Richmond Wireless Frequently Asked Questions
Although connecting to Richmond Wireless Network is supposed to be easy, sometimes it's not. For those times, the information below may help you get connected and answer your technical support questions. Once you have completed registration and configuration procedures, the most basic question is:
HOW DO I USE THE WIRELESS NETWORK?
Ensure you have a signal; you should have onscreen indicators associated with your wireless connection as well as a dedicated LED (for those with external wireless cards this is on the card itself). A proper signal strength is generally achieved when within 30 meters of a Wireless Access Point. If using a directional antenna, you may need to adjust the antenna's direction.
Always be mindful to ensure you are associated to the correct Wireless Network (ruairnet or richcollwire) and that your wireless card is set to 'INFRASTRUCTURE mode' and NOT 'ADHOC mode'.
If you are using ruairnet, the first time you connect to the network a window will appear asking for your domain, username, and password. The domain is RAIUL, while the username and password are the ones you use to log in on campus. From now on you should go straight onto the internet whenever you connect.
If you are using richcollwire, you should be redirected to a Logon Page each time you start your browser. A window will appear asking if you wish to accept the Security Certificate; do so. Now log on using your standard network username and password. A pop-up 'Logged In' window will appear in the upper left of your screen; if you have a pop-up blocker, click on the notification and click 'always allow pop-ups from this site'. You should be able to now browse the internet freely. When finished, you should ALWAYS LOG OFF by selecting 'Log Off' in the pop-up window; if you fail to do so you may be locked out of the system for up to one hour.
If the information below doesn't resolve your problems visit:
WIRELESS HELPDESK SUPPORT. Evenings on Sunday to Thursday 5 to 10pm at the following venues:
Kensington, Atlantic House, Common Room |
Richmond, Housing Office (Student Affairs), Main Building |
(Note that Wireless Helpdesk Staff will be away for their meal between 7.00 and 7.30pm)
See this virtual tour to orientate yourself with Richmond University's buildings across both campuses.
A couple preliminary caveats:
Conflicting Software
An infinite combination of drivers, utilities, hardware and software configurations can prevent wireless networking from working properly. The best benchmark is if your fellow users/ residents do not share the problem then it’s possible that you have a conflict somewhere. Visit the wireless helpdesk for an opinion, if they are unable to resolve your problem by checking your settings and verifying your wireless card is functioning, then reinstalling your wireless card will be the first thing to try. If this doesn’t work, then reinstalling your copy of Windows may be your only option.
MacOS users may find FAQ information here more appropriate.
Q. How do I use the wireless network?
Q. How do I become a wireless user?
Q. What are my user name and password for the wireless network?
Q. Where can I get my laptop set up for wireless/ Antivirus and Firewall software configuration?
Q. Where can I buy computer accessories?
Q. After inputting my user details in the login screen, I get the message ‘do you want to accept a security certificate’, or if you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, it will be something along lines of ‘an unrecognised certificate’
Q. On wireless my MSN/ AIM/ Yahoo messenger software no longer works. What can I do?
Q. I am running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and unable to connect to the ‘richcollwire’ SSID, as the Wireless network setup wizard refuses to respond. (To see which version of windows you are running: go to Start, click on Run, and enter ‘winver’ in the run box.))
Q. What other internal factors may effect my wireless connection?
Q. What external factors may effect my wireless connection?
Q. How do I print on the Resnet?
Q. Can I do all the same things I can on the Richmond
Wireless Network ?
Q. How fast is Richmond Wireless Network as compared
to the Wired Network?
Q. Is Richmond Wireless Network always this fast?
Do I get the full 11 Mbps bandwidth?
Q. What if I never get 11 Mbps no matter when or
where I use Richmond Wireless Network?
Q. Where can I use Richmond Wireless Network? Is performance
the same everywhere?
Q. Is there any way for me to check signal strength
in an area?
Q. What if I find a dead spot in an area that's shown
as covered on the map?
Q. Which brand and model of wireless network card
should I get?
Q. I already have another type of card. What should
I do?
Q. Can I use Richmond Wireless Network if I run Linux?
Q. What if I have a Palm VII or Pocket PC?
Q. Where do I get the latest drivers for my wireless card and computer?
Q. What is "flashing" and do I need to do it?
Q. Can I run an Apple AirPort base station or base station software?
Q. Is any other kind of equipment banned?
How do I become a wireless user?
You must register for the service as well as configure your computer for the appropriate wireless network.
