Zoned Network Frequently Asked Questions

This page answers commonly asked questions regarding the University of Notre Dame's Zoned Network. If you require additional information that is not answered on this page, please refer to the Zoned Network Website or contact the OIT Help Desk at 574.631.8111.

General

Why is Notre Dame changing the network?
Will the new zoned networks affect my connection speed?
How often will I have to authenticate?

Wireless

What's the difference between ND-secure and ND-guest?
Where are ND-secure and ND-guest available?
What if I can't connect to ND-secure?
Why does it take longer to connect when I use ND-secure?
What are the benefits of switching to ND-secure?
What encryption types are supported by ND-secure?
How do I get non-computer devices (e.g., printers) on ND-secure wireless?
How do I get a guest network account created?
How often do I have to authenticate on ND-guest?
If I'm not a guest, can I still use ND-guest?

Wired

What networks require authentication?
What do I need to do on my computer or device to authenticate to the network?
What is the Cisco Clean Access Agent?
What operating systems is the Cisco Clean Access Agent available for?
What does the Cisco Clean Access Agent do to my computer?
What about printers, XBox360s, Playstations, etc.?
Why doesn't the Clean Access Agent remember my username and password?
Will I still be able to access my computer remotely?
What if there is not a version of the Clean Access Agent for my computer or device?
What do I do if my device can't connect to the wired zoned network?
I use a personal firewall; will this cause a problem?
How can I tell if I'm authenticated on the network or not?
Are you using this to monitor me or my computer?
Will the Clean Access Agent change settings on my computer?
Will my computer still work when I connect to my home network or other off-campus networks?

 

General

Why is Notre Dame changing the network?

Due to ever-changing technological threats, Notre Dame needs to provide a more secure wired and wireless network for the University. To accomplish this, we currently offer two new wireless networks - ND-secure and ND-guest. In addition to the new wireless networks, we will also change the wired network to require authentication that is different from the current network registration. These changes will help provide better security for all campus users.

Will the new zoned networks affect my connection speed?

The new zoned networks are designed to function in a similar fashion to the current campus networks. Any speed differences between the various networks should not be discernable to the end user and in many instances may provide for a faster network experience.

How often will I have to authenticate?

Notre Dame currently requires all faculty, staff, and students to authenticate once at the beginning of each semester in order to use the network. Guests will be required to authenticate every 24 hours via a web browser on their machine. The University reserves the right to require authentication on an Ad-hoc basis if the need arises.

 

Wireless

What's the difference between ND-secure and ND-guest?

ND-secure provides the user with the benefit of encryption, and enables Notre Dame to accurately control usage of its wireless network. Since ND-secure requires authentication, users must have an active affiliation with the University in order to use the ND-secure wireless network. ND-guest is an unencrypted wireless network to serve the needs of legacy wireless devices as well as authorized University guest. Although not encrypted, ND-guest still requires authentication via a faculty/staff/student NetID and password or official guest credentials.

Where are ND-secure and ND-guest available?

Everywhere that Nomad wireless is currently available, including all residence halls, classroom buildings, and many other campus locations.

What if I can't connect to ND-secure?

Call the OIT Help Desk at 574.631.8111 - ND-secure may be posing errors of authentication, rather than simple wireless connectivity problems, and the Help Desk will aid in determining these issues.

Why does it take longer to connect when I use ND-secure?

ND-secure is an encrypted and authenticated wireless network. There maybe a momentary lag while connecting to ND-secure as your computer and the network setup the encryption. Once the encryption is established, the network will authenticate your credentials to verify your identity. This delay could take as long as 30 seconds to connect, but most users should experience a significantly shorter delay.

What are the benefits of switching to ND-secure?

Connecting to ND-secure provides users with similar network access as currently provided by nomad, but with the benefits of encryption. Encryption protects your data while it is being passed through the air from Notre Dame's access points to your wireless device.

What encryption types are supported by ND-secure?

WPA and WPA2 are the supported encryption standards for ND-secure.

How do I get non-computer devices (e.g., printers) on ND-secure wireless?

Contact the Help Desk. Only devices that are 802.1x compatible and support WPA or WPA2 can connect to ND-secure. Any other wireless devices will have to connect to the ND-guest network. For assistance with devices that cannot connect to ND-secure please contact the OIT Help Desk at 574.631.2388.

How do I get a guest network account created?

As a University sponsor (Student, Faculty, Staff), you may call the OIT Help Desk to request a guest account be created. If you are a University guest, please check with your campus sponsor for account information.

How often do I have to authenticate on ND-guest?

Guest users of the Notre Dame network will be required to authenticate every 24 hours. The ND-guest experience is similar to a hotel model where users authenticate daily via a web browser. If you are having trouble connecting to the Internet, open a web browser to re authenticate.

