This site requires JavaScript to be enabled
An updated version of this article is available

Connecting to Liberty's Wi-Fi networks (Account access)

73 views

Connecting to Liberty's Wi-Fi networks (Account access)

Please follow the steps below to connect your devices to Liberty's wireless networks.  It is advised to make sure that your Network Drivers are up to date and the device is set to prefer the 5Ghz network.

Note: You MUST be on campus to connect.

 

Table of Contents

Onboarding new devices

The steps below will be used to connect your devices to the Liberty Wi-Fi networks



Laptops and Desktops

 

Windows

  1. Click the wireless icon in the bottom right-hand corner of your computer screen.



  2. Select Liberty-Wireless
    Note: Liberty-Wireless is only used to allow you to go through this process and does not allow access to other websites.

  3. In a web browser, navigate to: https://onboard.liberty.edu.

  4. Click on the Connect this Computer or Mobile Device button.



  5. Verify that the Windows version matches your computer, then click JoinNow to start downloading the setup application.



  6. Save and run the file. These steps will vary based on the browser, common browsers are listed below:
    • Microsoft Edge: Click Save in the bar at the bottom, then click Run.
    • Google Chrome: Click on the file (Liberty-Secure.exe) that shows in the bottom left of the screen.
    • Mozilla Firefox: Click Save File, then click the arrow button at the top right of the browser as shown below and click on the file name to run the file.



  7. When prompted to allow the application to make changes to your computer, click Yes.

  8. Enter your Liberty username (NOTE: DO NOT include "@liberty.edu", just the first part) and password, then click Next.

    Image - sign into network

  9. The application will attempt to configure, connect, and authenticate your computer for network connectivity. Once finished, you will receive confirmation that you have been successfully connected to Liberty-Secure. You are now free to move about the Internet!

    Image - joined successfully

macOS

 

  1. Select the wireless icon on the top right corner of the screen to bring up a list of wireless networks.

    Image

  2. Select Liberty-Wireless.
    Note: Liberty-Wireless is only used to allow you to go through this process and does not allow access to other websites.

  3. In a web browser, navigate to: https://onboard.liberty.edu/.

  4. Click on the Connect this Computer or Mobile Device button.

     

    Image

  5. Verify the version of macOS listed matches your computer and select JoinNow.
    Note: If on Big Sur you may need to manually select the operating system as needed.

    Image - JoinNow button       

  6. Download the file to your computer, then open it.

  7. Double click on the icon that shows for the Liberty-Secure setup application.

    Image - open Liberty-Secure app

  8. When asked if you would like to open "Liberty-Secure", select Open.

  9. Next, you will be prompted to enter your Liberty username and password. Once you have entered the information click Next.
    Note: DO NOT include @liberty.edu in the username field.
    Note: The password is not verified to be correct before it is saved in the profile.

    Image - enter LU username and password

  10. Depending on your computer settings you may be prompted to enter the username and password for your computer.
    Note: If on Big Sur continue following the steps below, otherwise proceed to the Final Steps. 

    Image - Enter computer password

   

macOS: Big Sur Additional Steps

  1. You will be prompted to enter in the username and password for your computer to add the profile onto your computer.

2. You will be prompted to go to System Preferences to install the profile needed to connect to the network.

3. Go to System Preferences and select Profiles.

4. Select Install... in the upper right-hand corner of the profiles window.

5. Select Install.

6. You will be prompted to enter in the username and password for your computer to install the profile onto your computer.

7. Then go back to the Liberty JoinNow Application and select Next.

8. Then you may be prompted for the password to liberty or your computer, enter the required password, and select Always Allow.

 

Final Steps

  1. After successfully finishing the setup, select Done.

    Image - Click done

  2. You should now be able to select Liberty-Secure by selecting it from the list of available networks.

    Image - Connect to Liberty-Secure

  3. Right-click the disk icon on the desktop for Liberty-Secure and choose Eject "Liberty-Secure".

    Image - Eject dmg file

 

ChromeOS

Note: Because of limitations of the ChromeOS, the Liberty University IT HelpDesk does not recommend using a Chromebook as your primary device for completing your schoolwork, and as such, they are not fully supported. 

  1. At the bottom right, select the time.

  2. Select Not Connected .

  3. Select Liberty-Secure

  4. Modify your settings so they match the following settings:
    Note: Replace "username" with your regular Liberty username (DO NOT include the @liberty.edu) and "password" with your actual password.




