Troubleshooting Clean Access Problems

Clean Access is software that is used to safeguard the Downstate network.  It checks the “security status” of computers connecting to the Ethernet (wired) or 802.11/WiFi (wireless) networks in the Residence Hall and to the campus WiFi networks in the Health Sciences Education Building (HSEB).  To connect successfully, Clean Access will put your computer through four main checks:

1. Downstate account: You have a Downstate email account (to ensure that only members of the Downstate community connect to the campus networks);
2. Operating System: You are running a licensed copy of an operating system which can be secured (Windows 2000, XP or Vista; Apple Mac OS X);
3.  Antiviral Software: You are running a licensed, up-to-date antiviral software such as Symantec’s Norton Antivirus;
4.  Updated antiviral signature file: Your antiviral software has an up-to-date viral “signature” data file, so it knows about the latest threats;
5.  Windows Updates: Your Windows computer has installed all of the high-priority Security Updates

Here are common items to check if you are having trouble completing Clean Access.  If you have checked these settings, and you still cannot connect via Clean Access, contact the Educational Computing & Technology Office to schedule a checkup with your laptop.  Clean Access work is performed each week during Wednesday afternoons, with drop-off of your computer for scheduled assistance between noon and 2 pm. 

 

My laptop won’t even connect to the campus WiFi (wireless) network to get started.

• Is your WiFi card turned on or configured incorrectly? Laptop computers may automatically turn off the wireless ‘card’ to conserve power when running on batteries.  Check to see if your WiFi card is turned off.  If you have never connected via wireless before, and you are using a newly installed wireless card, you may have to finish configuring the computer to use the card. Refer to the manufacturers instructions to install any necessary drivers.
• DHCP: Computers that connect to a network will need to have a ‘network address’ or TCP/IP number, also known as an IP address.  Usually computers are set to allow the network to issue an IP address when the computer connects to the network (‘dynamic’ addressing, or DHCP).  Computers can also be set to own a ‘static’ or ‘fixed’ IP address; this may be the case for laptops that were already set up to use wireless in a home or workplace network.  Check your Wireless Network settings to ensure that “DHCP” is enabled.

 

Clean Access is asking me for a username and password, but I don’t know what username and password to use.

• Account:  Do you have a Downstate email account?  If not, you won’t be able to connect to the campus wireless network.  Adjunct/visiting faculty can get limited connectivity by using the “Guest Access” button, if available, on the Clean Access main page; or by asking one of their students to log in.
• Use the correct username.  For students: Use your Downstate student ID number as your username.  Downstate faculty can use ‘firstname.lastname’ – for example,  “george.washington”.

 

I have downloaded and installed the Clean Access agent; but it can’t log me in, or it won’t run.

• Firewall: Firewall software may block the Clean Access software from connecting. You may have the Microsoft Windows firewall turned on; or you may be running firewall software as part of an Internet security ‘suite’ package.  Turn the firewall software off; or configure it to allow an ‘exception’ for Clean Access software.  You may have to refer to the manufacturer’s documentation to learn how to do this; usually via a “Preferences”, “Options” or “Settings” item.
• Pop-Up Blocker:  You will also need to allow pop-ups from any site ending in “downstate.edu”, in order to allow dialog boxes to show.  Again, turn it off, or configure it to allow Downstate sites to serve pop-ups.  Be aware that you may be running more than one pop-up blocker – Google or other toolbars, Internet Explorer or Firefox’s own blocker, Internet security software, etc.

 

I thought I had antiviral software running, but Clean Access is telling me that I don’t have valid antiviral software.

• Expired:  Many new computers come with trial versions of antiviral or other security software.  After a trial time period, the software stops running, and you are required to pay a fee to renew the software. Check to see if it is from a vendor which Downstate’s Clean Access will recognize (see below).
• Vendor:  Downstate’s network will accept computers that are running licensed up-to-date versions of McAffee or Symantec antiviral software.  Other manufacturers of antiviral software are not currently supported in our campus Clean Access installation.  Downstate makes a licensed copy of Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition (NAVCE) available for students and faculty to download and install on computers connected to our campus network.  (Note that this software must connect periodically to the campus network to fetch updated viral signature file; so if you will not be returning to this campus with that laptop, you should not install it on your computer.)

 

Clean Access notifies me that I have to update my antiviral signature file or to run Windows Updates; but it doesn’t run the “updater” when I click on the button.

• Don’t use the Next button for Updates:  You must complete a given remediation step before moving on to the ‘next’ step. To start running the updates for that step, click on the “Update” button on that dialog box.   Don’t click on the “Next” button at the start of a step; click on “Next” when you are done with that step’s updates.
• Cannot start the Updater: If you get an error message that the Updater could not launch, please note that you can manually update your computer.  While you are in the ‘quarantined’ mode during remediation, Clean Access will still allow you to access selected sites needed to remediate your computer, such as:

 Downstate’s Norton (Symantec) Antivirus installer:

     http://is.downstate.edu/is/antivirus.htm

 

Symantec’s site to download a viral signature update file:

     http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/defs.download.html

 

Microsoft’s Windows Update page:

     http://www.update.microsoft.com

 

 

Clean Access doesn’t seem to recognize that I have all of the Windows Updates, or that I already have an up-to-date viral signature file.

• Occasionally the method that Clean Access uses to check for update status may not be able to recognize that an update has been accomplished.  Users won’t be able to fix this problem themselves.  You should contact the ECT Office to schedule a time for our staff to manually correct this problem on your computer.

 

The Clean Access login dialog box pops up all the time when I am off campus.

• You can turn off the automatic display of the Clean Access login box.  Right-click the small aquamarine “Clean Access” icon in the System Tray at bottom right, and click once on the “Popup Login” to uncheck it.