Using the Mac OS X 802.1x Client in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard

Using Mac OS X's built-in 802.1x client is different in Mac Ox X 10.5 than it is in previous Mac OS X's. This page explains how to do it. If you aren't using Leopard, see Using the Mac OS X 802.1x Client.

If your Mac doesn't have built-in wireless, you need to by a wireless card for it. You best bet is to stick with an 802.11g wireless network card, which works with the UIC Wireless network's Odyssey servers. The Mac laptops' built-in wireless also works.

Before you do anything run Software Update to update to the latest version of Leopard.

Apple menu System Preferences Software Update

You will need an Administrator ID and password to update the OS. This is very important; Leopard's ability to do 802.1x has steadily improved (from not very good) with every update.

1. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences. On the System Preferences window, click once on the Network system preference in the Internet & Network section.
   
2. Select AirPort from the list on the left.
3. In the AirPort main menu, if necessary, click Turn Airport On.
4. Also click to select Show AirPort status in menu bar, if necessary.
   
5. Click Advanced....
6. Select the TCP/IP tab; Configure IPv4 should be set to Using DHCP. If it doesn't say that, select it from the pop-up menu.
7. Select the 802.1x tab and define the configuration for UIC-Wireless.
8. Click the plus sign at the bottom of the large box on the left and select Add User Profile from the menu.
   
   When it is added to the profiles box, name it UIC or whatever you want.
   
   • User Name: your UIC userid
   • Password: your ACCC common password
   • Wireless Network: click on the down arrow and select UIC-Wireless. As I set this up, it found UIC-Wireless for me; if it doesn't for you, just type in UIC-Wireless yourself. Be sure to include the hypen.
     
   • In the Authentication box, click TTLS and click Configure....
     • For TTLS Inner Authentication:, select PAP.
     • In the Outer Identity: box, type anonymous
     • Click OK.
       
       
9. Click OK.

This uses the Airport menu from the menu bar at the top of your display; the icon is shaped like a piece of pie. When you are connected to a wireless network, the number of quarter circles in the icon indicates the strength of the connection -- the more circles, the stronger the connection.

1. Select the Airport menu from the menu bar at the top of your display; the icon is shaped like a piece of pie.
2. You might see an item that reads Turn AirPort On. If you do, select it to turn AirPort on.
3. Then select Join Other Network... from AirPort menu.
4. The top half of Enter the name of the network screen will open:
   • Type UIC-Wireless in the Network Name: box.
   • Select 802.1X WEP from the Security: dropdown list.
     
5. When you do this, the rest of the Enter the name of the network screen will open; type your netid and ACCC password in the User Name: and Password: boxes, respectively.
6. If this is the first time you've connected to UIC-Wireless, select your 802.1X: configuration, which will be UIC -- the configuration that you defined in Enable and Configure AirPort.
7. Click Remember this network only if this is your own computer and you know only you will be using it.
8. Click Join.

To disconnect from UIC-Wireless,

1. Select the Airport menu.
2. Select Turn Airport Off.

The first time you connect to UIC-Wireless, you will be asked to accept a certificate from the access point.

1. You will be prompted by the 802.1x Authentication dialog box which displays the message: "The server certificate is not trusted because there are no explicit trust settings."
2. You will have the option to choose Show Certificate, Cancel, or Continue. Do not hit Continue at this point. Instead, click Show Certificate.
3. Expand the Trust tab. Under the options When Using this Certificate, select Always Trust.
4. Enter your Mac password to confirm this change.

In theory, your wireless laptop can be configured to print to the ACCC public computing lab printers. In practice, it doesn't yet work with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, because the software that runs U-Print isn't available for Leopard yet. But they are working on it. It's worth a look now and then.

Print your jobs at any hour, day or night, pick up your output at your convenience by selecting the job(s) to be printed from a U-Print station in any public computing lab. This is the same printing system as is used with Res-Net in the dorms, and to use it, you will need to install the Res-Net Printing System client. See Res-Net Printing for links to pages with detailed instructions.