Lenovo T41p User Manual

IBM Access
Connections Deployment Guide

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Version

Date: October 11, 2004

3.3.0

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 a new-image installation . . . .17

Deploying Access Connections location profiles

remotely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Unattended deployment . . . . . . . . .18

Attended deployment . . . . . . . . . .19

Appendix. Notices . . . . . . . . . .21

Non-IBM We b 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 a connectivity 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 a network
from a specific location such as home or work. The network connection can be
made using a modem, a wired network adapter, a broadband device (DSL, cable
modem, or ISDN), or a wireless 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 a network without having to reconfigure network
settings manually. A location 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:

v Create new location profiles

Access Connections provides a wizard 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.

v View 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.

v Switch between location profiles

Access Connections allows you to change location profiles. Yo u can simply
choose another location profile from the list and connect to it. A progress
indicator window shows the state of the connection. If the connection fails, a
button appears to help you fix the connection.

v Search 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 a public
place and you are not sure about what, if any, wireless networks are available to
you. Yo u can attempt to connect to any wireless networks that are found. If the
connection attempt is successful, a new wireless location profile will be created
using the detected wireless network name and default settings. You can also
manually create a location profile for a detected wireless network if you know
the appropriate settings.

v Automatic switching of location profiles

If a network associated with your currently applied location profile becomes
unavailable, Access Connection can search for available networks and
automatically switch to a matching location profile. Yo u can automatically switch

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 1

between wireless location profiles, and Ethernet location profiles. You can
establish a wireless 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.

v Import and export location profiles

Access Connections allows you to easily share location profiles between different
computers. Yo u can also import location profiles that are created by the network
adminstrator.

v Use 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.

v Create 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.

2 IBM Access Connections Deployment Guide Version 3.3.0

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.

Figure 1. IBM Access Connections Connection Status window.

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

© Copyright IBM Corp. 2004 3