  5. Click the Connect button




Linux

Connecting a Linux computer to the wireless network will require the installation of the utility Network-Manager. This is the only network utility that can connect to Liberty University's wireless network. Most major distributions use Network-Manager (Fedora, Ubuntu, and SUSE)

Note: It is not recommended that you change the network utility to Network-Manager, but rather use a distribution where Network-Manager is the default.

 

 

  1. Identify your Linux computer's MAC address by typing the command ifconfig into the terminal application. The device should read WLAN0 and the hardware address will be listed as MAC address or HWaddr. The MAC address should be 12 characters long containing 0-9 and A-F.
    Note: Distributions of Linux have different methods of opening the terminal, most will have it in the list of programs under system utilities, or you can search for Terminal.

  2. In a web browser, navigate to https://onboard.liberty.edu/ from a computer that is already connected to Liberty-Secure.

  3. Click Start on Connect Another Device.

  4. Enter your Linux computer's MAC address found in step 1, add a device name without the use of any punctuation, select Other AirGroup devices for Device Type, and click Save.

  5. Open the Network-Manager utility, navigate to Manage Connections (this may vary based on distribution), and choose Liberty-Secure.

  6. Enter the following configuration settings using your actual username and password
    Note: DO NOT include @liberty.edu, only the username



  7. Click the OK button.

 

 

 

Mobile Devices

 

 

iOS

  1. Open the Settings app.



  2. Tap on Wi-Fi



  3. Tap on Liberty-Wireless.

  4. In a web browser, navigate to: https://onboard.liberty.edu/.

  5. Click on the Connect this Computer or Mobile Device button.

  6. Follow the steps to download the profile.

             

  7. Go to the Settings App, tap Profile Downloaded, then tap Install.

          

  8. May need to enter a Passcode, tap Install, then tap Install Again.

             

  9. Type in your Liberty Username, tap Next, type in your Password, tap Next, then tap Done.
    Note: DO NOT use @liberty.edu in the username.

           

  10. Go back to the Wi-Fi screen and tap on Liberty-Secure. Your device should now be connected.

NOTE: If your password ever changes you will need to remove the wireless profile and reconnect using your updated credentials.

Android

Note: The JoinNow SecureW2 application is supported on Android 9 or newer. Older versions can be added by manually configuring the Liberty Secure wifi settings.

General Setup

  1. Open your phone's Settings app.

  2. Tap Connections.

  3. Tap on Wi-fi.

  4. Tap on Liberty-Wireless.

  5. In a web browser, navigate to: https://onboard.liberty.edu/.

  6. Tap on the Connect this Computer or Mobile Device button.

  7. Install the JoinNow app when prompted, and then tap Continue after it is installed.

  8. Sign in with liberty username and password
    Note: DO NOT  use @liberty.edu in the username.

  9. Go back to the Wi-Fi screen and tap on Liberty-Secure


Phase 2 Authentication Setup

  1. Open your phone's Settings app.

  2. Tap Connections

  3. Tap on Wi-fi

  4. Tap on Liberty-Secure

  5. Match the following settings:
    • EAP method: PEAP
    • Phase-2 authentication:MSCHAPV2
    • CA certificate: unspecified or Do not validate
    • Enter your Identity as your Liberty username
      • Note: Replace "username" with your actual liberty username with out the @liberty.edu
    • Anonymous identity: Leave blank
    • Enter the password associated with your Liberty account



  6. Tap Connect.
    • Your device should show "Obtaining IP address from Liberty Secure..." then shortly after "Connected to Liberty Secure".

 

Smart TVs, gaming systems, and other devices

For most devices, use the steps below to connect. For more specific steps for your device, check the Table of Contents for your device and follow the instructions in that section

Note: These devices will not connect to Liberty-Secure, but will connect through Liberty-Wireless.

Connecting your Smart TV, PlayStation, Xbox, Blu-ray player, or streaming device can be completed in a few easy steps.

Table of Contents

Add a Device Registration

  1. Go to https://onboard.liberty.edu from a device that is already connected to Liberty-Secure.

  2. Click Manage Another Device.



  3. Type in your Liberty Email and Password and select Login.




  4. Click the Add button.



  5. Enter the MAC Address of your device and a Device Name without the use of punctuation, then click ADD DEVICE.



  6. Connect that device to the Liberty-Wireless network.
    Note: The device may need to be restarted if the connection is not initially successful. Best to unplug from power and plug it back in for this to take effect. Simply pressing the power button may not work on all devices.

