How can I access the SEAS wireless network?

Introduction

AirSEAS is the wireless network in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) for use by students, faculty, and staff. SEASNet is the wired network in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) for use by students, faculty, and staff. You will need a valid PennKey and password to access these networks.

AirSEAS Wireless Network

SEAS users can access the Internet through the AirSEAS wireless connection for up to 8 hours at a time. Before using the network you will need a PennKey ID and password as well as a wireless network card installed (see below).

How to get connected

The following are requirements for using the Wireless Network:

• You need a valid PennKey and password. Please see the PennKey website for details
• Computing device (laptop or PDA)
• Wireless Network Interface Card. Wireless network cards are available at the Computer Connection.
  1. CETS recommends Lucient Orinoco Silver from Agere for most SEAS users
  2. Cisco Airconnect. (Note: If you have an IBM Thinkpad, then only this card is recommended)
• Download the proper drivers for the card (for Orinoco drivers, visit http://www.wavelan.com/)
• Set the Network Name (SSID) to airseas
• Configure the card to use DHCP

Security on the network

Packets sent from your laptop or PDA can be picked up two miles away! Therefore, we must put a few restrictions on the types of packets allowed on our network.

AirSEAS will allow all packets, except:

• SMB/CIFS -- For "mounting your PC drive" remotely. Instead, use FileZilla to transfer your files. We do not allow SMB/CIFS connections to any SEAS servers which are operating in clear text.
• FTP -- Your password could be detected if you use FTP. Instead, use SFTP with FileZilla.

Note: we do allow unencrypted POP and IMAP traffic, although we encourage using secure connections whenever possible.

The AirSEAS network does not support WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy).

Use of the AirSEAS network is restricted to students, faculty, and staff of the University of Pennsylvania. Everyone who uses this network is bound by the Policy on Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources. Please note: If your computer stops responding to ICMP (ping) requests, your connection will be automatically removed within 15 minutes.

Authentication by Proxy

The AirSEAS wireless network now offers a method to allow authentication of wireless network devices for campus visitors who do not have a PennKey username. Authentication by Proxy will allow any PennKey user to grant a temporary (48-hour) username and password to a guest.

For example...

Dr. Orr E. Noko is visiting Prof. Lou Schentt and would like to take advantage of the AirSEAS wireless network as he prepares for his presentation. At the beginning of the visit, Prof. Schentt logs on to the AirSEAS authentication page (troll.seas.upenn.edu) and creates an AirSEAS proxy username and password. Prof. Schentt then gives the proxy username/password to Dr. Noko. Whenever Dr. Noko wants to use the AirSEAS wireless network, he uses the link: "Sign in using an AirSEAS Proxy" from the AirSEAS authentication page.

The temporary proxy username and password will remain valid for 48 hours from the time it is created. During this time, Prof. Schentt is responsible the use of the AirSEAS wireless proxy. As is the case with a regular AirSEAS login, if a wireless device is inactive for approximately 15 minutes it will lose its connection and the proxy will need to be registered again.

SEASNet Wired Network

You can connect to the SEASNet wired network using your laptop or desktop's ethernet port. You should configure your computer's network card to use DHCP, which means your computer will ask the server for an IP address every time it starts up. If you need help with this, contact cets@seas.upenn.edu.

The first time you plug a new computer into the SEASNet wired network, you will need to authenticate the computer by visiting http://troll.seas.upenn.edu and entering your PennKey and Password. If you do nothing else at this point, you may start using the network/Internet, but you will have to log in again the next time your computer reboots. If you would like to create a permanent IP address so you do not need to log in each time, you may choose the Pass-through model. For a description of all the available network models, see below.

There are several different SEASNet models you can chose from once you are connected. Your SEASNet model determines whether you are behind a firewall and how often you need to log in. To view your current SEASNet model or change your current model, visit http://troll.seas.upenn.edu.

• Pass-through Model (Recommended)

  You will not have to log in again. You will not be behind a firewall if you chose this option; you will be directly connected to the Internet. This is the recommended option for the SEASNet network. Please contact cets@seas.upenn.edu if you're interested in other firewall options.

• Require PondNet registration Model (Requires log in for each use)

  This is the default configuration for a new computer. It places your computer behind a firewall, thus protecting you from possible malicious Internet traffic from outside Penn. This model will require you to login for each use.

Questions or problems? Please contact airseas@seas.upenn.edu.