartments. CNS has configured the network infrastructure in these buildings to provision for the addition of private wireless routers (routers are preferred over Access Points since they provide higher security and more features/services). The objective of this document is to assist you in buying, configuring, and installing your own private wireless service at your AUB on campus apartment. Pre-requisites To get your wireless network off the ground, you will need to: 1. Buy a wireless router: CNS prefers you buying the Linksys WRT-54GL wireless router, given CNS familiarity with this product and its operating system, hence its increased ability to support you. Figure 1: Front view of a Linksys wireless router 2. Have a laptop or PDA equipped with a wireless network adapter. A laptop or PDA with any operating system (Windows, Windows Mobile, MacOS, Linux, Symbian etc.) should be able to connect. 2

3 Physical Installation Choose the best location for your router: The following criteria should be followed in choosing the location of the wireless router: 1. Proximity to the data socket inside the apartment to insure shortest possible data cable between the wireless router and the data socket. 2. Centricity within your apartment to insure good signal level coverage over the apartment. You can always change the location to insure the best possible coverage. 3. Visibility of antennas to insure good signal level. Do not hide the wireless router inside a closet for example. 4. Proximity to your desktop in case you are going to use wired connections for any of your desktop systems. CNS recommends powering the router from UPS power to extend its operational life time and reduce the problems that might arise from lost configuration. Regular PC Connects a PC with a wired Ethernet card to one of the router s regular ports Wireless router Optional Router uplink port connected to socket Required to provide internet access AUB Data Socket Laptop with wireless interface card Laptop with wireless interface card Figure 2 Home network topology The last hardware step requires you to configure your router by accessing it directly through connecting an Ethernet cable to it. Access settings are relative to each router make, but the instructions should guide you there. Configuration Setting up and securing your wireless network: Usually every wireless router comes with a setup wizard that guides you through setting up the configuration for you wireless network. The following instructions on manually setting up your network and securing it may vary according to your wireless router manufacturer. The main settings that should be taken into consideration are: IP address configuration (for router and client computers) The wireless network name (SSID) The wireless network access and authentication type and password The wireless router management password 3

4 The aforementioned settings are shown in the pictures below. They may or may not be found in the same order or place on your device. Basic Router Setup Refer to figure 2 below to setup your wireless router s necessary IP address configuration settings: xxx Should be filled with the IP configuration provided to you by CNS Choose any name you like This will be the IP address of your wireless router. Keep note of this address for later use In this example, 10 is the maximum number of simultaneous users on your wireless network Figure 2 Basic IP configuration Note that DHCP server configuration is enabled, meaning that client computers will obtain their IP address configuration automatically once successfully authenticated on your wireless network. 4

5 Basic Wireless Settings Figure 3 below shows how to choose a name for your wireless network. The wireless channel should be set to either one of the following: 3, 4, 8, or 9. yournetworkname This will be the name of your wireless network (the one that will be broadcasted in your apartment) You should send an to wireless.support@aub.edu.lb specifying the apartment name and the SSID used. Otherwise, the Access Point that is installed at your apartment will consider your wireless network as an interfering network and it will block access to it. Wireless Security Figure 3 Basic wireless settings Figure 4 shows how to secure your wireless network by providing users a password to use in order to connect to it. The security mode should always be set to WPA. Enter the password for your wireless network. Make sure the password is not easily compromised. You will need this password to add any computer with a wireless interface card to your network. Figure 4 Wireless security settings 5

6 Router Management Before closing the management page of your router make sure to change the login password. Keep the password in a safe place for later reference. Password to access the router s configuration Figure 5 Setting the management password for the router Configuring client computer After setting up your wireless router you now need to setup up the individual laptops to access the newly broadcasted wireless network in your apartment. Windows XP users: 1. On your desktop, right mouse click on the wireless network connection icon and click on View available wireless networks 6

7 2. In the list of available wireless networks, make sure your wireless network name (SSID) is within the list (CNShome is the apartment network in this example). 3. Double click on CNShome (your wireless network name instead) and wait for the authentication challenge. Once prompted, enter your network s secret key 4. Wait a few seconds for your wireless interface to acquire an IP address automatically. 7

8 5. After you have successfully obtained an IP address you will be connected to your new home wireless network and you can start using AUBnet services. Windows Vista users: 1. On your desktop, right mouse click on the network connections icon. 8

9 2. Locate your wireless network in the list of available wireless networks and double click on it 3. You will prompted to enter a pass key, enter the set password for your wireless network. 9

10 4. Wait for your wireless interface to obtain an IP address automatically. 5. If successfully connected, you will be prompted to choose the location of the connected wireless network. Note that the choice of location will enable specific corresponding security and firewall settings. You may choose the location as home or whatever suites you (read the captions under each location for more information). 10

11 6. After you choose the location, your laptop will be fully setup for wireless access. You can now access AUBnet services. Internet Browser Proxy settings If not configured you will need to configure your Internet browser proxy sever settings before you can browse the Internet. Note that these settings are valid only when connected within AUB and must be disabled if the laptop is connected to a wireless network other than your AUB apartment of AUBwlan/AUBdot1x. Access the settings at: Configure your Client: Follow instructions at: 11

12 Secure you Computer (must do): a. Patch your computer with the latest operating system updates ( date.html) - Failure to patch your computer with latest updates will force AUBnet systems to automatically block your access to AUBnet b. Install an antivirus software and update it regularly ( html) - Failure to install and Antivirus software and update it regularly will force AUBnet systems to automatically block your access to AUBnet c. Keep an eye on the latest virus and security threats ( d. More Protection Tips ( ntips.html) 12