Guest access on the TowsonUGuest network allows you to browse the Internet and use Towson’s Web-based resources, such as Outlook Web Access, Open Webmail, Blackboard and PeopleSoft. TowsonUwireless access gives you more security and accessibility to other resources, such as H: and O: drives. Read on to learn about hardware requirements, getting started instructions, connection speeds, troubleshooting tips and more!
Jump to:
-
Requirements
-
Recommended Wireless Adapter Cards
-
Access Instructions
-
PDAs
-
Wired v. Wireless
-
Connection Speed
-
Coverage
Laptops or PDAs used with Towson Unplugged must be 802.11b or 802.11 g compliant. For the most secure level of access, Towson recommends that your device also be 802.1x Cisco LEAP compliant. Click on the Secure Connections link in the Unplugged menu for more information on LEAP.
Most laptops and PDAs come with a wireless networking card preinstalled. If not, you will need to purchase and install one yourself. Contact your laptop or PDA's manufacturer if you are unsure whether or not your device meets the above requirements.
Recommended Wireless Adapter Cards
OTS recommends the following wireless adapter cards for use with Towson Unplugged wireless networking:
Wireless Adapter Specifications:
- To access the TowsonUguest open network - The specification for a network capable device or adapter to connect to TowsonUguest is relatively simple. The wireless card or wireless device must be compliant with the 802.11b or 802.11g network standards and must be configured successfully based on the manufacturer's instructions.
- To access the TowsonUwireless secure network – This process is a bit more complicated. TowsonUwireless connections require a network card compliant with the 802.1x and Cisco LEAP security standards. Very few wireless adapter cards currently on the market will list Cisco LEAP compatibility in their security standards. Some may have a driver upgrade to make the card compatible with LEAP or what is sometimes called “Cisco extensions." If the laptop you use was purchased with Towson University funds, contact OTS Field Services for a recommendation on the card that will work best with your laptop and the Cisco LEAP standard. Once the wireless adapter card has arrived, contact OTS Field Services to make an appointment for installation and set-up.
If all else fails, don’t worry. The Office of Technology Services provides an alternative way of connecting securely to the Towson University network. Any laptop that can access the TowsonUguest network can use the Cisco VPN client to create an encrypted connection (a.k.a tunnel) to the university’s secure network. An installer for this software application along with step-by step instructions to walk you through the install process is available on the Secure Connections page.
Confirmed compatible network cards for the TowsonUwireless network- Cisco Aironet
802.11a/b/g Wireless Carbus Adapter (PC Card)
This PC Card slot adapter is one of the most compatible wireless network adapters for the purpose of creating a secure connection via LEAP protocols to the TowsonUwireless network. http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4555/products_data_sheet09186a00801ebc29.html - Dell True Mobile
1350 MiniPCI or PCMCIA (PC Card)
Note: The MiniPCI version of this card works in Dell Latitude C6xx, Dxxx, Xxxx series laptops (i.e. C600, C640, C800, C840, D400, D500, D600, D800, X200, X300) and many Dell Inspiron laptops with a MiniPCI slot (Figure 1). The MiniPCI version of this card doesn't work on the Dell Latitude CPi, CPx laptops. The MiniPCI cards use an antenna build around the LCD screen of the laptop and typically offer better reception of wireless signals than the PC Cards that use a much smaller antenna. Also, since they are installed inside the laptop, they are more durable than the PC Cards. The TrueMobile 1350 also comes in a PC Card version (Figure 2) that will work in any laptop with a PC Card slot. http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=430-0961&c=us&l=en&cs=19&category_id=2999&page=external
Figure 1: An internal MiniPCI
wireless network adapter card
Figure 2: A PCMCIA (PC Card)
wireless network adapter card
Cards for connecting to the TowsonUguest network:
The TowsonUguest network is configured as an open-access network which broadcasts its network name (SSID). OTS suggests purchasing either an internal wireless network card or a PCMCIA (PC card) wireless network adapter that is listed as being compliant with 802.11b/g wireless networks.
Apple Mac laptop supported cards:
The Apple Airport or Airport Extreme cards are compatible with Towson Unplugged. Both cards are compatible with accessing both TowsonUguest and TowsonUwireless. To establish a connection to the TowsonUwireless network the Mac laptop must be running Mac OS 10.3 or higher.
Towson Unplugged wireless networking is composed of two networks: a guest network, known as TowsonUguest, and a secure network, known as TowsonUwireless.
Guest access on the TowsonUGuest network allows you to browse the Internet and use Towson’s Web-based resources, such as Outlook Web Access, Open Webmail, Blackboard and PeopleSoft.
-
For PC instructions, located in the OTS Training documentation library, click here (PDF file)
-
For Macintosh instructions, located in the OTS Training documentation library, click here (PDF file)
PDA users: please read the section below on PDAs.
TowsonUwireless access gives you more security and accessibility to other resources, such as H: and O: drives. If you would like to learn more, visit the Secure Connections page.
You can also read OTS Training's Wireless Summary of Services document (PDF) for more detailed information about the methods of access.
