Sept. 4, 2013

Helllo everyone!

You know that moment when you think.. if I just had a bit more information I could craft the perfect email and all will be made clear??

Well… this is not that email.

Instead, I hope this gets most of your devices online and if you encounter problems with these steps please talk with any of the IT folks, me or Alicia.  The reason for this is that there are so many permutations of how this works (on Macs, PCs, Droid, and Chrome devices) that we haven’t been able to test and document everything.  So instead, I’ve written out the basic set up for the most common scenarios.  Use your own troubleshooting skills to make it work and ask any of your friendly IT/Ed Tech team for help.  Or send an email to helpdesk@northwestschool.org

Think of this as access very much like you’d get a coffeehouse.  Specifically, to access files on the Common Server or in your H drive you’ll need to use the VPN as you’ve done in the past. 

From your Mac laptop:

1. Go to your Wi-Fi icon
2.  Select Join Other…
3.  Type in NWS-Faculty
4. Click Join 
5.  Open a browser and you may receive an error message about security settings here – allow this site as an exception if this happens.
6. Enter your NWS network username and password when prompted.
7. You’re all set for the next 2 hours. 

From your PC laptop:

1. Go to the Wireless Network icon (bottom right corner)
2. Right click and select “Open Network and Sharing Center”
3.  Select “Connect to a Network”
4.  You’ll see a list of networks, select Other Network
5. Click on Connect
6. Type in NWS- Faculty (the uppercase letters matter)
7. Click OK
8. You may need to wait for a moment before a screen appears and prompts you to log in.  If you do not get prompted – open a browser (IE or Firefox or Chrome etc.) and you should on the first screen be required to enter your NWS network username and Password.
• Note: You may be asked to change security settings/allow the site as an exception – click Yes.  If you receive an error about a missing certificate click Continue (even if it’s “Unrecommended”)
9. You’re all set for the next 2 hours

From your phone: (iOS, Droid and Windows phone)

1. Go to Settings
2. Click on Wi-Fi
3. Select Other… or Add Network (depending on your type of Smartphone)
4. Type in NWS-Faculty  (the capitalization matters)
5. Leave the security option as: None
6. Click Join
7. You’ll soon see the network appear on the list and very shortly a browser window should open with your NWS network login (if you receive a “certificate error” just click Continue)
8. Enter your NWS network username and password
9. You may see a blank screen that has a tine “Success” in the top left hand corner.  Click Done!
10. You’re all set for the next 2 hours. 

Good luck and happy networking!

Catherine & Alicia

p.s. For new faculty, this is not the usual structure of my “Wired Weekday” emails… more of those to come.   Alicia and I are aiming to send them out every 2 weeks or so.