The Ohio State University
Fisher College of Business logo

Knowledge Base

Wireless Network - Frequently Asked Questions

How do I connect to the Fisher wireless network?

To ensure the highest level of security and quality of service possible, Fisher wireless network access is restricted to registered, authenticated users only. The Fisher College of Business does not offer unauthenticated, wide-open "coffee shop"-style hotspot wireless access.

  • 1. The first step in gaining access to the Fisher wireless network is to register your personal laptop. Registration is required for both wireless and fixed network access at the Fisher College of Business.
  • 2. Once registered, the next step is to create a Fisher wireless network profile and configure the profile with the appropriate settings. The following documentation is available to help you with configuring your wireless network adapter for access to the Fisher wireless network:

Who has access to the Fisher wireless network?

Essentially, any college-affiliate with a Fisher email or lab account may use the Fisher wireless network. This includes all Fisher faculty, staff, graduate and full-time undergraduate students, and visiting scholars.

Where is Fisher wireless available?

The Fisher wireless network was designed for dense, complete coverage of Fisher Hall, Gerlach Hall, Schoenbaum Hall, and Mason Hall in their entirety.

In addition, the following rooms have limited, hotspot coverage: Pfhal Hall 110a; Converse Hall 139.

For wireless coverage not operated or supported by the Fisher College of Business, check out the OSU wireless network project.

What are the software requirements to connect to the Fisher wireless network?

The Fisher wireless network requires an 802.1x client supplicant that supports EAP/TTLS and the PAP authentication protocol.

Beginning in Spring Quarter of 2006, a minimum of Wi-Fi Protected Access v1 (WPA, or WPA-Enterprise) network authentication and TKIP data encryption is required, while Wi-Fi Protected Access v2 (WPA2, or WPA2-Enterprise) network authentication and AES data encryption is highly recommended but not required. Open and WPA Pre-Shared Key (WPA-PSK, or WPA-Personal) network authentication and static or dynamic WEP data encryption is no longer supported on the Fisher wireless network.

What versions of Microsoft Windows are supported?

Older versions of Microsoft Windows (Windows 95, 98, ME, and 2000) are not supported at all. Microsoft has announced the end-of-life for Windows 95 and 98, with Windows ME and Windows 2000 to soon follow. As such, Microsoft-supplied product updates, including critical security patches, have ceased altogether.

Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista are fully supported.

What versions of Mac OS are supported?

Currently, only Mac OS X v10.3 Panther and v10.4 Tiger are supported.

What PDAs are supported?

Certain devices running the following mobile PDA operating systems have been known to be compatible with the Fisher wireless network:

  • Palm T|X running Palm OS 5
  • Microsoft Pocket PC 2003
  • Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 SE
  • Microsoft Windows Mobile 5

In particular, IT Services has successfully tested the following specific PDA devices:

Palm has released updated security software that will allow at least Palm T|X devices to join the Fisher wireless network. However, no other Palm-based PDAs are supported on the Fisher wireless network.

PDAs vary wildly from device to device. For inquiries into the compatibility, registration, or configuration of a PDA, please contact the Helpdesk for an appointment.

How secure is the Fisher wireless network?

Please note that wireless networks are inherently less secure than fixed wired networks. The Fisher wireless network is provided as a convenient extension/enhancement to the already extensive fixed wired network. IT Services has made every effort to design the wireless network to maximize security and privacy without losing the convenience which wireless technology has to offer. The use of the 802.1x and WPA/WPA2 standards aligns us with industry best practices and significantly reduces some of the risk associated with wireless networks. Nonetheless, it is highly recommended that the fixed wired network is used whenever possible.

Also watch out for AdHoc, or computer-to-computer, wireless networks. It can be easy to be fooled into thinking you are authenticating to the Fisher wireless network, but in reality you are sending your Fisher username and password to another laptop. The current Fisher wireless security settings, if followed according to the provided documentation, are specifically designed to help mitigate such risks.

What does 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11i mean, anyway? Which does the Fisher wireless network support?

These are the technical names for standards defining different, but related, types of wireless local area networks (WLANs) and WLAN security, derived from the IEEE working group for WLAN Standards.

The Fisher College wireless network supports both 802.11b and 802.11g. 802.11g is newer technology, and can theoretically support connection speeds much faster and more reliably than 802.11b under ideal conditions. At this time, 802.11a connections are not available in the Fisher wireless network.

802.11i is the formal IEEE standard of which the industry has labeled Wi-Fi Protected Acces v2 (WPA2).

For a more detailed technical description of these standards, read 802.11 Alphabet Soup by Jim Geier at Wi-Fi Planet.

What were the recent changes to the Fisher wireless network?

  1. On March 19, 2006, the original wireless digital certificate expired.
  2. On March 19, 2006, the old "fcob" and "fcob_wpa" wireless network SSIDs were taken offline.
  3. Beginning Spring Quarter 2006, Open network authentication and static or dynamic WEP data encryption is no longer supported.
  4. W-iFi Protected Access v1 (WPA, or WPA-Entperprise) network authentication and TKIP data encryption is required. However, Wi-Fi Protected Access v2 (WPA2, or WPA2-Enterprise) network authentication and AES data encryption is highly recommended.

How do I know if I need the SecureW2 client?

  1. The SecureW2 client is only for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and some PDAs.
  2. If Windows XP is controlling your wireless network adapter, you need the SecureW2 client. To find out how to check this:
    1. Click the Start button.
    2. Click the Control Panel menu item.
    3. Click Network and Internet Connections.
    4. Click Network Connections
    5. Find the icon representing your wireless network adapter (usually labeled Wireless Network Connection), and right-click the icon and select Properties.
    6. Click the Wireless Networks tab.
      • If the check-box labled Use Windows to configure my network settings is checked, then you need the SecureW2 client.
      • Otherwise, if that box is not checked, or the Wireless tab is missing, something else is controlling your wireless network device.

I've followed the Windows XP + SecureW2 tutorial, but I still can't connect!
Please verify the following settings:

  1. Click the Start button.
  2. Click the Control Panel menu item.
  3. Click Network and Internet Connections.
  4. Click Network Connections
  5. Find the icon representing your wireless network adapter (usually labeled Wireless Network Connection), and right-click the icon and select Properties.
  6. Click the Wireless Networks tab.
  7. Click to highlight the "fisher" wireless network profile and click the Propterties button.
  9. Verify that the "fisher" wireless profile is configured to use one of the following combinations:
    • Network Authentication = WPA and Data Encryption = TKIP OR...
    • Network Authentication = WPA2 and Data Encryption = AES
  11. Click the Authentication tab.
  12. Is SecureW2 selected in the EAP type box?
    • Yes - skip to Step 14.
    • No - Click the EAP type drop-down box. Is SecureW2 an available option?
      • No - Try walking through the Windows XP + SecureW2 Client tutorial again, or contact the Helpdesk.
      • Yes - Select SecureW2 and click the Properties button.
        • Click the drop-down box labeled Profile and select fisher
        • Click the OKbutton.
  14. Click the OK button to save changes to the "fisher" wireless network profile.
  15. Click the OK button to save changes to the Wireless Network Connection properties
  16. Make sure you are entering your Fisher username (lastname_#) and password.

Where can I find help?

If you cannot find the answer to your problem in the Fisher Knowledge Base, always feel free to contact the Helpdesk.

IT Services offers walk-in laptop support daily from 12:30pm-1:30pm in 320 Mason Hall while classes are in session, or by appointment if you have a work or class conflict.