Update a Device Registration

  1. Go to https://onboard.liberty.edu from a device that is already connected to the LU network.

  2. Click Manage Another Device.



  3. Type in your Liberty Email and Password and click Login.



  4. Click the Edit Device button.



  5. Change the MAC Address and/or Device Name as desired.



  6. Click Update Device.

Delete a Device Registration

  1. Go to https://onboard.liberty.edu from a device that is already connected to the LU network.

  2. Click Manage Another Device.



  3. Type in your Liberty Email and Password and click Login.



  4. Click the Delete Device button.



  5. Click the Yes button to confirm your wish to delete the device registration.



  6. Please Choose one of the following options:

    • If you wish to manage a different device for the same owner, click here for more info.
    • If you wish to manage a device for a different owner, click here for more info.
    • Otherwise, to log out of the portal, click here for more info.

Log Out

To log out of the system:

  1. Click the Logout button.



 

PlayStation 4

NOTE: Only PlayStation 4 versions that have built-in support for 5GHz are supported on the LU network. Currently, that includes PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim)

 

    1. Start up your PlayStation 4 without a disc.

    2. Navigate to the "Settings" icon

      PS4 Image 1

    3. Select the "System" icon under the Settings menu.

      PS4 Image 2

    4. Select “System Information."

      PS4 Image 3

    5. You will see your MAC address listed on this screen, containing letters and numbers in the format xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx. Write down your Wi-Fi MAC address.

    6. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

Xbox One

 

 

  1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide.

  2. Select Profile & system > Settings > General > Network settings > Advanced Settings.

  3. You will see your MAC address listed on this screen, containing letters and numbers in the format xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx. Write down your Wi-Fi MAC address.

  4. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.


PlayStation Vita

  1. From the Vita Home Screen, tap the Settings application and then tap Start.

  2. Swipe up on the screen to scroll down to the System option, and then tap the System option.

  3. Tap the System Information option. You will see your MAC address listed on this screen, containing letters and numbers in the format xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx. Write down your Wi-Fi MAC address.

  4. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

Nintendo Wii U

Note: Full functionality for all services may be limited on Liberty's network, and Nintendo has also removed some services as well.

  1. From the Wii U Menu, select System Settings (your icons may be arraigned differently than shown, look for the wrench icon)



  2. Using the left stick, select the Internet icon and press the A button.



  3. Select View MAC Address. You will see your MAC address listed on this screen, containing letters and numbers in the format xx.xx.xx.xx.xx.xx. Write down your Wi-Fi MAC address.



  4. From the main Wii U Menu, select System Settings.



  5. Using the left stick, select the Internet icon and press the A button.



  6. Using the left stick select Connect to the Internet



  7. Using the left stick select Liberty-Wireless from the list of available wireless networks.



  8. Wait while the console tests the network connection and select OK.



  9. A dialog box will appear asking if you would like to set this as the default connection. Select Set.



  10. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

Nintendo Switch

  1. From the Home Screen, select System Settings.

  2. Select Internet on the left side of the screen. Take note of the MAC Address, will be shown below Connection Status

  3. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

Nintendo 3DS/2DS

Note: Nintendo 2DS has not been tested on our network.

  1. From the Home Menu, select the System Settings Icon.

  2. Select Internet Settings.

  3. Tap Other Information.

  4. Tap Confirm MAC Address.

  5. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

Amazon Echo

Liberty’s network allows the use of these devices, however, some functionality may be limited due to connected devices being on two separate networks (i.e. Phone on Secure and Echo on Wireless)The Echo MUST be configured as Other AirGroup Device or else it will not work correctly

  1. Install the Amazon Alexa app from the App Store



  2. Log in using an Amazon account.




  3. Select your type of Echo device.

        

    Note: If the Orange light is not on, press and hold the action button until it does or restart the device)

  4. Connect directly to the Echo device.

        

  5. Proceed with the setup as normal.



  6. When trying to connect to the network, scroll to the bottom to show MAC address.

  7. Continue setup

              

  8. After setup, verify the Echo is operating normally (no lights should be on and you should now be able to make queries [i.e. “Alexa, what’s the weather today?”] and ensure that your cell phone is connected to Liberty-Secure)

    https://liberty.service-now.com/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=aff9acc3dbd097c03c425ab8dc961908

Google Home

Liberty’s network allows the use of these devices. However, some functionality may be limited due to connected devices being on two separate networks. (i.e. Phone on Liberty-Secure and Home on Liberty-Wireless)

 A Google Account MUST be used for the setup, if you attempt to set up with your Liberty credentials, this will not work.
(You can see the active account by looking at the top of the slide-over menu in the Google Home app)

  1. Install the Google Home app from the App Store.



  2.  Log in using a Google Account.



  3. Connect directly to the Home.



  4. Proceed with the setup as normal.

               




  5. When trying to connect to the network, tap the 3 dot icon in the upper right and then tap Show MAC address. Take note of the MAC address as it will be needed later. Tap OK. Select Liberty-Wireless.


