Air Terrier Setup Instructions for Macintosh OS 10.3 or later

Last modified on March 9, 2005

These instructions were created to guide you through the steps needed to configure a Macintosh computer for service on Air Terrier, Wofford's wireless network.  The screen captures in these instructions were created in the spring of 2005 using a Macintosh PowerBook G4 laptop with a built-in wireless AirPort card running MacOS X version 10.3.8.

Before you begin

* Your Macintosh must be running Macintosh OS X version 10.3 or later; earlier versions of the MacOS will not be supported.  To verify the OS X on your Macintosh go to the Apple menu and then select About this Mac and examine the information in the pop-up window similar to the screen capture below.  We strongly recommend that you also apply the latest software patches and updates released by Apple, which can be obtained by running the Software Update application found in your System Preferences manager.

* Your Mac will also need a wireless AirPort network adapter, or other compatible wireless network adapter available from companies like Asante and Cisco Systems.  If you are not sure if you have an AirPort wireless network adapter in your Macintosh then you can click the More Info... button in the About this Mac window and see information about the accessories and computer hardware of your Mac.  While the older, slower Apple AirPort adapters should be compatible with Air Terrier (in fact, this document was produced using one of the older AirPort wireless adapters) we recommend the use of an AirPort Express adapter for a faster connection and additional flexibility in the future.

* To complete these instructions you will need to login to your Mac using the Administrator's account or another account which has administrator's privileges.  For more details about administrator accounts contact your Apple technical support representative.

* You will also need to be prepared to provide your Wofford domain username and password.  This is the same username and password that you use for your Wofford e-mail account.

* Finally, though it may seem counter-intuitive, your laptop will need to be connected to a Wofford wired network jack.  The network jack in your dorm room or office will suffice.

Summary

Below is a short summary of the setup process.  There will be many individual steps and we encourage you to read each step's tasks before you actually complete the instructions.  As is often the case with any computing task, the omission of even one step could cause your Air Terrier connection to fail.

* First you will create Air Terrier, a new "Network Location" for your Macintosh.  This "Network Location" will represent the Air Terrier network when your Mac is on the Wofford campus and allow you to "change network locations" depending on whether you are at home, in your office, using a copper network port in your dorm room or using a wireless Air Terrier connection.

* Next you will create a new AirPort configuration, named My Air Terrier Wireless Connection, and choose the appropriate 802.1x security settings for this new AirPort configuration.

* In the last step you will install a security "certificate" onto your Macintosh.  This is the step where you will need your laptop connected to a Wofford campus network jack and where you will use your domain username and password.

* Finally you will reboot and test your setup.  Keep in mind that you will need to be in a location on campus that receives Air Terrier coverage for your testing to be successful.  The instructions start below.

Creating a new Network Location

1) Open the System Preferences manager, frequently available from the Dock or the Apple menu

2) In the Internet & Network section, open the Network utility.  Find the pull-down menu in the Location: field at the top of the window and choose New Location..." (similar to the example screen capture below).

3) A new pop-up window should appear.  Name your new location Air Terrier and then click OK.

4) Next find the Show: field and select AirPort from the pull-down menu as this new network location will not use any internal modem or built-in Ethernet port but it will use your AirPort wireless card.

5)  Your window utility should now appear similar to the screen capture below.  There are 3-4 tabs in the middle of this window-- "AirPort", "TCP/IP", "AppleTalk", "Proxies".  Select the TCP/IP tab and the window should change to allow you to configure the network settings for this location.  Continue to Step #6.

6) Locate the field titled Configure IPv4: and then choose Using DHCP from the pull-down menu.

7) Click the Apply Now button in the lower right corner and confirm your decision if a new pop-up window appears asking you to verify your configuration changes.  Refer to the screen captures below.  When this is done you have finished creating your new network location and you can close the Network configuration utility.  Next you will create a new AirPort configuration.

Creating a new AirPort configuration with 802.1x settings

1) Locate the AirPort icon on your Macintosh desktop.  It should be similar to the blue-highlighted "radio-waves" icon in the screen capture below.  Select Open Internet Connect... from the pull-down menu.  A new window should appear.  (Note: if Internet Connect... does not appear below the AirPort pull-down menu then you can find the Internet Connect utility in your Applications folder.)

If you get a warning message similar to the one below then your Macintosh may not have an AirPort card after all and you should contact your Apple technical support representative for assistance.

2) The screen captures below show two different methods of completing task #2.  In the Internet Connect window try to find the "padlock" icon, labeled "802.1x".  Click this icon and the window title should change to 802.1x and give you several new fields, including one called Configuration:.  If your Internet Connect window does not have a "padlock" icon then go to the Internet Connect utility's File menu and select the option New 802.1x Connection... to create a new connection.  Either of those two options should take you to a window similar to the last screen capture below.

3) From the Configuration: pull-down menu, choose Edit Configurations... and another new pop-up window should appear.

