Procedure to configure Windows XP to support Universities WiFi

A. Pre-requisite
B. Installation Procedure (To be done once)
C. Connection Procedure (Connect to Universities WiFi)
D. Security Notes

A. Pre-requisite

To access Universities WiFi, you must:

• Ensure that Wi-Fi LAN Card is WPA-compliance.
• Update the latest WLAN driver from vendor .
• For HKU Portal account created before 5 June 2009, register to enable Universities WiFi access by login HKU Portal => Campus Information Services => Central IT Services => Register to use WiFi service.
• For HKU Portal account created on or after 5 June 2009, no registration is required.

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B. Installation Procedure (To be done once)

The following is a sample procedure on Windows XP PC configuration for enabling Universities WiFi:

View Screenshots

1. In Windows XP,
   • Click Windows Start.
   • Click My Network Places.
   • Under Network Tasks, click View Network Connections.
   • Right-click Wireless Network Connection.
   • Select Properties.
     
     
2. Add a wireless Profile Universities WiFi
   • In the Wireless Network Connection Properties dialogue box, click the Wireless Networks tab.
   • Check Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings.
   • Click Add.
   
   [Note: When setting up Universities WiFi access on a Dell laptop using Windows XP Wireless Configuration Utility, the Wireless Networks tab may not appear. This is due to the pre-existing Intel ProSet/Wireless Utility handling the wireless connections. To turn of Intel ProSet/Wireless Utility, right-click the Intel ProSet/Wireless wireless icon next to the clock on the system tray and click "Use Windows to manage Wi-Fi".]
   
   
3. Click the Association tab
   • Type in Universities WiFi in the Network name (SSID) field.
   • Select WPA from the Network Authentication drop-down menu.
   • Select TKIP from the Data encryption drop-down menu.
     
     
4. Click the Authentication tab
   • Select Protected EAP (PEAP) from the EAP type drop-down menu.
   • Un-check Authenticate as computer when computer information is available.
   • Un-check Authenticate as guest when user or computer information is unavailable.
   • Click Properties.
     
     
5. In the Protected EAP properties window,
• Check Validate server certificate.
• Check ‘Connect to these servers’ and type ‘802.1x.hku.hk’.
• Check Equifax Secure Certificate Authority.
  
  (Note: If you cannot find Equifax Secure Certificate Authority on your PC, please refer to procedure to download and install Equifax Secure Certificate Authority at
  http://www.itservices.hku.hk/home/networks/wifi/rootcert/ )
  
  
• Check Do no prompt user to authorize new servers or trusted certification authorities.
• Select Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2) from the Select Authentication Method drop-down menu.
• Click Configure.
  
  
6. In the EAP MSCHAPv2 Properties window,
   • Un-check Automatically use my Windows logon name and password (and domain if any).
   • Click OK twice to close the two popup windows.
     
     
     
7. Click the Connection tab
• Check Connect when this network is in range.
• Click OK twice to close the two popup windows.
  
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C. Connection Procedure (Connect to Universities WiFi)

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1. When your computer is within the range of a Universities WiFi network, you will see the wireless network connection icon in the system tray. Select and Click Universities WiFi from wireless network connection and click Connect.
   
   
2. In the Enter Credentials window,
   • Type in your HKU Portal UID in the format of UID@hku.hk in the User name field.
   • Type in your HKU Portal PIN in the Password field.
   • Leave the Logon domain blank.
   • Click OK.

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D. Security Notes

1. In Windows XP, when a user login Universities WiFi successfully, the email address and the HKU Portal UID and PIN will be cached in weakly encrypted format in Windows XP so that the UID/PIN are not required for sequential connection to Universities WiFi. While it is convenient, however, this can also be a security threat; for example, any transfer of a user’s PC to another person without clearing the cached password would potentially expose his HKU Portal UID/PIN to other people. For security sake, the Computer Centre is providing a program to remove the cached password. You can download the program file and execute the file to delete the cached password every time after connect to Universities WiFi or whenever necessary. Please note that all cached password for EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) authentication will be removed by running this program.
   
   
2. Since HKU Portal UID and PIN are employed to login at Universities WiFi, as a better password security measure, you would be asked to change your HKU Portal PIN if you have not changed it for six months.

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