             

  6. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process for both the device and again for the phone used to set it up.
    Note: make sure for the phone, you use the Register another device button instead of the mobile device button and use the MAC address for the phone.

  7. Finish setting up the device by tapping Next,  then tapping Continue  in the bottom right corner.

             

  8. After setup, verify the Home is operating normally (no lights should be on and you should now be able to make queries [i.e. “Hey Google, what’s the weather today”].

  9. On the cell phone, go back to the Wi-Fi settings of the device and switch the network back to Liberty-Secure and forget Liberty-Wireless so that it doesn't connect back to that network.

Chromecast

Google Chromecast devices are supported on Liberty's wireless network.

To set up your Chromecast on Liberty's wireless network:

  1. Download, install, and launch the Google Home app on your mobile device.

  2. Plug your Chromecast into the TV with which it will be used.

  3. Confirm the code shown in Google Home is the same as shown on your TV. Select Yes if they match.
    Note: Bluetooth needs to be enabled for the devices to connect and show the code.

  4. Select or create room. 

  5. During the step to connect to a wireless network, the device's MAC address can be shown via "show mac address" in the "..." menu in the top right hand corner of the home app. Make note of this address.

  6. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

  7. Now connect your mobile device to the "Liberty-Wireless" wireless network.

  8. In the Google Home app, select Liberty-Wireless from the list of available networks, if not already selected. Select Continue.
  9. The mobile device will now disconnect from the Chromecast as the Chromecast connects to Liberty-Wireless. Once connected the mobile device will show connected, and ask to go through a tutorial. 
    • If the Chromecast properly connects (shows successful/almost done on the TV) continue through the wizard, until complete. 
    • On a mobile device, go to networks, and reconnect to "Liberty-Secure"
    • You should now be able to set up and be able to cast/manage the device accordingly. 

Note: You do not need to be connected to Liberty-Wireless in order to cast to the Chromecast. You can be connected to Liberty-Secure and still cast to the device.

Fitbit

Note: Fitbit devices use Wi-Fi only during firmware updates or music transfers. Once these updates are complete, Wi-Fi turns off automatically. Regular data syncs are performed via the Bluetooth connection to your phone. 

You will need to have the Fitbit app installed on your smartphone to complete these steps. Make certain your smartphone’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on.

  1. Locate your Fitbit’s MAC Address by swiping right on your screen until you find the Settings app, then select it.

  2. Scroll down until you find About, then select it. The MAC Address will be on the next screen. It will be a combination of twelve letters and numbers divided by colons. (Example: 00:AD:12:BB:42:CF)

  3. On the Fitbit app on your phone, tap the Account icon in the upper right.



  4. On the next screen, under Account, tap the icon for your device.



  5. Scroll down until you find Wi-Fi Settings, then select it.



  6. On the following page, tap Next.



  7. Wait until the Networks list populates. Two lists may appear on your app screen. The top list, Network (singular) will display the networks (if any) you have previously connected to using your Fitbit. The bottom list Networks (plural) lists the networks that are available.

  8. In the bottom list, tap Liberty-Wireless. 



  9. If the network is successfully joined, a green checkmark icon will appear on the screen of your Fitbit.

  10. Follow the steps here to finish the device registration process.

If at any time you want to verify network connectivity, open the Fitbit App on your smartphone and tap Liberty-Wireless in the upper list. If numbers appear in the IPv4 and MAC Address fields, you are connected. If they are blank, you are not. Tap Connect on that page to connect your Fitbit to the Liberty-Wireless network.

Note: The instructions in this article have been confirmed for the Fitbit Ionic with firmware version 27.32.12.19, version 32.12.19 of the Fitbit App, and an Apple iPhone using iOS 12.1. Similar devices should connect using similar steps.

LU-Cyber-Lab (Business Students Only)

This network is only for select Business School classes and exists only in the School of Business. It is a network designed for network security studies. Your business class instructor has to make you a member of the Cyber Excellence Security Students -> General team in Microsoft Teams to get to the onboarding site to get connected. After they have done that, follow the steps below.