4) You will have several tasks in step #4.  In the Description: field, enter an appropriate description such as "My Air Terrier Wireless Connection" but any name which will help you remember that this is for Wofford's wireless network will suffice.  However, in the Wireless Network: field you MUST use the name Terrier...with a capital "T" and no spaces...remember that Terrier has exactly three "R's"-- two in the middle and only one at the end.  The spelling must be correct.  Near the bottom of the window, in the Authentication: field, make sure that the check-box for PEAP is selected and that all other checkboxes grouped in the Authentication: field are empty.  Once you have completed these three tasks click the OK button and you should return to the window titled 802.1x.

5) Your AirPort 802.1x configuration is now finished...HOWEVER, do not jump ahead and attempt to click the "Connect" button here; you still have more configuration work to complete.  Close/quit the Internet Connect utility and proceed to the last section which shows you how to install the security certificate.

Installing the Air Terrier security certificate

This step could get tricky.  You will retrieve a file from a public area of Wofford's networked "NAS" disk.  This file is a security certificate that needs to be installed on your Macintosh so that hackers cannot trick you into supplying your Wofford domain username and password to a non-Wofford wireless network.

1) Make sure that your Macintosh has a working connection to Wofford's campus network, just as if you were going to check your Wofford e-mail or browse the Internet from on-campus.

2) From the Go menu on your Mac desktop, select Connect to Server... and a new pop-up window should appear.

2) In the Server Address: field near the top, type-in the exact address phrase highlighted below.  As you've probably noticed it is not quite as simple as a website address (a Microsoft thing, not an Apple thing), but there are only two "gotchas" to avoid-- make sure that the "slashes" are angled in the correct direction (hint-- find your question-mark key) and notice that while it is a colon that follows the letters "smb" it is a semi-colon that appears between the words "wofford" and "nas".  Double-check your spellings and slashes and then click the Connect button, whereupon a smaller status window should appear informing you that a connection attempt is underway.

3) After a few moments you should be prompted with an authentication window similar to the screen capture below.  Make sure that the Workgroup/Domain field shows "Wofford" and then enter your Wofford (rather than your Macintosh laptop account) domain username and password in the next two fields.  Then click OK.

4) If you entered your username and password correctly a new window should appear showing part of the networked "NAS" disk drive.  A file named Air Terrier Wireless Certificate should be visible.  Copy this file from this folder to a convenient location on your Macintosh because you'll be needing this file again very soon.

5) Once you are sure that the file was successfully copied to your Mac, find the icon on your desktop and drag it to your Macintosh TrashCan.  When this icon reaches your Mac TrashCan a triangular-shaped icon labeled Disconnect should appear as you close your connection to the networked "NAS" drive.

6) Now return to the place where you copied the certificate file back in step #4.  You will now install/add this certificate to your Macintosh keychain by double-clicking the Air Terrier Wireless Certificate file.  A window similar to the screen captures below should appear.  Remember, this step could get tricky, so scroll ahead and look at some of the screen captures before continuing.

7) Hopefully a new pop-up window appeared similar to the screen capture below, asking you if you want to add the certificate Air Terrier Wireless Certificate.cer to a keychain.  Notice that there is a field named Keychain: in this pop-up window.  You may need to choose the appropriate keychain from the pull-down menu in the Keychain: field, but for most people the keychain will be associated with the Macintosh user-account that you normally use to login to your Mac on a day-to-day basis.  I'm afraid that if you have difficulty with this section then I can only refer you to your Macintosh's on-line help (for an example, click here) or to your Apple technical support representative.  Any Macintosh user who can provide assistance making this step easier, or more clear, is encouraged to contact the Wofford Help Desk.

8) If the certificate was successfully installed, then you can now reboot your Macintosh and move to an Air-Terrier supported building and test your efforts.  Continue to the final section below.

Testing and using your Air Terrier connection

1) To test and use your Air Terrier connection, find the AirPort icon on your Macintosh desktop and then select Internet Connect... from its pull-down menu.

2) Click on the "padlock" icon labeled 802.1x and select your Air Terrier connection from the Configuration: field.  Then click the Connect button and wait for the username and password pop-up window to appear.

3) Please read through this long, wordy step carefully.  Provide your Wofford domain username and password and then click OK.  If your configuration as well as your username and password are correct, then the Connect button should change to a Disconnect button and the lower-left corner of the window should give you "Status" information about your connection.  It is possible that you will see a complicated-looking pop-up window which informs you that authentication failed because a security certificate is not trusted.  Do not be alarmed; this is just a window warning you to be careful giving out your username and password.  Scroll through this certificate-alert pop-up window and verify that the certificate alert comes from salieri.wofford.int and that the name of the certificate is Air Terrier for Wofford College.  Click the Accept all button which tells your Macintosh to permanently trust Air Terrier to carefully use your Wofford username and password for login purposes.  If you ever see this kind of pop-up message in the future while connecting to Air Terrier then there is a good chance that someone sinister is attempting to trick you out of your Wofford username and password and you should notify the Wofford Help Desk.  The screen captures below should make this step easier to understand.