PDAs
At this time users with PDAs can only access wireless through Guest Access; configuration for the other levels of access will be supported in the future.
-
For PDA access instructions from OTS Training's library of self-help training documents, click here. (PDF)
|
TowsonU Wired Network |
Towson Unplugged Wireless Network |
|
|
Function |
Primary Campus Network |
Supplements Wired Network |
|
Speed |
High-speed Ethernet connection – 100 Mbps |
Shared connection – Up to 54 Mbps |
|
Coverage |
Entire campus |
The majority of campus except inside residence halls and obscure outdoor areas |
|
Access |
Any computer plugged into a network port on campus |
Anyone with wireless-ready laptop/PDAs |
Towson Unplugged conforms to the 802.11b and 802.11g industry standards. These standards determine the shared bandwidth provided by the wireless network when you access it.
802.11b provides 11 Mbps (megabits per second) of shared bandwidth per access point using the 2.4 GHz radio frequency. 802.11g provides 54 Mbps of shared bandwidth per access point also using the 2.4 Ghz radio frequency. Even though 802.11b and 802.11g are two different standards, they are compatible because they both work on the same frequency band. This means that you can use an 802.11b wireless adapter to access the network, but your speed will be limited to 11 Mbps rather than the 54 Mbps you could potentially have with 802.11g.
Many factors could affect your connection speed to Towson Unplugged. For example, your physical distance from an access point affects the speed. The closer you are to an access point the better, meaning you’ll get better speeds at the center of a radio zone rather than at the outskirts. Another effect on connection speed is the number of users utilizing an access point at any given time. Towson Unplugged is a shared resource, which is why the connection speed is referred to as shared bandwidth. A high number of users will cause slower speeds.
Towson Unplugged spans the entire Towson University campus except inside residence halls and obscure outdoor areas. For more detailed information, visit the Coverage page.
The following tips are designed for users with laptops. Stay tuned for PDA troubleshooting tips.
Connecting
- Verify that your wireless card (PCMCIA or SD socket) is plugged in tightly to the correct slot. You should see a light on the signal card that indicates a signal lock.
- Verify that the drivers of your wireless card were installed according to the directions of your wireless card vendor. Make sure you download and install the latest version of drivers available for your specific wireless card.
- Look for the SSID, or name, of the wireless network in your wireless card’s utility program (often an icon in the task bar), or in Windows go to Network Properties and try “Make New Connection.” Select the name TowsonUguest as the wireless network.
- For LEAP compatibility, follow the instructions found at http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/networkcom/unpluggedsecureconnections.asp.
- Make certain your device has an IP address properly connecting to the network. To do so, open a Web browser and see if a Web page loads.
Connection Speed / Signal Strength
- Some factors that affect
the quality of your connection are:
- distance from your location to the wireless access point
- number and type of walls and obstructions between you and the access point
- number of users connected to the access point at the same time
- weather conditions, such as humidity and sun spots
- If your connection is slow or your signal is weak, move to another area where you can pick up the broadcast from a different access point that perhaps less people are using or has less obstructions.
- 802.11b cards provide 11 Mbps (megabits per second) of connection speed; 802.11g cards provide 54 Mbps. If you have an 802.11b card, consider upgrading to an 802.11g card for faster speed.
- If you are using an 802.11g card and only connecting at 11Mbps, it might be due to another user connected to the same access point with an 802.11b card. Access points can only facilitate one connection speed at any given time, and the lowest speed possible for all connected users will be chosen.
- If you are using an 802.11g card and still only connecting at 11Mbps, it might be due to another user connected to the same access point with an 802.11b card. Access points can only facilitate one connection speed at any given time and the lowest speed possible for all connected users will be chosen.
- Check your signal strength. For Windows: The wireless monitor icon is located at the bottom right hand corner of your task bar. Double-click on the icon for the monitor to check the signal strength. For Macintosh: The wireless monitor icon is located on the right side of the Menu bar. Click on the Airport icon and select Internet Connect from the menu. If your signal strength is low, try moving to a different area that might receive a stronger signal. Occasionally, changing the orientation of your wireless card antenna by rotating the laptop around 90 degrees may allow you to get a better signal.
- Intermittent or slow connections are sometimes the result of interference from other electronic devices. Wireless signals operate in the 2.4 GHz radio band, so devices like 2.4 GHz telephones and microwaves may disrupt the signal. Shut off any high frequency electronic devices that you are not using.
Switching Between Wired and Wireless
- It might be hard to tell if you are using the wired or wireless network when you are plugged into a network port. In some cases, you may be using both. The safest way to determine that you are only using a wired connection is to pull the wireless card out of your computer.
- For Dell Latitude D series laptops with internal wireless cards, you can hold Fn and hit F2 to disable and re-enable the wireless card.
- Use the connection icons in
your system tray (near the clock) to determine
if you are using a wired or wireless connection.
- Go to Network Connections in the Control Panel.
- Right-click on the desired connection and select Properties.
- At the bottom of the Properties page, click “Show icon in notification area when connected.”
- Complete this process for the Local Area Connection (wired), the wireless connection and any other connections, like Cisco VPN adapter.
