If the standard configuration instructions aren't working for you, check the following steps in order & depending on your device.
One of the most common issues occurs when first attempting to connect to the MiddleburyCollege network. After putting your credentials in to connect, you will likely see a prompt to trust a certificate for “cpauth.middlebury.edu”; you will need trust this certificate, as you will be unable to connect to the network if you do not.
Please note that personal routers and wireless access points (WAPs) are not allowed on campus; you must use the College wireless to avoid interfering with the network infrastructure. Also, personal devices that rely on direct communication, like Chromecast and personal wireless printers, are not supported due to the nature of enterprise network infrastructure. Refer to ITS Network Policies and College handbook information for more details.
Contents
- Check that Wireless is Turned on
- Check that the Networks Appear
- Check to see if your problem is location-specific
- Check that your account is valid for Middlebury College wireless
- Release and renew your IP address
- Repair wireless with built-in tools
- Check for stored password issues
- "Forget" the network and reconnect
- Update Drivers
- Contact the Helpdesk
Many laptops have a physical switch on the side that disables wireless entirely. This can be useful in certain circumstances, but causes problems connecting to networks if accidentally activated. If the physical switch is on or you don't see one, make sure Airplane Mode is set to OFF and that Wireless (WiFi) is ON.
On Macs, click the WiFi icon in the top right corner of the screen and, if needed, click the switch to turn it on. The switch will be colored and to the right when enabled, and grey to the left when disabled.
When WiFi is on, your device should list the available wireless networks nearby, including MiddleburyCollege and MiddleburyGuest. If neither of these networks appear, double-check that the wireless connection is enabled and try restarting your device. Once the networks appear, move to the next step.
If MiddleburyGuest appears, but MiddleburyCollege doesn't, there are three possibilities:
-
You are in an area with an unusually weak signal, so the networks are not properly detected.
-
If your device uses Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, or common Linux flavors, it may not be properly configured to connect to MiddleburyCollege. You may need to update your operating system, wireless drivers, or firmware. Please continue troubleshooting using the steps below.
-
If you have a more unusual device (such as certain gaming systems or older consumer devices), it may not support MiddleburyCollege. Please see information about the Middlebury-IoT Network.
If you can access wireless normally in some areas, such as the library or classrooms, but there is a particular location where it seems not to work or is unreasonably slow, please submit a support request to the Helpdesk, including a brief description of the issue, the location(s) in which the issue is seen and by whom, and when the issue started.
We are continually improving our wireless infrastructure across campus, and we appreciate your help in identifying areas of concern.
If you get a "wrong password" error or are being prompted for your password over and over, pay particular attention to this step and step 7.
If you can connect to other networks, just not MiddleburyCollege, connect to the MiddleburyGuest network and log in to confirm that your Middlebury username and password are correct and active. You can also use a phone on cellular or a cellular hot-spot to connect to a network.
If you are completely unable to connect to wireless networks, please instead continue on step 6.
Note that only network accounts (i.e., the Middlebury email credentials for faculty, staff, students, and courtesied guests) can access the MiddleburyCollege network — local accounts specific to individual computers (e.g., your computer username and password) do not have access. Please also note that valid accounts include Courtesy Accounts, but do NOT include Guest Accounts.
If you seem to be connected to the network but pages won't load—especially if you get a warning about "limited connectivity" or a "self-assigned IP address"—try to release and renew your IP address.
-
Windows: Right-click the Network icon at lower right of the screen then click Diagnose network problems (or Troubleshoot problems).
-
macOS: Click the WiFi icon (top right corner of the screen) then click the slider to turn OFF wireless. Wait a few seconds, then click the slider once more to turn WiFi back ON.
If you've changed your password recently (or since you were last on campus), you should do the following:
-
On a college-owned Windows computer, make sure you're logged in with your current password by connecting to a wired connection (ethernet), locking the computer (Win+L), then unlocking it with your new password.
