Configuring Windows XP for the wahoo Wireless Network

This document provides configuration information for machines running Windows XP to connect to the wahoo wireless network at the University of Virginia. This connection method is intended for guests, and is not as secure as the cavalier configuration.

Requirements

  • An 802.11b compatible device managed by Windows XP (if your card is managed by proprietary vendor-supplied software you may not be able to connect but see our unsupported configuration information.)
  • Cards must be registered on the Network Registration site prior to setup. (For guests this should be done by their U. Va. sponsor)
Not all wireless cards can successfully connect to the network. In some cases upgrading the drivers for the wireless card will solve the problem. Changes made to allow connection to wahoo may interfere with connections to other networks and need to be reversed when you leave. Write down your original configuration if you change anything. Guests are encouraged to make use of any VPN resources provided by their own institutions for network data protection.

Windows XP Configuration for wahoo

  1. Open the Network Connections control panel (Start | Control Panel | Network Connections).
  2. Right-click on the icon for your wireless card (typically named Wireless Network Connection there may be a number at the end) and choose Properties.
  3. Click on the tab "Wireless Networks"If there is no Wireless Networks tab, one of the following may be the cause:
    • The wireless card is disabled (right click on the icon in the Control Panel and choose Enable)
    • The wireless card is turned off (look for a button on the keyboard, or case which turns the wireless card on or off. HP and Compaq have buttons, Dell uses Fn-F2 to toggle the device on or off)
    • The drivers for the devices are not completely installed or are corrupt
    • Windows XP needs to be updated or patched
  4. Verify that the Use Windows to configure my wireless network settings checkbox is selected. If it isn't, your card is most likely managed by other software and these instructions will not work.
  5. Below the Preferred Networks box click the Add button.
    Example Wirless Network Connection properties box. Use Windows to configure my wirless network settings checked.
  6. In the wireless network properties window enter 'wahoo' (no quotes, all lower case) in the Network Name (SSID) box.
  7. In Network Authentication select Open (some cards have radio buttons instead of the pull-down shown below)
  8. In Data encryption choose Disabled (some cards may show 'none' or use radio buttons)
  9. The remaining boxes should be blank or unchecked. Similar to the picture below.
    Wireless network properties window. Network name (SSID) filled in wahoo. Network Authentication selected Open, Data encryption selected Disabled, This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network unchecked.
  10. Click OK in the wireless network properties window (you may see a warning about network encryption being disabled, click OK) to get back to the Wireless Network Connection Properties window.
  11. If wahoo is not at the top of the Preferred networks box click on it and use the "Move up" button to move wahoo ahead of other connections. Ignore any extra networks listed.
    Example or Preferred networks portion of the Wilreless network Connection Properties window.
  12. Click OK in the Wireless Network Connection Properties window to save the changes.
  13. After a delay of a sometimes as much as 5 minutes, the connection to wahoo should be established. Rebooting sometimes speeds this process.

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