Tag Archives: wireless

Wireless Login for Windows Computers

One feature that has been requested with increasing frequency of late is the ability to log in to Windows laptops over a wireless connection, i.e. without plugging into a network cable the first time. We have been piloting a way to do this with our Circulation loaners and a wireless lab in MBH for several months now with good results.

We will be bringing this feature to standard College-owned Windows 7 laptops starting this Monday, June 6th. [UPDATE: the upgrade was successful.] After the change takes effect, you may notice the words “Windows will try to connect to MiddleburyCollege” underneath the normal login fields. What this means is that Windows will first use the credentials supplied to connect to the wireless network, and if successful, will then authenticate over the network, allowing you to login with your current username and password, whether or not you have used that device previously.

If the wireless connection should fail for some reason, for example because you are too far away from an access point for a good signal, Windows will check for cached credentials from a previous login as normal.

Please e-mail zschuetz@middlebury.edu with any questions about this change.

Sincerely,

~Zach Schuetz
Information Technology Services

Wireless Updates in January

Hello everyone,

The conclusion to our wireless network upgrade project is in sight. At the end of December, our latest configuration of the MiddleburyCollege SSID was implemented across campus. This has already been in place at our 700 Exchange Street offices for some time and the result has been positive. The final step for us is to replace Midd-standard and MCPSK with the new MiddleburyGuest network across campus (including Breadloaf) on Monday, February 1st. Before then, we encourage you to work with the Helpdesk as necessary to get connected and use MiddleburyCollege from now on. (Note that if you’ve had trouble with MiddleburyCollege in the past, it’s worth trying again; we’ve significantly altered the backend infrastructure to improve connectivity. The recent change also gives us new visibility to help diagnose common connection issues.)

To help ease the transition, on Monday, January 25th we’ll be moving the Library over to the new set of SSIDs so you can see exactly what a “post-Midd-standard” world will look like. Come stop by and check it out. In fact, we recommend having your device “forget” Midd-standard altogether so you can make sure that MiddleburyCollege works in your dorm or office, too.

We’ve anticipated some questions about this project below, but feel free to ask more in the comments. For specific connection issues, please contact the Helpdesk.

When all is said and done, what will people in different situations need to do?
Short version: Middlebury College faculty, staff and students with laptops or mobile devices will use MiddleburyCollege. Most guests will see this page which will quickly get them set up to use MiddleburyGuest. Check out our new Getting Started page for exceptions and further details.

But what about my DS/Kindle/etc.? I was counting on Midd-standard or MCPSK.
Devices like Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo DS and certain models of Kindle and Nook, as well as certain shared-use business devices, need to be manually registered. (Chromecast, AppleTV and wireless printers are not supported on our network at this time.) The good news is that you can register your device right now and when the time comes, connect your device to MiddleburyGuest for Internet access. (Note that this network will not have access to Middlebury College network resources like Middfiles. If you suspect this will not meet your needs, please contact the Helpdesk as soon as possible so we can find a solution that works for everyone.)

Sincerely,

~Zach Schuetz
Wireless Project Manager

Got Guests? Wireless Info to Share with Campus Visitors

If you are asked to help a campus visitor who would like to use our wireless network, don’t panic! Read on to learn how you can save the day… as well as help other visitors plan ahead.

A guest is on campus NOW and doesn’t have a Middlebury guest account. What should they do?

For now, the quickest route for visitors who did not create a Middlebury guest account before arriving on campus (or who created one but forgot their account password) is to connect using our Midd-standard wireless network. Contact the Technology Helpdesk (802.443.2200) to obtain the password.

I know someone who is planning a campus visit. How can I make their experience easier?

The smoothest route is to have guests follow these instructions to create a guest account prior to their arrival on campus. When they arrive on campus, they’ll simply select the MiddleburyCollege wireless network on their device then supply their guest account credentials to connect.

What can guests do LATER ON, when the new GuestAccountCreation wireless network is available?

After the GuestAccountCreation wireless network is available, visitors who did not create a guest account in advance will be able to follow these instructions to create a guest account from on campus. (Do you have frequent visitors? Here’s a handy cheat sheet you can share!)

Please note that the GuestAccountCreation wireless network is NOT yet available; we are hoping to proceed with its launch during spring break. Stay tuned for updates.

Where can I find more information about wireless?

Visit our main wireless page (http://go.middlebury.edu/wireless). You’ll find the latest scoop on our project timeline, connection specifics, instructions for guests, and more.
To learn the full details concerning our wireless project, refer to this blog post.

Wireless Updates

Hello everyone,

There was a minor technical issue that prevented us from making the wireless change planned for today (removing midd-unplugged and adding MiddleburyCollege). We are back on track to make the change tomorrow morning, March 3rd.

Further updates as events warrant. Please contact the Helpdesk (x2200) with any questions.

Sincerely,

~Zach Schuetz
Middlebury College ITS

Wireless Network Changes

Greetings!

Over the course of the next several weeks, we will be replacing the wireless networks at Middlebury. (UPDATE 03/13: The first two changes are complete. The final update is scheduled for next Wednesday, March 18th.)

What do I need to do?

Starting March 2nd, please connect to the new secure wireless network named MiddleburyCollege (like midd_secure but better). Middlebury Faculty, Staff and Students will login with your standard Middlebury username and password. Guests will need to create a Middlebury guest account and use it to connect to MiddleburyCollege. This is not a change for change’s sake – we are confident that the end result will be a wireless network that is more convenient and more secure for everyone.

Continue reading →

Wireless on campus

A new wireless network access method has been created on campus which promotes better connectivity to Middlebury resources.

The new wireless access (SSID) is: MIDD-STANDARD. Currently many users access our wireless network by turning-on their laptop and automatically connecting to midd_unplugged. Although this is an easy connection for many this particular wireless access point is becoming saturated with connections and performance is degrading. There is no security on midd_unplugged; using it puts your data at risk.

Connecting to MIDD-STANDARD will improve your networking performance, provide added security and help us reduce the loads on midd_unplugged so that our guests will continue to have a viable Internet connection when visiting.

To connect to MIDD-STANDARD you will need to contact the Helpdesk at x2200 for the key. You will then go into your wireless network console on your laptop and select MIDD-STANDARD from the list.

NOTE: if you are already on midd_secure we recommend you stay with this access. Your Middlebury sign-in credentials will be the key for access and will not change. MIDD-STANDARD’s key may change from time to time requiring you to re-authenticate to the network.

If you have any questions, please contact the Helpdesk at x2200.

Wireless coverage in Main Library

Despite the recent increase in wireless capacity in the Main Library, some users are still experiencing problems. We need to gather information about where and when the problems are occuring, so we can address them. We have a survey, available at go/libwireless to collect the information we need. If you’ve had problems using wireless in the Main Library please take a couple of minutes to complete the survey – annonymously if you like – it’ll really help us out.

Our Responses to LIS Suggestions

This semester, we’ve been using the Suggestions Board in the atrium of the Main Library to get feedback on how we might be able to save money. We’ve asked library users to tell us what’s most important and what they can do without. The most popular comments so far are, “What’s wrong with the printers?” and “Why is wireless so slow?” Our responses are now posted to Suggestions Board and the LIS Suggestions blog.