Wireless Network Access

University Technology is pleased to announce the expansion of wireless Internet access on the Cambridge and Boston campuses. We welcome faculty, staff and students to use the wireless network and hope it will enhance your educational experience.

• About the Network
• How To Get Started
• Minimum Requirements
• Locations with Wireless Network Access
• Roaming Between Wireless Access Points
• Who May Use the Lesley Wireless Network
• Access for Visitors & Guests - Do it yourself method for Faculty and Staff
• Privacy & Security

About the Network

There are two unique wireless networks available:

• lesley_wireless: This is the standard wireless network for casual use. You will need a valid Lesley University username and password to access this network. (See below for information on guest access.) When you first log in, your username and password are encrypted, but most other information will pass unsecured across the network, in plain text. Please read the Privacy & Security section of this document for more information.
• lesley_secured: This network provides a higher degree of security and requires an additional network key/password for access (you must be accessing the internet from on campus to get the key.) If there is a chance you may be passing information that you would like to keep private, you should use this network. It also provides faculty and staff the same level of access that they have from their wired desktop location. Click here to get the lesley_secured network key/password.

Both networks are available on the Cambridge campus. Only the lesley_secured network is available on the Boston/AIB campus due to the need for secured access to AIB servers.

Casual Usage

The wireless network should be considered as an enhancement to the Lesley network and not a replacement for the wired network. Although the wireless network provides nearly the same experience as the wired network, the nature of the technology means it is prone to minor interruptions and slow downs. There may be differences in how an application or website performs on the wireless network as compared to the hard wired connection in your office, classroom, or residence hall. To help performance some applications such as peer-to-peer music and file sharing are not supported on the wireless network. The wireless network does not provide the same security and performance as the wired network.

Printing

It is NOT possible at this time to print from your computer on the wireless network to a printer in your office or classroom. If you need to print please use the hardwired connection in your office.

How To Get Started

There are three simple steps to getting started using the Lesley wireless network:

1. Make Sure Your Computer Is Within Range of a Lesley Wireless Access Point. Because Lesley University is located in an urban environment, there could be multiple wireless networks within range of your computer. Please be sure you are accessing one of Lesley University's wireless networks. See our list of locations at Lesley with wireless access.
2. Activate Your Wireless Card. If you are unsure how to activate or turn on your wireless or Airport card, please refer to the documentation that came with your computer for information. Assistance can also be found in the help documents installed on your computer.
3. Connect to the Lesley Wireless Network.
   • If you are on the Cambridge campus and would like to access the Internet for casual usage, connect to lesley_wireless. You need a valid Lesley University username and password.
   • If you are on the Boston/AIB campus or if you are on the Cambridge campus and would like access to on campus resources (such Outlook or Entourage email) in addition to Internet browsing, connect to lesley_secured. You will need an additional network key/password (on campus only) for access.

Click here to get the lesley_secured network key/password.

Minimum Requirements

To use the Lesley Wireless Network, the following are required:

• You must be in a location that currently has one of the Lesley wireless networks, and receiving a reasonably good signal.
• A Macintosh or Windows laptop computer with a wireless Ethernet card that supports one of the 802.11a/b/g standards. The card may be built into the laptop or an external card that plugs into the laptop.
• Your Lesley University email address and password.
• If you are connecting to the lesley_secured network:
  • your computer must be running an operating system that supports WPA encryption - on Windows computer you need XP SP2 or higher, on a Macintosh computer you should have OS 10.3 or higher; and
  • you will need the network key/password to connect.

Locations with Wireless Network Access

Signal strength in each location is adequate to provide access at any point within the room. However, there are factors that may occasionally interfere with the functioning of the network. Please report any problems you may have to University Technology by phone at (617) 349-8770 or by email at ut@lesley.edu.

Cambridge Campus

• Alumni Hall
• Ludcke Library
• University Hall: Classroom floors and Lower Level
• Student Center
• Wolfard 202, 203, & 204

Boston Campus

• 700 Beacon Street
• 601 Newbury Street

Wireless networking and personal wireless network devices are not supported and are not allowed in the Residence Halls or in Lesley administrative and faculty offices.

Roaming Between Wireless Access Points

Once your computer is configured for the Lesley wireless network, you may use it in any of the locations with wireless access.

Who May Use the Lesley Wireless Network

Faculty, staff and students with a valid Lesley University email address may access the wireless network. Employees may request guest access to Lesley's wireless networks for individuals without a Lesley email address by using our form. Read more about guest access below.

Access for Visitors & Guests

Any Lesley faculty or staff member may issue a temporary user name by using the form on our Guest Account Creation page (accessible from on campus only.) Only one guest account a day may be issued per Lesley employee and lasts for four days. Once an account has been issued, the guest will still need to configure his or her computer to access the wireless network, as described above.

Privacy & Security

By its very nature, a wireless network is not as private and secure as the wired network we have in our offices, labs, and residence halls. The information you send across the wireless network travels through the air as radio waves and may be intercepted by anyone with the right tools.

University Technology has taken measures to ensure a reasonable level of security and provide some privacy without making it difficult to use the wireless network. However, it is still up to each individual to protect themselves and their personal information.

To protect your privacy, we suggest you do not use the network to pass personal information. After you register on the network, you should avoid sending any other login names and passwords and you should avoid conducting any personal business such as banking.

Faculty and staff are responsible for the secure handling of any protected information relating to students or University business. Please avoid using the wireless network to send sensitive information by email, and do not use Lesley's online information services (LOIS) or Colleague while on the unencrypted lesley_wireless network. To get the password for the lesley_secured wireless network, click here.