Setting Up Your Macintosh to Use the Wireless Network
The UMass Dartmouth Wireless Network is a secure network that connects to the Internet through a VPN server. This document addresses questions about VPN technology, and how to set up your Macintosh computer to use it.
What Is VPN and Why Do I Need It?
The acronym VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. VPN software provides secure connections for normally non-secure methods of Internet communication. Two popular communication protocols that are not secure are HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), used for sending and receiving information from web sites, and Telnet, used for communicating with a host computer such as the Alpha mainframe. When a connection is not secure, a hacker with special 'listening' software could potentially capture personal information as it is sent across the Internet. This poses a security risk, which the VPN software addresses.
How Does the VPN Software Work?
The VPN client software installed on a workstation makes a special connection with a VPN server. All network communication is encrypted, then filtered through the VPN server, making it virtually impossible for hackers to obtain sensitive information in transit.
A VPN connection is required to use the wireless network on campus, and to access People Soft applications (including SA Full Service, Finance and HR) from off campus locations.
The link below connects to an Adobe Acrobat document that gives detailed instructions. Please follow the procedure in the order described.
Macintosh OS 9 can be used with the UMass Dartmouth wireless network, but it is no longer recommended or supported. The documents linked below can be used as a guide for OS 9 VPN Setup.
If you have questions about any of the set up procedures, or cannot complete
them successfully on your own, contact Access Management at x8532 or email
cit_am@umassd.edu for help.
