Wireless Network Access

Wireless Network Login

CSUN’s wireless authentication process requires you to login via any web browser to access the wireless network from on–campus. The web-based wireless authentication system provides the same level of availability, signal strength, and user security provided by the previous system, without the need to visit the IT Help Desk for initial setup and registration.

If you have any questions, please contact the IT Help Desk at (818) 677-1400 or by email to helpdesk@csun.edu.

Who Can Access the Wireless Network?

The CSUN wireless network is available for faculty, students, staff who have a CSUN username and password. Visiting guests and consultants can also access the wireless network if a guest account is requested by a University department. To request a guest account, contact the IT Help Desk.

How Do I Access the Wireless Network?

To connect to the wireless network from your laptop, launch any browser (such as Internet Explorer) and enter the same CSUN Username and Password that you use to connect to the myNorthridge Portal and your CSUN email.

Tips for PC & Mac Users

• If you use a laptop and do not see the wireless authentication page when you launch any browser, then check your wireless network connection settings.
• Windows/XP/Vista laptops: Open your Wireless Network Connection window located in the system tray found in the bottom right-hand corner of your Windows desktop and select "csun."
• Macintosh laptops: Check for available wireless networks using your Airport and select "csun."
• If your laptop computer does not automatically detect wireless networks, then open your Wireless Network Connection dialog and select "csun."
• If your internet browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox) is not set to direct to a specific home page, it will automatically direct to about:blank. When about:blank appears in the address bar, type https://www.csun.edu to be directed to the CSUN Wireless Authentication page.
• At times, your computer may take longer than usual to connect to the wireless network. Opening multiple browsers, closing or refreshing in an attempt to resolve the problem will actually slow down the connection process. If the authentication page takes time to render itself, please be patient. If you experience unusually long wait times, or have connection problems, contact the IT Help Desk.
• If you have successfully authenticated into the wireless network and your browser does not immediately connect to your home page, please give the connection process a few seconds. This means that the wireless authentication has not yet completed successfully.
• If you use an instant messaging program (such as AOL Instant Messenger, iChat or Windows Messenger), or if you use a non-browser based email program (such as Outlook or Entourage), you will now need to open a browser and login using the CSUN Wireless Network Login Page before launching these programs.
• If your smartphone has Wi-Fi/Wireless access and has a web browser, you will be able to access the CSUN wireless network by opening your browser and entering your username and password on the CSUN Wireless Network Login page. If your smartphone has a data service plan, you can access the Internet as you do today with no changes.
• If you use a device that does not have a web browser, or if you have questions, contact the IT Help Desk at (818) 677-1400 or visit the Walk-In Center in the Oviatt Library, Garden Level, Room 29.

Tips for Mac Users

• To improve wireless reception on your Macintosh, verify that the order in which your Macintosh searches for connectivity, the service order, lists your airport connectivity as the first method of access. To do so, follow these steps:

1. From the Apple Menu, select System Preferences.
2. From the Internet & Network Preferences, click on the Network icon. A new window will appear displaying a list of connectivity resources: Airport, Ethernet, Bluetooth and Firewire. It is the order in which these options are set that can impact the speed of your wireless connectivity.
3. To reorder the service set, click the * icon and select Set Service Order.
4. Drag the Airport option to the top of the list.

• Making this change forces your Mac to search for the Airport connectivity before any other method of access such as a direct Ethernet connection. In the event that you are not within the range of a wireless network and your Mac is directly connected to an Ethernet network, the computer will search for the Ethernet connection once an Airport access is not found.

Using VPN for Additional Security

In order to provide a secure connection, it is strongly recommended that after connecting to the wireless network, you then establish a more secure connection through the Virtual Private Network (VPN). The VPN creates a secure connection called a “tunnel” between your computer and the campus network to ensure that your electronic communications are secure and protected.

Please visit http://www.csun.edu/it/services/vpnmain.html for instructions on installing and configuring the CSUN VPN software on your laptop computer.