A profile is a saved group of network settings. Profiles are displayed in the Profiles List in the wireless client manager General page. Profiles can be arranged in order of network connection priority. You can connect to one network using the first profile in the Profiles List, then automatically connect to another network using the next profile. This allows you to stay connected while roaming freely from one wireless network to another. Although you can assign multiple profiles to a single network, you can only use one profile per connection. To add a new profile, use the Profile Wizard sequence of dialogs to configure the profile contents. The following example uses all of the Profile Wizard dialogs. Some settings may not be required for all profiles.
Refer to the following to configure the profile connection preferences:
To access the profile connection preference option:
- Connect to available networks using profiles only (Default setting): Use the profiles in the Profiles List to connect to any available network.
- Connect to any available network if no matching profile is found: Connect to any available network without using a profile from the Profiles List.
- Connect to any network based on profiles only (Cisco Mode): Connect to any available network access point using profiles enabled for Cisco CCX (version 2) mode. This mode allows connection to access points that support multiple and blank network names (SSIDs).
There are two types of profiles that can be used to connect to a wireless network. The profile types are enabled in the Advanced Settings dialog. The profile types are:
Common Profiles: These profiles are accessible to all users of a wireless network. Common Profiles allows the IT administrator to provide every network user with the same number as well as same type of wireless profiles and can easily be managed and maintained (add/delete/modify across a wireless network). The Persistent Connect profile is only used with a Common profile. A Persistent Connect profile uses pre-configured profile information to maintain a network connection. A Common profile with the 'Persistent' connect feature can be used by all users and have the highest priority when connecting to a network. This type of profile allows you to disconnect from the wireless network during a Windows session then reconnect without re-entering your network credentials. The 'Persistent connection is established when no user is logged on to the system. The Persistent Connect option in the Advanced Settings must also be selected in order to enable a 'Persistent' connection.
User Based Profiles: These profiles are user created wireless profiles and are not accessible by other network users.
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Note: Other users logged on to a system will not be able to view User Based profiles, whereas all users on a system, as well as all users of the wireless network will be able to view Common profiles (i.e. distinguish between users of the networks and multiple users logged on to a system). |
You can select a Common profile to use to connect to a specific wireless network. Using this mode will disable profile switching in the Profiles list.
Specify a Common profile to connect to a network:
From the General page, click the Networks page.
Click the Advanced button.
Select Only connect with this profile.
Select a Common profile (with or without Persistent Connect) from the list of profiles. Common profiles are indicated with an asterisk (*). Selecting this feature disables profile switching in the Profiles List. Deleting, renaming or changing the state of the profile (Common to User Based) will cause this feature to be disabled.
Click OK to save.
The selected Common profile displays in the Profiles List.
Select the new profile that is positioned at the bottom of the Profiles List. Use the up and down arrows to position the priority of new profile in the priority list. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for information about how Common and Persistent profiles affect the Network page buttons.
Click the Connect button to connect to the wireless network.
To set a password for the Advanced Settings dialog:
- Note that the Password button is not accessible and the Advanced Settings dialog is now password protected.
- To edit the Advanced Settings options click the Edit button to launch the password protect dialog, then enter the assigned password. Click OK to close the dialog.
To change an existing password for the Advanced Settings dialog:
The Single Sign On options include Pre-Logon Connect and Persistent Connect (for use with MD5 and LEAP profiles only). These features allow you to make fast wireless network connections automatically using pre-configured profile information and user credentials every time you make that connection.
To add a new profile, use the Profile Wizard sequence of dialogs to configure the profile contents. The following example uses all of the Profile Wizard dialogs, although some of the settings may not be required.
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Note: If this is the first time you have created a profile, click the profile named Default in the Profiles List, click the Edit button and rename the default profile in the Profile Name field on the General page. |
To create a new profile and connect to a network:
Security Settings
Note: For details about using use the User Credentials options, 'Prompt for Credentials Connection', 'Use Windows logon', and 'Save User Credentials' when using MD5, TTLS, LEAP and PEAP authentication refer to the Single Sign On options in the Advanced Settings system-wide network connection preferences.
Enter a password in the Password field. The Password Protection checkbox was checked on the General settings page,
Re-enter the same password in the Confirm New Password field.
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Note: A password protected profile can be imported and exported, however, before editing the profile, the password must be entered. Refer to Setting a Profile Password for more information. |
To import profiles:
To export profiles:
To set a password for an existing profile:
To password protect a new profile:
The Enable Auto-Import feature allows a network administrator to distribute a profile automatically to computers connected to a network. The Enable Auto-Import option is located on the Advanced Settings page. Distribute a profile automatically the Enable Auto-Import must be selected then the profile can be copied to a specific directory on the host computer, from there it can be distributed to multiple computers. Once the profile is received by the remote computer it will automatically be available for use from the Profiles List. If a profile is sent with a password protected, the user will be prompted for the password before the profile can be used.
Automatically importing WLAN profiles is accomplished by monitoring the import folder on your hard disk for new profile files. Only profiles that have the Enable Auto-Import box checked on the Profile Wizard dialogs can be automatically imported. If a profile of the same name already exists in the Profiles List, a dialog is displayed from which you can either reject the import, or accept in which case the existing profile will be replaced. All imported profiles will be placed at the bottom of the Profiles List, and the profile file will be immediately deleted after the import whether the import was successful or not.
To import a profile into the Profiles List:
Select the Advanced tab.
Select the Enable Auto-Import checkbox.
Click OK (Edit a profile) or Finish (Add a profile) to save the setting and close the dialog.
To edit an existing profile:
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Note: If you are a restricted user you cannot edit common profiles. However, you can use the Properties button to view the profile contents. Common profiles can only be edited if you have Administrator privileges. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for more information. |
To delete a profile:
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Note: You cannot delete all profiles from the Profiles List. There must always be one profile displayed in the list. If you are a restricted user the Delete button is disabled if you select a Common profile. Common profiles can only be edited and deleted if you have Administrator privileges. Refer to Administrator Privileges and Restricted Users for more information. |
To connect to an available network without a profile:
If the wireless adapter receives a blank network name (SSID) from a stealth access point, both the blank SSID and <no profile> display in the available networks list. To associate with a stealth access point, a new profile must first be created before connection. After connection both the blank SSID and the associated SSID can be viewed in the available networks list.
To connect to an access point that transmits a blank network name (SSID) in the Available Networks list:
To load a profile from the Task Tray: