Using TTLS and PAP with Access Connections

[mtomd]

My school uses 802.1x Authentication with TTLS and PAP. I'm not a wireless encryption expert, so I don't exactly know what these things do and how they are different from WPA or WEP. My question is, is it possible to use Access Connections to connect to this wireless network?

They provide a client that works with Wireless Zero Configuration and I currently have Access Connections setup to use the windows configuration for the school's location profile. The page is here if you need to see it: http://www.it.utah.edu/services/connect ... index.html

Instead of using Wireless Zero Configuration, I like to have it disabled because I sometimes loose connection with the access point with it enabled and the connection doesn't seem to drop with the service disabled. This is why I want to use Access Connections exclusivly and not have to using the windows configuration.

I have searched through the help and also on google for a way to do this, but I can't find anything useful. If I choose 802.1x Authentication, it only has MS-CHAP-V2 under "Authentication protocol". I have tried putting my username and password in here, but it doesn't connect to the network with this.

I appriciate any advice. Thank you in advance.

[GomJabbar]

I admit I don't know much about this myself. However, I do see if you are using Access Connections version 4.21, on the Wireless Settings tab, under 4. Wireless security type: you can choose Use IEEE 802.1x Authentication. If you click on Properties..., underneath you have several options including TTLS. I do not see a PAP setting, but then again that may be a limitation of my wireless adapter.

[mtomd]

Yeah. I don't have a PAP setting either. I have MS-CHAP-V2 and I tried that but it doesn't authenticate with the network using that.

[pinesol]

Although I have an Atheros 11n card, I don't see the option of choosing the wireless mode of 802.11n perhaps because AC does not dectect 11n router in my network and does not offer this option.

My point is that one might get different wirless mode and encryption options depending upon their envirenments.

[mtomd]

Although I have an Atheros 11n card, I don't see the option of choosing the wireless mode of 802.11n perhaps because AC does not dectect 11n router in my network and does not offer this option.

My point is that one might get different wirless mode and encryption options depending upon their envirenments.

Perhaps but when I tested this I was at the school with the TTLS PAP access point in range.

[Scratch]

You're likely losing your connection with WZC enabled because it is fighting with AC for control of the wireless card. I got a cyclical disconnect every ~5 minutes when I had both enabled. You can allow Windows to take over and stop using AC or you can try to make them cooperate in a single connection.

Have you tried creating a new profile and selecting "Use Windows to manage this connection" to see if it offers you different options? You'll probably have to re-enable WZC in services to start out. I tried to do the WIndows managed connection, but ran into an error message that looked to be caused by 3rd party software (AC) managing the Wireless card. I didn't want to go any further as I'm in the middle of a project upload and didn't want to lose my connection.

PAP is the oldest and least secure of the 802.1x authentication protocol. It has largely been replaced by MS-CHAP and EAP. Perhaps that's why it is not supported by AC?

EDIT***********

I just tried setting up an 802.1x profile on on of my Macs. They use Atheros cards if that makes any difference. I was able to select 3 options for security that offered a TTLS/PAP option. They were:

802.1x WEP, WPA Enterprise & WPA2 Enterprise. The Enterprise choices utilize RADIUS servers.

I don't see any combination in AC that offers PAP nor do I see any Enterprise or RADIUS options. Whenever WPA/WPA2 is selected with TTLS your only option is MS-CHAP.

[mtomd]

Yeah, it works with "Windows managed connection". I just would have liked to keep WZC disabled. My school's website shows that it is built in on the Mac. I guess I'll just use the windows managed connection through access connections.

[Scratch]

Sorry I was editing my post when you posted your answer.

The first paragraph is what I added.

WZC and AC don't get along. You might not have the disconnection problem going with the Windows Managed option for that particular profile without having to pass complete control over to XP.

Let me know if it works without disconnects to your satisfaction.