What are my user name and password for the wireless network?
They are exactly the same as they are for using the University computer labs. If you change your password in the computer lab, you will have to reenter it the next time you use wireless.
Where can I get my laptop set up for wireless/ Antivirus and Firewall software configuration?
Visit one of the Wireless Helpdesks.
Where can I buy computer accessories?
See the What to Buy link in the left menu of this page.
After inputting my user details in the login screen, I get the message ‘do you want to accept a security certificate’, or if you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer, it will be something along lines of ‘an unrecognised certificate’
Always, answer YES to this. In some browsers you will be given the option to save the certificate permanently. The fig below is the message you would see if using the Internet Explorer browser.
On wireless my MSN/ AIM/ Yahoo messenger software no longer works. What can I do?
Although these services are bandwidth hogs, none of these are currently blocked or restricted, thus if these do not work for you, it is likely that you may have a setting or software clash in your set-up which is preventing it from working. Please note, as this not academic software our staff will not support use of these services.
I am running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and unable to connect to the ‘richcollwire’ SSID, as the Wireless network setup wizard refuses to respond.
If this applies to you:
Go to Start and click on the Control Panel.
Choose Administrative Tools.
Select Services. A two-pane window comes up.
In the right-hand pane, scroll down and click Wireless Zero Configuration.
Click Stop the Service. A progress bar may come up briefly.
Click Start the Service. Again, a progress bar may come up.
Close the Services window. At this point, the connection should come back, if not Reboot.
What other internal factors may effect my wireless connection?
Make sure that you are connected to the correct SSID (Wireless network) of 'richcollwire’. Beware of ‘ADHOC’ settings.
Beware of being associated with the wrong signal, this may happen when other people’s laptops are configured incorrectly to the ‘ad-hoc’ rather than ‘infrastructure’ mode and as a result are broadcasting instead of receiving wireless signals, which causes connectivity problems not only for themselves but other wireless users in the vicinity. Ensure you own wireless card is set to ‘infrastructure’ mode, to avoid risking your data security and always use a Firewall.
Conflicting Software
An infinite combination of drivers, utilities, hardware and software configurations can prevent wireless networking from working properly. The best benchmark is if your fellow users/ residents do not share the problem then it’s possible that you have a conflict somewhere. Visit the wireless helpdesk for an opinion, if they are unable to resolve your problem by checking your settings and verifying your wireless card is functioning, then reinstalling your wireless card will be the first thing to try. If this doesn’t work, then reinstalling your copy of Windows may be your only option.
What external factors may effect my wireless connection?
Electrical Noise interference.
Be mindful of interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones and other electronic devices that generate radio noise, when these devices are in operation signal can be markedly affected.
Beware of ‘ADHOC’ settings.
As in the previous FAQ above, if you are receiving signal from any SSID (Wireless network) other than ‘richcollwire’, then remove these as they will cause you connectivity problems.
Go to the connection icon in the system tray, (usually indicated by a little icon that resembles a TV just left of the time displayed in the bottom left hand corner of the screen) and click on Properties. You will now be able to remove the incorrect associations.
To print you will need to obtain your own printer in your room. Alternatively, you can download to a storage medium (e.g. USB memory stick) and then print in the computer labs.
Can I do all the same things I can on the wired network ?
For the most part, yes. Both networks provide network connectivity; the Wired Network provides much greater speed and Richmond Wireless Network provides much greater freedom of movement. Richmond Wireless Resnet isn't for running servers because it is slower and doesn't offer the static IP addresses that departments can request for use on the Wired Network. Please note that Richmond Wireless Resnet does not replace the Wired Network, it complements it.
How fast is Richmond Wireless Resnet as compared to the Wired Network?
A lot of factors affect network speed. First, there are different speeds for each different part of the network and your connection can be no faster than the slowest part. The link between your computer and the first piece of the Wired Network equipment runs at 100 Mbps (100,000,000 bits/second vs. 56,000 bits/second for a modem). The link between your laptop computer and Richmond Wireless Network runs at 11 Mbps.
Is Richmond Wireless Resnet always this fast? Do I get the full 11 Mbps bandwidth?
No, Richmond Wireless Network's network bandwidth is shared amongst all the people who are accessing a particular AP "access point." If you're the only Richmond Wireless Network user in an area, you'll receive the full attention of the access point; if you're one of twenty, you'll be sharing that bandwidth with 19 others.
