Law School Wireless Network

The Law School has an 802.11b/g wireless network that is accessible in all student-utilized areas of Law School buildings. To connect to the Law School’s wireless network, your computer must support 802.1x, an authentication system included Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Vista, and all Intel-based Macs. Up-to-date anti-virus software and anti-spyware are also necessary to connect to the wireless network.

Your laptop must have the internal wireless adapter activated or a wireless card that supports 802.11 b/g and Wifi standards installed in order to access the network. Wireless network adapters and cards require software drivers, which are already installed on computers with built-in wireless adapters. For more information on your network adapter/card’s installation, see the documentation for your computer or network card. Some computers have the ability to disable a built-in adapter using a hardware switch which is sometimes labeled as an antenna on a function key or a dedicated switch/button on the computer.

We strongly discourage the transmission of sensitive information such as credit card numbers and passwords unless sufficient encryption and security exists in your browser or other applications. To enhance the security of your wireless connection, take the following precautions.

  1. Verify that you have the latest version of the web browser installed. The latest versions include support for 128-bit encryption which greatly enhances the security of your computer.
  2. Disable file and print sharing on your computer.
  3. Use the secure “Dedmanlaw” network or the “SMU 1911” network with the VPN service which encrypts your data.
  4. Be careful to avoid the use of applications such as telnet and ftp, since they transmit passwords that may be vulnerable.

Wireless setup information:

Using industry standard WPA encryption, you can connect to the “dedmanlaw” network with any properly configured laptop with an 802.11 b/g network card. Network services are managed by the SMU ITS department, but use a different configuration than those provided elsewhere on campus. Please be aware that laptops that are not functioning normally or are infected with malware/spyware/viruses may be blocked from network access.

WPA Wireless Network Instructions

 

Wireless Configuration Utility. Wireless configuration utility for XP & Vista* (Please read the setup notes prior to use). *XP, Vista, OS X*

Troubleshooting Wireless Network Connections. Describes common troubleshooting steps and provides a form to report problems.