Connecting to AirPennNet with Palm OS

From Provider Notes

Introduction

The T|X is the only Palm OS device that can use the necessary 802.1x security protocols to connect to AirPennNet. These protocols are not available natively on the device. In order to authenticate to AirPennNet, it is necessary to purchase and install the T|X Enterprise Security Update (ESU). This download is available from Palm's website here. This update is not free, and at the time of this writing is $5.99. This update is not a normal Palm installer file, and requires the following in order to work properly:

• Windows computer running 2000 or XP
• SD card reader
• SD card

We have tried working around these requirements using an OSX machine, and were not able to get the installer to function properly.

Instructions

The only way we have been able to get the test T|X we have to connect to AirPennNet is to use the Wi-Fi Profile Wizard included with the ESU, and specify the server certificate.

NOTE: These instructions were updated on 7/18/2008. Please make sure that you are specifying WPA2 when choosing a security protocol.

Palm Wi-Fi Profile Wizard

It appears that manual configuration of the Wi-Fi connection will not work with AirPennNet. The only way to connect successfully is to build the profile with the Palm Wi-Fi Profile Wizard (included with the ESU), and include the server certificate. Enter your information as shown above:

• Profile Name: this is the name of your Palm profile
• Authentication Protocol: EAP-TTLS
• Tunneled Authentication Protocol: PAP
• Username (optional): your PennKey (you need to save your PennKey and password in order to connect)
• Password (optional): your PennKey password (you need to save your PennKey and password in order to connect)
• Initial Identity (optional): anonymous (this is necessary for the unit to connect to AirPennNet)
• Add the Thawte Premium Server CA certificate

1. Go to www.thawte.com.
2. At the bottom of the page, click the link "Repository".
3. Under the "thawte roots" heading, click "Root Certificates".
4. Fill out the form to download the Roots Certificates .zip file.
5. Open the .zip file and navigate to the 'Thawte Server Roots" subfolder.
6. Copy (extract) the file "ThawtePremiumServerCA.cer" and "ThawteServerCA.cer"(security certificates) from the .zip file to the desktop.
7. In the Wi-Fi Profile Wizard, click the "Add" button
8. Navigate to the folder on your computer where you saved the security certificate.
9. Click on both the "ThawtePremiumServerCA" and "ThawteServerCA" files you just saved and click "open".

• Save the configuration file as AirPennNet
• Double-click on the saved file to add it to the install list for the next Hotsync.
• Sync your T|X
• On the T|X, go to Applications-->Prefs

1. Under Communication, select Wi-Fi
2. Click Setup...
3. Your T|X should scan for available networks. If it does not, click the Scan button
4. Select AirPennNet from the available networks
5. Click Edit and select Configure from the pop-up menu
6. For Security, select Enterprise
7. Mode is WPA1/WPA2
8. Encryption is Auto (TKIP/AES)
9. Under Profile, select AirPennNet
10. Click OK, and then Yes when asked if you want to connect to AirPennNet now.

You should see the attempt to connect flash by for a second, and then find yourself back at the Preferences screen. At this point, you are connected to AirPennNet and can use the wireless network.