Centrino-based laptops running Windows XP SP2 may use the Intel PROset software to connect to the QB3-secure WLAN. This software is often included as part of the pre-installed operating system on your laptop. The steps required to configure your computer are:
If you have problems configuring your computer or connecting to the QB3-secure network, see the Getting Help section at the end of this guide.
Note: Windows releases prior to XP are not supported.
The QB3@UCSF secure wireless infrastructure utilizes the Kerberos authentication system (named for the three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades) to verify your username and password. Kerberos accounts may be obtained from any WLAN account facilitator in Byers Hall. By default, Kerberos guest accounts are enabled for 24 hours and disabled after that. Accounts for longer periods of time, including permanent accounts for faculty and staff, may also be obtained. If you already have an account on the Resource for Biocomputing, Visualization, and Informatics (RBVI) socrates.cgl.ucsf.edu cluster, or through the UCSF Sequence Analysis and Consulting Service (SACS), then you already have a Kerberos account and you will not need an additional account. To verify your Kerberos account is active and your password working, try accessing the Kerberos account test page.
Intel PROset software provides wireless configuration for WindowsXP machines utilizing the Centrino Mobile chipset. Information (and updates) to Intel PROset are available at the Intell PROset website. To configure your computer to correctly authenticate to the QB3-secure wireless network, begin by opening your PROset software:
Once you have successfully configured and connected to the QB3-secure wireless network, reconnecting is reasonably straightforward. If you configured your laptop to automatically connect to "QB3-secure" when in range (the default), when you are in Byers Hall your laptop will immediately attempt to connect when you start up. This will result in the popup panel shown above: Wireless Network Connection. When you click on the popup, you will be presented with the Login Credentials dialog shown above.
If you have not selected "Automatically connect when in range", you wil need to right-click on the wireless icon and view the available networks. You can then select "QB3-secure" and click on the "Connect" button. This will again result in the procedure outlined in the previous paragraph.
If you have followed the configuration instructions provided here but still cannot connect to the QB3-secure network, try the following. First, verify your Kerberos account is active by accessing the Kerberos account test page. If your Kerberos account is working correctly, you should see a message that says "Kerberos authentication successful." This test can be performed from any computer, but if you are using someone else's computer you may have to restart the web browser application so that a previously cached password doesn't foul up the test. If you cannot successfully authenticate with Kerberos, then see one of the WLAN account facilitators in Byers Hall.
If you can successfully authenticate with Kerberos but still not connect to the QB3-secure network, then contact one of the WLAN support coordinators in Byers Hall. If you can connect to the QB3-secure network in some locations in Byers Hall but not others, then it may be a problem with the wireless network. In this case, contact the UCSF ITS Customer Support at 415-514-4100 Option 2, or send e-mail to itscs@its.ucsf.edu. Members of the UCSF campus community may also submit a problem report directly to ITS Customer Supoprt via the web at http://help.ucsf.edu.