If I'm not a guest, can I still use ND-guest?

Yes, but your direct access to the campus network services would be limited to only those services which are publicly available. (Web sites, Email, etc) You may also use the VPN from the ND-guest network to access non-public campus resources.

Wired Network

What networks require authentication?

Currently authentication is required for the ND-secure and ND-guest wireless networks and a few pilot locations for the wired network. The wired networks that require authentication will slowly be deployed across campus during the 2009 calendar year. The OIT will maintain networks that do not require authentication for individual cases. (i.e printers, servers, etc)

What do I need to do on my computer or device to authenticate to the network?

In order to use the wired Zoned Network, you will need to provide your NetID and password on a periodic basis. This security control ensures that only authorized members of the Notre Dame community have access to our network, protecting the privacy and security of both University and personal information. There are several methods you may use to connect to the Zoned Network:

• The Cisco Clean Access client.
• Authenticate via a web page. If you can't (or do not wish to) install the Cisco Clean Access client on your system, you may also authenticate via a webpage. After booting your computer, open a web browser and you will be prompted to enter your NetID and password.
  
• Request that your system be manually assigned to a network zone. If you have a system that does not have a web browser (e.g., printers, research devices, etc.) that must connect to the network, please contact the OIT Help Desk. They will assist you in connecting your system to the Zoned Network.

What is the Cisco Clean Access Agent?

The Cisco Clean Access Agent runs on your computer and acts as an interface to the Zoned Network. If your computer is connected to the ADND domain, you will not need to authenticate to the Zoned Network. If your computer is not connected to the ADND domain, you will periodically see a pop-up asking for your NetID and password. This is the easiest and recommended way to connect to the Zoned Network. *Note: Installing the Cisco Clean Access Agent will NOT affect or interfere with your ability to connect to any other networks.

What operating systems is the Cisco Clean Access Agent available for?

The Cisco Clean Access agent is currently supported on the following platforms: Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10. 3+. There currently is no client available for linux operating systems. Linux users will be required to authenticate via a web browser.

What does the Cisco Clean Access Agent do to my computer?

The Cisco Clean Access agent is a software client that the end user installs on their computer. The agent provides an automatic authentication mechanism for connecting to the Notre Dame network. When installed, the Cisco Clean Access agent will automatically present the user with an authentication prompt whenever authentication is necessary. The agent should not affect any other functionality of the user's machine and will not affect the user's connections to any other networks outside of Notre Dame.

What about printers, XBox360s, Playstations, etc.?

Devices that do not have a web browser, such as printers, XBox360s, Playstations, printers, etc. must manually be assigned to a network zone. Please contact the OIT Help Desk, and they will assist you in connecting your system to the Zoned Network.

Why doesn't the Clean Access Agent remember my username and password?

As a security precaution, Cisco designed the Clean Access agent to store the user data in memory (RAM) not on the hard drive. Therefore when you exit the agent, restart, or shut down your computer all data in memory is removed.

Will I still be able to access my computer remotely?

Your computer will be available on the network as it is today, as long as it has been authenticated on the network. If a re-authentication is required, remote access to your computer will be unavailable until the machine has been re-authenticated.

What if there is not a version of the Clean Access Agent for my computer or device?

Cisco provides the Clean Access Agent for the most popular computers/devices, however they do not currently offer an agent for every computer/device. If Cisco has not made an agent available for your device, you will need to authenticate via a web page, or if the device does not have a web browser, you will need to contact the OIT Help Desk, and they will assist you in connecting your system to the Zoned Network.

What do I do if my device can't connect to the wired zoned network?

If your device can not connect to the wired zoned network because it cannot run the Cisco Clean Access agent or run a web browser, you can request an exemption by contacting the Help Desk at 574.631.8111 or oithelp@nd.edu.

I use a personal firewall; will this cause a problem?

In most cases, using a personal firewall on your computer or device should not cause a problem.

How can I tell if I'm authenticated on the network or not?

The easiest way to verify that you have successfully authenticated on the network is to open a web browser and attempt to visit an external website (e.g., cnn.com, google.com, etc.). If you can successfully visit external web sites, you are authenticated.

Are you using this to monitor me or my computer?

No, the OIT will not utilize the new zoned network to monitor you or your computer on the network.

Will the Clean Access Agent change settings on my computer?

No. The Clean Access agent will not affect the settings on your computer. After installation, the agent will standby in your taskbar area until re-authentication is necessary.

Will my computer still work when I connect to my home network or other off-campus networks?

Yes. When you leave campus, your computer will work as it normally would, and if you installed the Cisco Clean Access Agent, it will not interfere with any off-campus network connections.