Welcome to the Linfield College Clean Access System
- Starting Out
- Installing the Clean Access Agent
- Logging on to Clean Access
- Required Software and Updates Overview
- Step 1: Service Packs
- Step 2: Windows Updates
- Step 3: Anti-Virus Software
- Step 4: Anti-Virus Definition Updates
- Frequently Asked Questions
| Starting Out | ||||||
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When you first connect to the Linfield network, you will have restricted access to the internet. Linfield uses the Clean Access system as a means of security against virii and other malicious programs that can infect unprotected computers. Clean Access is a method to ensure that your computer is protected and up to date with Windows operating system patches and Anti-Virus software and definitions. Once you pass through Clean Access you will have normal connectivity to the internet until the next time you must log in. Throughout the semester you will have to re-logon to Clean Access and follow the steps again because maintaining security and protection is an ever evolving challenge. |
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| Installing the Clean Access Agent | ||||||
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The first time you attempt to access the internet via a web browser, you will be redirected to the Clean Access authentication page:
At the Clean Access authentication page, please enter your CatNet ID and password. If you do not have your CatNet ID and password, you can obtain them by clicking on the link at the bottom of the authentication page. When you click "Log Me In," you will be prompted to download and install the Clean Access Agent. The Clean Access Agent is a small program that runs on your computer so it can communicate with the Clean Access server. It provides only information about your Windows Service Packs and Updates, your Anti-Virus software and Anti-Virus definitions. No other information about your computer is read or recorded. After you choose Open, the Clean Access Agent will download onto your computer and run. There is a simple setup procedure for the Agent, please click "Next" and "Install" when prompted. Once the installation is complete, please click finish to close the installer. The Clean Access Agent has been successfully installed on your computer. |
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| Logging on to Clean Access | ||||||
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Now that the Clean Access Agent has been installed on your computer, you must log in with your CatNet ID and password to join the network. The Clean Access Agent will prompt you to login if it is running and not logged in already. Make sure the green key icon
You will have to authenticate on a regular basis to ensure the security and health of your computer.
Please click "Go to Link" to download and install the new version. When the message box pops up, choose "Open" to run the installer.
The installation steps will be the same as those previously listed. |
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| Required Software and Updates Overview | ||||||
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Once you login to Clean Access if your computer does not meet all the requirements you will see this message:
You must click "Continue" to install the appropriate updates. There are two main components that Clean Access assesses to determine whether or not your computer is safe to join the network. The first of these is your Microsoft Windows Updates. Windows Updates are security patches and hot fixes for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Microsoft provides a web based service to find and install necessary Windows Updates. Keeping your Windows Updates up to date is very important. Hackers and virii can exploit unpatched systems quickly, so it is imperative to stay abreast of the latest patches. Windows XP can be configured to automatically retrieve and even install updates as they are released from Microsoft. Configuring your computer to do this can save you time when going through the Clean Access process in the future. For instructions on configuring your computer to automatically receive updates, see the FAQ Section at the end of this guide.
*Linfield offers the Enterprise version of McAfee VirusScan free to students if you do not already have a suitable Anti-Virus application. However, installing an Anti-Virus application is only one part of keeping your system safe from virii and trojans. The key component in Anti-Virus software is called a "definition file" or "DAT file." These files contain information on all the known virii and malware on the internet and are constantly updated as new virii surface. Clean Access will check to make sure that you not only have Anti-Virus software installed, but that your DAT files are also up to date. Fortunately, like Windows Updates, Anti-Virus software can be configured to automatically update. For instructions on configuring your Anti-Virus software to automatically update the DAT files, see the FAQ Section at the end of this guide. |
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| Step 1: Service Packs | ||||||
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The first step in securing your computer is making sure you have the latest Service Packs installed for your Microsoft Windows operating system. A service pack is a large collection of security patches, updates, bug fixes, additions and other new functionality that Microsoft releases on an occasional basis. The Service Pack you need depends on the version of the operating system you are running. The latest service packs by operating system are: Windows XP: Service Pack 2 Service Packs tend to be large files, therefore when you are going through the Clean Access system, if you do not have the latest service pack, you will download it from a Linfield server to speed up your download. Service Packs generally take a while to install, so please be patient with the installer when it runs on your computer. If your computer requires a newer Service Pack you will see this screen once you log into Clean Access:
You can click the "Go To Link" button to download and install the Service Pack. (Note: the example is for computers running Windows XP. Computers running Windows 2000 would see an identical screen reflecting the current Service Pack for that operating system.) If you think you have the correct service pack installed, you can attempt to click the "Next" button, however, it will not allow you to proceed unless the current Service Pack is correctly installed.
