WiFi Frequently Asked Questions

I have a personal device and want to connect to the wireless network. How do I do that?

LMC provides two unique wireless networks. One network is used for guest users and is called “Guest”. When connecting to this network you are required to accept the Terms of Use before any internet access is available. The other network is called “LMC‐Private”. This network is used by all users with an association with LMC (Students, Staff, Adjuncts, etc). This network requires authentication   with your LMC userid and password (a.k.a Domain Credentials).

I have connected to the Guest network and after a period of time I have to accept the Terms of Use again. Why?

The Guest network is intended for short term use by users who are visiting LMC and do not have an LMC userid and password. To ensure that all users connecting to this network are informed of those Terms of Use, all users are required to reaffirm that every 30 days. This should not be an issue as guest users are typically not connected to the Guest network for long periods of time.

I am connected to the LMC‐Private network and can’t get to internal resources (i.e. File shares, RDP, etc). Why?

To ensure the highest security possible, access to the internal network is limited based on various factors. A personal device (i.e. I‐Pad, Smart Phone, Laptop, etc) which is not owned and managed by LMC will have limited access to the internal network. Since LMC does not manage these devices to ensure that they are secure and virus free, only limited access will be available. If you feel you should have access to something, please contact the IT department with your request.

I am connected to the Guest network but none of my applications are working on my Smart Phone/I‐Pad.

The Guest network requires acceptance of the Terms of Use Policy. Your device may show connected  to the wireless network, but until you accept the terms, there will be no access to the Internet. Simply open up a web browser to any web page and you will be redirected to the Terms of Use. Once  reading, click on the “Accept” button and you will be connected to the network. Your applications will then work. Please remember that there is a 12 hour timeout which will require acceptance again. If  you leave campus for the day, you will need to accept the terms again the next day. If you have an   LMC userid and password, connect to the LMC‐Private network instead.

I connected my device to the LMC‐Private network but it will connect to the Guest network periodically.

Each time you connect to a wireless network, the device will store that connection for later use. If your device sees the Guest network before the LMC‐Private network it will connect to that first. This can cause issues as the Guest network requires acceptance of the Terms of Use. You may also see that your device will “bounce” between the two wireless networks. This can cause an interruption in connectivity on your device. To prevent that, please “forget” the wireless network Guest from your device. This removes that as a wireless network to connect too. Please refer to your device documentation on how to do that.

What is the difference between the Guest network and the Private network?

Both networks have identical access to the Internet. The Private network is intended for users associated with LMC who have a userid and password. Depending on the type of user (Student, Staff, Adjunct, etc.), additional access to the internal network is allowed. If you have a userid and password you should use the LMC‐Private network.

My device always connects to the Guest network when I am on campus.

Smart Phones, I‐Pads, etc. have an option to automatically connect to an open network when it detects one. The Guest network is an open network in that it does not require a userid and password. If this option is enabled on your device it will connect to the Guest network when it is available. If this is causing an issue, please refer to your device documentation on how to disable that. This could also be that you connected to that network once before and it is now a saved connection. If you are connecting to the LMC‐Private network please make sure that the LMC‐Guest network is “forgotten”. This can also be found in your device documentation.

I live at the Dorm and connected my X‐Box/PlayStation/etc to the wireless network but am unable to play any online games.

The Guest network requires acceptance of the Terms of Use Policy before Internet access is available. Please open a web browser to accept the policy. Once that is done, Internet access will be available. The Dorms also have wired ports available throughout the rooms to facilitate a wired connection. There are additional options available for those wired connections. Please contact IT if you have specific needs.

I have to have a static IP address for my gaming system. How is that done?

LMC does not support static IP addresses on personal devices. In addition, the IP address a device gets is an internal one and is not available on the Internet. To avoid any issues in the future, please do not statically assign an IP address to a device. Any changes that may be made to the internal network  could cause an issue with connectivity. Some of the networks also require the device to receive an address via DHCP. If the device is not configured in that fashion, it will not be allowed to connect. If  you have specific concerns about this, please contact IT.

I am trying to connect to the LMC‐Private network and it won’t let me.

To connect to the LMC‐Private network requires a LMC userid and password (a.k.a Domain Credentials). When entering your username, there is no reason to put the domain name (i.e. lmc\user). If you have tried without the domain name (i.e. user) and you are still not able to connect, please contact the IT department. If your device requires a domain, please enter “Lakemichigancollege.edu”

I have my own wireless router/hotspot. Can I use that?

LMC does not support the use of personal wireless routers, AdHoc, or Hotspot use. Due to the nature of wireless networks, the activation of one of those devices could negatively impact the production wireless at LMC; thereby causing a problem for connectivity for all users. IT proactively monitors for the use and location of these types of connections. This also creates a Security issue as these wireless networks are not managed by LMC.