  1. Go to MyLU.com and click the link Cyber Lab Wireless Onboarding under the My Access widget.



  2. If your device was automatically detected correctly,  click JoinNow and follow the prompts, or select your device from the dropdown box below.
    Note: You can follow the screenshots for your device from the Table of Contents after the step to click the JoinNow.

Guest Accounts

Whenever a user connects to Liberty-Guest they will be asked to register. There is a link at the bottom of the page to sign in if they have an Events Account. The purpose of the guest network account is for people who do not have a Liberty Network Account (LNA) to obtain wireless access. If they attempt to register a Liberty email address they will be redirected to onboard to Liberty-Secure.

There are two types of accounts for the guest network:

  1. Self-Registered: This access level is for people such as family members and visitors who need brief network access during their visit. Users who have Liberty Guest level access will have their bandwidth severely limited.

        

  2. Event Account: This access is for non-Liberty users who are attending a special event on campus where the event provides credentials to its participants. The Event Account access level grants those users the same upload and download speeds as normal staff (6Mbps up, 10 Mbps down).

Notes:

Hardware requirements and recommendations

Note: As of 18 January 2016, Wired network ports in dorms are no longer available for purchase.

Personal devices can only connect to the internet via Wi-Fi.

 

Wireless Adapter Standards

Liberty Owned Machines:

Recommended:

Minimum:

Unsupported:

Alternative:

 

List of Supported Adapters


LU Owned Machine Approved Adapters:

 

USB Adapters: 

 

Desktop PCI-E Adapters:

Improve Wireless Experience

Note: Before ANY other changes, make sure the latest wireless driver available from the manufacturer is installed.

When applicable, please change the following wireless driver settings to the values below (accessible by right-clicking on the network driver in Device Manager, then clicking on Properties, then clicking on Advanced): 

Verify roaming aggressiveness is set to Medium:

 

Removing the wireless profile

The following steps will help you through the process of removing the Liberty-Secure Wireless network profile from your devices. You may want to do this due to leaving the university or during troubleshooting of the connection.

Note: You do not have to be in the range of the network in order to remove it.

 

Desktop

Mobile
Microsoft Windows iPhone and iPad
Apple Macintosh Android

 

Windows

 

  1. Launch an elevated command prompt; the easiest way to do this is on the keyboard, press the Windows Key, type CMD and then hit Ctrl+Shift+Enter or by clicking Run as Administrator.

     

  2. To delete the Liberty-Secure profile type netsh wlan delete profile name ="Liberty-Secure" and press enter.

macOS

 

  1. Click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen then click System Preferences.



  2. Click the View button on the menu bar and select Profiles



  3. Click on Liberty-Secure, then click the Minus Button below to remove it.

iPhone and iPad

Note: The following screenshots are from an iPhone but the steps will match on an iPad, images will differ slightly due to the larger screen on iPads.

 

  1. Go into the Settings app on your device



  2. Select General



  3. Select Profile near the bottom of the General menu



  4. Select the Liberty University Liberty-Secure Mobile Profile.



  5. Select the red Remove Profile button at the bottom of this page



  6. A prompt should appear on the screen asking for your passcode if you have one set up.



  7. Select the Remove button to finalize this process

Android

 

  1. Swipe down from the top to open the Control Panel and tap the Gear Icon in the bottom right corner.




  2. Tap Network & Internet.



  3. Tap Wi-Fi.



  4. Tap the Gear icon next to Liberty-Secure.



  5. Tap Forget.



  6. If you also had to install the JoinNow app to get connected, this should also be removed. Locate the app on the home screen.



  7. Press and hold on the icon and tap App Info.



  8. Tap Uninstall then tap OK

 

Troubleshooting

PC

      1. Open the Avast software, go to Settings > Active Protection. Change the switch to off next to "Secure DNS" and click OK. Reload Liberty's website
      2. To prevent the DNS address from reverting back, you must uninstall Sendori. Sendori is a security program that uses DNS. To do this, follow the steps below
        1. Open Task Manager and cancel all processes related to Sendori.
        2. You may have to click to show processes from all users
        3. Uninstall the program and restart the computer.

 

MAC

 

Unsupported Devices

Below is a list of known unsupported devices. It is not an all-inclusive list. If you are having trouble getting your device connected, please check the Hardware requirements and recommendations to verify if it's supported.

 

 

If you have any trouble following the above steps, please contact the IT HelpDesk by calling 866-447-2869. You can also Chat with us online at www.liberty.edu/hdchat

 

Revised by Shawn Bryant
Last modified 2023-08-17 15:39:49