What if I never get 54 Mbps no matter when or where I use RU Wireless?
Do not be surprised, there's a lot more overhead in "packaging" data for transmission over the air than there is when using a wired connection. Likewise, you may be encountering interference that wasn't present when the network was designed. You should generally expect to get an actual network throughput at 60-70% of the maximum.
Where can I use Richmond Wireless Resnet? Is performance the same everywhere?
Refer to the Wireless Coverage Areas for more information. Throughput, also called bandwidth or just performance, decreases as you get farther from an antenna. Antennas are marked by red stars on the service map. Thus, if you are using an 802.11b card with a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps, this will drop to 5.5 Mbps, then to 2.0 Mbps and then to 1.0 Mbps as you get farther away from an antenna. Cisco claims that the 1.0 Mbps speed is available for up to 1,850 feet when outside; the IT Department has engineered the Wireless Network based on a maximum range of only 400 feet.
Is there any way for me to check signal strength in an area?
All manufacturers of wireless cards worth their salt include a monitoring tool, however mostly these are restricted to Windows platforms; thus Macintosh users cannot use them. In Windows, just point to the Orinoco icon (in the "system tray" near the clock) and wait for a moment; a small window telling you your connection speed will appear briefly. For more information, install the Orinoco Client Manager software that comes with the drivers and firmware downloads on our site.
What if I find a dead spot in an area that's shown as covered on the map?
Please let us know! In a few cases we expect dead spots that exist now to be filled in as the buildings nearby get their wireless equipment installed. But other than that, we think that the map is pretty accurate. Send mail to us at resnet@richmond.ac.uk and make sure to tell us (in the subject line) that your sending a dead spot report.
Wireless Equipment Guidelines and Support
A limited list
of other wireless cards are also recommended. Other brands may work,
but we concentrate on only a few cards just like we do on Windows
for desktop operation systems or the Microsoft Office suite for
desktop applications.
Which brand and model of wireless network card should I get?
Richmond Wireless Network was built using Cisco's wireless networking equipment and we recommended it. Nonetheless, it is still quite expensive while the wireless market has matured and now a whole range of more competitively priced products are can be found offering the best of performance and value.
I already have another type of card. What should I do?
Try it out and see if it works. Although wireless networking is new, there is an approved standard. If your card follows the same IEEE 802.11b standard it should work properly.
Can I use Richmond Wireless Network if I run Linux?
No. Richmond Wireless Network does not support the use of Linux at this time.
Richmond Wireless Network only provides service for Windows 2000 and XP families of operating systems and allow Mac OS too.
What if I have a Palm VII or Pocket PC?
The Palm VII doesn't use IEEE 802.11b for its wireless communications so it's completely incompatible with Richmond Wireless Network. Some of the Windows CE/Pocket PC devices can work with Richmond Wireless Network. We've had success with the Compaq iPag H3600, its PC Card adapter, and both the Lucent and Compaq wireless cards. Compaq providers drivers for their card at their web site; Lucent provides drivers for their card at their web site.
Where do I get the latest drivers
for my wireless card and computer?
The latest drivers for your wireless card will be and available from the manufacturers website,
you are advised to always seek the most up to date from the
web. For operating system updates visit the Windows updates site.
What is "flashing"
and do I need to do it?
Flashing is term used to describe loading new "firmware"
into a wireless card. Firmware is like the operating system of the
card. You should flash your card to make sure that you have the
latest firmware installed. Current firmware and a program to flash
it into the wireless card can be downloaded from the Getting
Started Guide downloads site.
Can I run an Apple AirPort
base station or base station software?
Can I run a home AP access point?
No, equipment and software that act as access points conflict with the Richmond Wireless Network access points. Accordingly, they are banned from campus. For more information see the Resnet SLA page.
Is any other kind of equipment banned?
Operating any equipment that interferes with Richmond Wireless Network is banned on campus grounds and in University owned or managed buildings. Some 2.4 GHz cordless phones may interfere. For more information see the Wireless Policies page.
Finally, we would like to know about your experiences--both failed and successful--on the RU Wireless Network. Because of the inumerable new makes and models of laptops, this FAQ list will forever be out of date. If you're really interested, we'd like you to help us post more FAQ's and documentation on this site so that we can keep on improving this knowledge base for the reference of all students and RU wireless users.
We'll gladly accept assistance from anyone who wants to help expand our documentation library.
Please send us an email at resnet@richmond.ac.uk.