-
On a personal Windows computer, any Mac computer, or any mobile device, you should be able to update the stored password for MiddleburyCollege when prompted by typing in your current College email and password. If this doesn't work, you may need to forget the network (see step below). If a Windows computer does not ask for your credentials when connecting for the first time, you will need to connect manually.
For Macs: to manually reset the password, try the following steps:
-
Select the WiFi icon in the menu bar and toggle Wi-Fi OFF.
-
Spotlight search for "keychain" and select Keychain Access.
-
Manually find MiddleburyCollege (Kind: 802.1X Password) under the left login tab (under Default Keychains).
-
NOTE: You will likely need to first click on a different tab, e.g., Local Items, then click back to login for it to load.
-
Right-click the network and "Delete "MiddleburyCollege"", then confirm with Delete.
-
Repeat steps 3 & 4 for cpauth.middlebury.edu (Kind: certificate), also under login.
-
You can now close Keychain Access.
-
Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and toggle Wi-Fi back ON.
-
Re-connect to MiddleburyCollege.
Windows: College-owned
Middlebury-managed Windows computers have the MiddleburyCollege network pre-configured with the correct settings and cannot be manually adjusted. This assumes, however, that you are logging into the computer as yourself - see Valid accounts above.
Windows: personally-owned
Refer to How to Forget a WiFi Network in Simple Steps.
macOS
Refer to Forget wireless network on macOS or iOS.
Additional troubleshooting steps, for extreme cases: create a New Location and log in as another user - if this fixes the issue, check the original user's Keychain Access login & Local Items for passwords & certificates potentially related to cpauth, MiddleburyCollege, and InCommon.
iOS
Refer to Forget wireless network on macOS or iOS.
Android
-
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
-
Select the MiddleburyCollege network, then tap Forget.
-
On a Mac, iOS device, or Android device, make sure that you have run Software Update and there are no further updates available. In some cases, you may need to upgrade to a newer version of your OS (Operating System).
-
For Windows computers, see our article on Windows Driver Updates for instructions on how to update device drivers. For personal computers, please check the vendor website for your computer and/or wireless card to see if updated drivers are available, install them, then reboot. If you need assistance with this, please contact the Helpdesk — we can best assist with wireless issues in-person in Davis Family Library, room 202.
If the above steps don't work, please find and note your Ethernet address (MAC address)—for College-owned devices, also include the Middlebury Asset ID (the 5- or 6-digit number on the "Property of Middlebury College" sticker, typically on the bottom of the device)—then Request Wireless Network Support using the button at the top right of this article, making sure to include the noted MAC address (and, if applicable, asset ID).
For best and quickest results, please also include:
- a description of the issue
- the location(s) in which the issue is seen
- when the issue started
- if the issue is consistent or intermittent
- on what kinds of devices this issue is being seen (e.g., computers, phones, etc.)
- if any troubleshooting has been done, such as restarting the devices that are having problems
If the matter is urgent or you cannot use the support form linked above, please call us at (802) 443-2200 with your name, contact info, and a description of the problem. For best results, also Option-click the wireless icon and collect the information about your connection that appears, and relay that information when calling.
Any device with a wireless network card or adapter should be compatible with Middlebury's wireless networks as long as it supports the WPA2 or 802.1X protocol. The vast majority of wireless devices in the world support these protocols. Our wireless vendor, Aruba, publishes a detailed list of compatible devices (this can also be found by searching the web for Aruba compatibility).
What should I do if my device keeps connecting to MiddleburyGuest instead of MiddleburyCollege?
Please "forget" or delete the MiddleburyGuest network from your list of saved networks. See information in Step 8 above.
A Middlebury Mac laptop is not getting the pop-up to join a wireless network (off-campus). How can I fix this?
Upgrading the operating system and antivirus application may be required.
A personal computer is not getting the pop-up, or can't load the pop-up to join MiddleburyGuest WiFi. How can I fix this?
You may try to manually load https://cpauth.middlebury.edu on the device to register it. Software on your computer may prevent the page from popping up properly, but we've found this work-around may fix the issue.