Once you select "Go To Link," you will be prompted to Open or Save the file. Choose open to begin installing. Again, these files tend to be large, so the download onto your system may take a few minutes. Once the download is complete, the package will begin to install. You will have to go through a short user interface to begin the download:
The install process can take half an hour or more depending on the speed of your computer and the operating system you are running. Once the installation is complete you will receive this message:
Please select "Finish" to reboot your computer and complete the installation. If you are running Windows XP, once your computer has restarted you will be asked a few questions:
Choosing "Help protect my PC by turning on Automatic Updates now" will help to keep your system up to date with Windows Updates. For more information on this, see the FAQ Section at the end of this guide. Once your computer is back up, you must login to Clean Access again. Once you log in, you should move to the next step, Windows Updates. |
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| Step 2: Windows Updates | ||||||
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Once you have installed the latest Service Pack, or if you already had the latest Service Pack, the next step to updating your computer is to install all the Windows Updates that apply to your operating system. Because these updates tend to be smaller downloads, you will be downloading them directly from Microsoft using their Windows Update web utility. Sometimes these updates must be installed in stages and you will have to install some, reboot, and install some more to complete the update. Please continue running Windows Updates until the Microsoft Windows Update web site informs you that you have no critical updates to install. The first screen you see if you do not have the required updates is this:
Here, if you click on "Go To Link" the Microsoft Windows Update site will open in your default browser. (Note: you must use Internet Explorer to run the Windows Update utility.) The first time you access the Windows Update site you may get this message box:
Click "Install" to install the Windows Update component. Once this is done you will be prompted to install the latest version of the Windows Update software:
Choose "Install Now" to install the Windows Update software. The software will take a few minutes to download and install. Once this software has installed, you will be taken to the Updates page. Please select "Express" at the following screen:
When you select "Express" the Windows Update software will determine what updates your system needs. This may take a few minutes. If this is the first time you are visiting the Windows Update web site, you may get the following screen:
Please select "Download and Install Now" to upgrade your Windows Update components. You will only have to do this once, the first time you visit the site. The required updates will be downloaded and installed. You will have to reboot your computer after they are complete; however, you are not finished installing Windows Updates. When your computer restarts, you will need to log into Clean Access and visit the Windows Update site again to get more updates for your Operating System.
Once you have returned to the Windows Update site by following the "Go To Link" button in the Clean Access Agent, you will return to this screen:
Again, select "Express" to retrieve your updates. Once the detection process completes, you will be given a list of necessary updates. Please select "Install Updates" as shown in the following screen:
Depending on what updates you need you may need to accept a "EULA" (End User License Agreement) from Microsoft. Please select "I Accept" to continue.
Once you accept the EULA, your updates will begin downloading and installing. If your system requires a lot of updates, this process may take a while. The on-screen progress display will let you know how many updates you have left to install or download. When download and installation are complete, you will be prompted to reboot your system. Please select "Restart Now" to do so.
When your system has restarted, log back into Clean Access and if you have all of the necessary updates you will proceed to the next step. If you are still being prompted by Clean Access to install Windows Updates, please return to the Windows Update site and see if there are more updates for you to install by following the above steps. |
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| Step 3: Anti-Virus Software | ||||||
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Once your Windows System components are updated, Clean Access will check to see if you are running an Anti-Virus application. Anti-Virus applications are sometimes stand alone programs like McAfee Virus Scan and other times part of an "Internet Security" package like McAfee Internet Security. Linfield College supports three main Anti-Virus software vendors: McAfee, Symantec/Norton, and TrendMicro. All of these products require, in addition to the software, a "subscription" for updates. Many new computers come with trial versions of one of these products installed, however, the subscription for a trial version is usually only 30 days. You will need to either purchase a new subscription from the company of your choice or use Linfield's installation of McAfee Anti-Virus for free. You must uninstall any other Anti-Virus applications before installing the Linfield version of McAfee. If you do not remove all other instances of Anti-Virus software, you can have serious problems with your computer. The following instructions are for students who do not have ANY Anti-Virus software installed on their computers. If you have a valid and working Anti-Virus program you should not need to follow these instructions. If you do not have Anti-Virus software installed and running, you will get the following message from the Clean Access Agent:
From this screen, if you select "Go To Link" you will be prompted to install Linfield's version of McAfee Virus Scan. The following steps on installing Linfield's version of McAfee Virus Scan apply only to student who do not have any other Anti-Virus software installed. To begin the download click "Run" when prompted:
This will begin the download and installation process. When prompted, select "Run" again to begin the installation:
The next screen you see will be a warning. You must read and understand this warning before installing McAfee Anti-Virus software:
Once you accept the warning, the installation will begin. There is a small User Interface that runs and you will have to click a few things to continue the installation:
After the installer closes, you will receive this message:
