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Secure Wireless Setup for Windows XP

  1. Make sure that your wireless ethernet card has been installed according to the manufacturer's directions. It may already be installed.
  2. Download the supplicant, SecureW2*, by clicking HERE. You need this supplicant for Secure Wireless to function on a Windows machine. Follow the download instructions, then restart your computer and then continue below. You can also download secureW2 onto a USB from any computer and install it to your own laptop.
  3. Go to a location on campus where secure wireless networking is available. See here for more information about our project. Click on one of the links below to see a map of wireless coverage on the Barnard and Columbia campuses.
  4. Click Start, select Control Panel, change to Classic View and then double-click on the Network Connections icon.
  5. Double-click on the Wireless Network Connection icon.
  6. Click on the View Wireless Networks tab and the following Wireless Network Connection status screen will come up. You should see a Barnard College signal as well as a signal for the location you are in. For example, if you are in the Barnard Quad, you should see a signal Barnard Quad. You want to connect to this signal for a strong and secure connection. The Barnard College signal is for guest access and will restrict internet access to only specific types of traffic (for example, instant messaging clients are blocked), while the specific network will be unrestricted.
  7. Go back to the Network Connections page and right-click the Wireless Connection Icon and click Properties.
  8. Click Add on the screen below.
  9. Fill in the fields below as shown in the Association tab.
  10. Fill in the fields as shown below in the Authentication tab. Uncheck the options as shown. Note: the EAP type may not be titled as shown in the screenshot. Look for "SecureW2" in the list. Then click Properties.
  11. The SecureW2 Profile should come up. Make sure it is set to Default and then click Configure.
  12. On the Connection tab, uncheck "Use alternate outer identity".
  13. On the Certificates tab, uncheck "Verify server certificate".
  14. On the Authentication tab, make sure "Authentication method" says "PAP".
  15. On the User Account tab, make sure that "Prompt user for credentials" is checked. You do not need to enter your login information here.
  16. Click OK four times, until you are at the Wireless Network Connection prompt from step 4. Double click the SSID specific to your location (i.e. Barnard Quad, or 616) and a pop-up on the lower right-hand corner will ask you to validate your ID. Click this bubble.
  17. A login prompt will come up.
    • Barnard students: Fill in your Barnard ID and password (same as for eBear and Webmail).
    • Columbia students: Fill in your Cubmail address and password.
    • Leave the Domain field blank. Click OK.
    Click OK.
  18. When you return to your Wireless Network Connection window, you should see the secure wireless network SSID as connected and secure (shown with a symbol of a lock).
  19. You only need to go through these instructions once for the all the difference SSIDs on campus. To switch networks, find the SSID appropriate to your location, and click on it.

If you need further support in setting up your wireless connection, please contact Barnard Resnet.

*This version of SecureW2 is redistributable under the GNU General Public License