Lenovo ThinkPad G41 Quick reference guide

IBM Access
Connections Deployment Guide
Version 3.3.0
Date: October 11, 2004
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Third Edition (October 2004)
©Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2004. All rights reserved.
US Government Users Restricted Rights –Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract
with IBM Corp.

Preface
This guide is intended for IT administrators, or those who are responsible for
deploying IBM
® Access Connections on computers in their organizations. The
guide is intended to provide the information required for installing IBM Access
Connections on one or many computers, provided that licenses for the software are
available for each target computer. The IBM Access Connections application
provides application help, which administrators and users can consult for
information about using the application itself.
IBM ThinkVantage
™ Technologies and the deployment guides that accompany
them are developed with IT professionals and the unique challenges that they
encounter in mind. If you have suggestions or comments, communicate with your
IBM authorized representative. To learn more about the technologies that can help
you lower the total cost of ownership and to check for periodic updates to this
guide, visit this Web site:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/think/thinkvantagetech.html
©Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 iii

iv IBM Access Connections Deployment Guide Version 3.3.0

Contents
Preface ............... iii
Chapter 1. Overview .........1
Features ................1
Chapter 2. Using Access Connections..3
Viewing connection status ..........3
Saving location profiles, settings, time, and reducing
help desk calls..............4
Enabling effortless wireless LAN connectivity for
mobile users ..............5
Extending wireless connection capabilities beyond
WLAN ................6
Helping your clients stay connected ......6
Capitalizing on new profile-deployment capabilities
to ease administration ...........7
Diagnosing network connectivity problems ....8
Chapter 3. Considerations for deploying
Access Connections .........9
Requirements and specifications for deployment ..9
Chapter 4. Deploying Access
Connections ............11
Access Connections deployment features ....11
Installing IBM Access Connections.......11
Installing the integrated IBM Access Connections
package...............11
Installing the standalone IBM Access Connections 12
Enabling the Administrator Feature ......12
Using the Administrator Feature .......13
Preparing for anew-image installation ....17
Deploying Access Connections location profiles
remotely ...............18
Unattended deployment .........18
Attended deployment ..........19
Appendix. Notices ..........21
Non-IBM Web sites ............21
Trademarks ..............22
©Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 v

vi IBM Access Connections Deployment Guide Version 3.3.0

Chapter 1. Overview
IBM Access Connections is aconnectivity assistant program which helps to
configure various network connections including wireless LANs. Users can create
and manage location profiles which helps to store the network and Internet
configuration settings that are needed to connect the client computer to anetwork
from aspecific location such as home or work. The network connection can be
made using amodem, awired network adapter, abroadband device (DSL, cable
modem, or ISDN), or awireless network adapter. Virtual private network (VPN)
connections are also supported. By switching between location profiles as you
move your computer from place to place, Access Connections can quickly and
easily help users connect to anetwork without having to reconfigure network
settings manually. Alocation profile supports advanced security settings, default
printer, and automatic application launch.
Access Connections has the ability to support automatic location switching
between Ethernet and wireless LAN connections.
Features
Access Connections includes the following functions:
vCreate new location profiles
Access Connections provides awizard that helps you to create location profiles
that define all of the settings required to connect to various types of networks.
The Connection Status window is opened by default when Access Connections
is started.
vView location profile and connection status
The Connection Status window allows you to view the status of the network
connection associated with each location profile defined in Access Connections
and allows you to switch between location profiles. When you open the window,
status is shown for the network connection and for the components used by the
currently applied location profile.
vSwitch between location profiles
Access Connections allows you to change location profiles. You can simply
choose another location profile from the list and connect to it. Aprogress
indicator window shows the state of the connection. If the connection fails, a
button appears to help you fix the connection.
vSearch for wireless networks.
Access Connections can search for wireless networks that are in range of your
wireless adapter. This feature is useful when you are traveling or in apublic
place and you are not sure about what, if any, wireless networks are available to
you. You can attempt to connect to any wireless networks that are found. If the
connection attempt is successful, anew wireless location profile will be created
using the detected wireless network name and default settings. You can also
manually create alocation profile for adetected wireless network if you know
the appropriate settings.
vAutomatic switching of location profiles
If anetwork associated with your currently applied location profile becomes
unavailable, Access Connection can search for available networks and
automatically switch to amatching location profile. You can automatically switch
©Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 1