Click OK. At this point you must reboot your computer to complete the installation. You will not be prompted to do so, so please manually restart your computer. When your computer restarts you will need to log in to Clean Access. If your installation was successful, you should move to the next step. If you are using another Anti-Virus product such as Norton Anti-Virus and are having problems passing this step with your current Anti-Virus software, please see the FAQ Section at the end of this guide. |
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| Step 4: Anti-Virus Definition Updates | ||||||
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Keeping your Anti-Virus definition files up to date is an essential part of maintaining protection from virii and malware. Anti-Virus software is configured to connect to the manufacturer's web site and download DAT updates. These updates can be done either manually or automatically on a schedule. If you would like to schedule your Anti-Virus software to automatically update, please see the FAQ Section at the end of this guide. If your definition files (or DATs) are out of date, you will receive the following message from the Clean Access Agent:
If you click the "Update" button, the Clean Access Agent will attempt to notify your Anti-Virus software to connect to the update site and download updates. This is supported for McAfee Anti-Virus, Norton Anti-Virus and TrendMicro Pc-Cillin Anti-Virus. If you are using the Linfield version of McAfee Anti-Virus, you will be connecting to a Linfield server to retrieve your updates. Note: If you are having problems using the "Update" button to update your Anti-Virus software, please see the FAQ Section for information on initiating the updates from within the software. Here is an example of the update process using Linfield's version of McAfee. Other Anti-Virus programs will have different screens but should function essentially the same. When you click "Update" and you are running Linfield's version of McAfee Anti-Virus, you will see the following screen:
The DAT file and other updates to the Anti-Virus software will download and install. Once the installation is complete, the Clean Access Agent will give you the following message:
Click "OK" then go back to the Clean Access Agent window. You should now click "Next" to proceed:
If your DAT files were successfully updated, you should complete the Clean Access process:
If you have trouble updating your DAT files. See the FAQ Section at the end of this guide. |
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| Frequently Asked Questions | ||||||
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How do I log into Clean Access? How do I get my CatNet ID and Password? I have my CatNet ID and Password but the Clean Access Agent won't let me log in! What can I do if I have trouble installing the Clean Access Agent/Service Packs/Updates/AV Software? If I'm not using Linfield's version of McAfee, how do I update my virus definitions? Note: to update your DAT files or perform any action that requires internet access, you MUST be logged in to the Clean Access Agent! Updating Norton Internet Security To update your Norton Internet Security, simply right click on the Norton icon
Choose "Open Norton Internet Security".
From the Internet Security main window, choose "LiveUpdate" at the top. This will initiate the update sequence for all of your Norton products. You will go through a short process to confirm, download and install necessary updates.
Next, the software will connect to the Symantec servers and check for updates. This might take a few minutes:
Once the connection to Symantec is complete, you will get a list of components that can be updated. Make sure that one of the components is "Norton AntiVirus Virus Definitions." Depending on how many updates your Norton product requires, the download may take a long time.
Once the download has completed, it will begin the installation process. This may also take a few minutes.
Once the installation is complete, a status screen will be displayed showing you that the updates were successfully installed. Click "Finish" to close the LiveUpdate agent.
You have successfully updates your Norton DAT Files!
Updating McAfee Internet Security To update McAfee Internet Security simply right click on the "M" icon (it may be blue or red)
Choose "Open SecurityCenter". Once The Internet Security window appears, choose "updates" located in the upper right hand corner. This will initiate an update sequence for all the products in the SecurityCenter Suite. It is possible that other components than VirusScan will need updates. You may need to update these components before VirusScan. The following explanation is how to update the DAT files, but the same process is used to update all the McAfee components. If a reboot is required after a component updates, you will need to repeat the steps up to this one to re-initiate an update for the other components of McAfee Security Center.
When you click updates, the SecurityCenter updates window opens. Please choose "Check Now" to begin the update process.
The Update agent will check for updates on the McAfee web site.
If your DAT files are out of date, you will receive a message that "McAfee VirusScan" needs to be updated. Please choose "Update" to download the latest virus definitions.
If you have not previously used the update service and selected the "Remember Me" check box, you may be prompted for a username and password at the McAfee web site. This is the email address and password you used to register your McAfee product. You must log in to retrieve the updates. Please enter your email address and the password you used at the McAfee site and click "Log In" to continue.
Once you are logged in, you will get redirected to another McAfee web page. From this page a popup message may inform you that you need to install some software:
If you get this message you will need to install this software by clicking "Install." You will then be prompted to reboot your computer:
Click Yes to reboot your machine. Once your machine has restarted, you must log back into Clean Access, then perform the previous steps. Once you have logged into the McAfee web site, you will be taken back to the same page. The Internet Explorer information bar will pop up and inform you that the site is trying to open a pop-up window. You must allow this pop-up to continue with the updates. Please click on the Information bar:
Once you have clicked on the information bar you will need to select "Temporarily Allow Pop-Ups":
Once you have selected this, the page will reload and the McAfee update agent will pop up in a new window:
From here, the updates will automatically download. This step may take a few minutes depending on how many updates are needed. Once the download has completed, the software will begin installing:
This process may also take some time. Once all the updates have been installed you will be prompted to reboot:
Choose "Restart" to reboot your computer.
You have successfully updated your McAfee Security Center VirusScan DAT files! |
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