between wireless location profiles, and Ethernet location profiles. You can
establish awireless priority list which allows you to define which wireless
location profile will be made active when your computer is in range of multiple
wireless networks, or when more than one location profile uses the same
wireless network name.
vImport and export location profiles
Access Connections allows you to easily share location profiles between different
computers. You can also import location profiles that are created by the network
adminstrator.
vUse the system tray icon
Access Connections provides an icon in the system tray which allows you to
launch the application, view the status of the current location profile, and switch
between profiles.
vCreate location profiles for remote deployment (administrator’s only)
An Access Connections administrator can define location profiles for use the
Access Connections on the client PCs.
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Chapter 2. Using Access Connections
This chapter shows you how to use the features of Access Connections.
Viewing connection status
With the Connection Status window, client users can see their network connections
at every link. Furthermore, client users can offer reliable status information to
administrators remotely, so the administrators can diagnose and correct problems.
One window offers you and users accessible, essential information about
connections--and helps them get and stay connected.
1. Current location in use
2. Location selector
3. Client computer
4. Manage locations button
5. Find Wireless Network button
6. Network connection device
7. Links
8. Network server/Gateway
9. Internet
10. Signal strength indicator
11. Data transfer speed
12. IP address
Figure 1. IBM Access Connections Connection Status window.
©Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 3

13. Connection status
Saving location profiles, settings, time, and reducing help desk calls
Create location profiles with nearly all the settings you need to connect almost
anywhere that network connectivity is available. After profiles are set, Access
Connections lets you easily switch between them. Profiles can be set for automatic
switching between wireless and wired connections based on the highest available
compatible connection speed. They can be set to change default printers, turn on a
VPN, or launch applications by location. Plus, Access Connections helps manage
wireless security, including Wi-Fi Protected Access, WEP, 802.11x and Cisco LEAP.
Profiles can also be centrally managed to simplify deployment.
IBM Access Connections software is included with the purchase of every new IBM
ThinkPad
® notebook system. Alist of ThinkPad models that are compatible with
IBM Access Connections can be found at http://www-
306.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/migr-4zlnjb.html#ac. There are many other
software utilities available today, typically included with network adapters, that
appear similar in function to Access Connections software. Utilities such as Intel
®
PROSet and the Cisco Aironet Client Utility (ACU) both provide profile switching
capabilities that control configuration and management for their associated WLAN
adapters. Access Connections software, however, manages amuch more extensive
collection of hardware adapters including LAN, WLAN, WAN (wide area network
or cellular), dial-up, as well as Ethernet-connected broadband (DSL, cable, ISDN).
Supporting all of this networking hardware provides akey benefit: Access
Connections software eliminates the need for administrators to learn and manage
multiple client configuration utilities.
All WLAN configuration utilities, as well as the built-in capability in Microsoft
®
Windows
® XP, enable you to create profiles with settings for network name, SSID,
and security setup, including the definition of awired equivalent privacy (WEP)
key. However, only Access Connections software integrates location-specific control
over the networking and Internet settings that are traditionally set through
multiple facilities, windows, and utilities in Windows. These include:
vFixed IP address or dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)
vAuto domain name system (DNS) or explicit DNS addresses and DNS suffixes
vInternet Explorer (IE) home page and proxy settings
vEnable/disable file and printer sharing
vInternet connection firewall
vWindows default printer
vAuto launch virtual private network (VPN) of choice
vAuto launch of any other executable
Without Access Connections software, users might need to take significantly more
steps to set up anetwork connection in alocation. For example, consider a
telecommuter who uses an Ethernet connection both at work and at home. At
work, the user is required to use afixed-IP address with explicit DNS settings and
aproxy server for Internet browsing. But at home, the cable modem dynamically
assigns an IP address (DHCP mode) and the user does not need explicit DNS
settings or aproxy server. To use the notebook at home, the user must modify
Windows network properties to enable DHCP and automatic DNS. And the user
must also turn off the proxy settings in IE tools options or the Internet will be
inaccessible.
4IBM Access Connections Deployment Guide Version 3.3.0