Impulse Policy Key: Installation

Earlham Network Policy

Earlham Computing Services (ECS) has implemented a new policy management system, Impulse Policy Manager. This policy manager will require all student PCs, as well as other non-Earlham owned PCs, and which are running the ©Microsoft Windows 2000 and above to meet certain policies to gain access to the Internet. Your computer will automatically be directed to a web page and you will be required to install an application (the Impulse Policy Key).

At any time your computer is found to be out of compliance, your default web-browser will automatically display the reason and you will be required to take action to resolve the issue.

At the present time, computers running other operating systems (i.e. Apple, Linux,..etc.) are not required to install the Impulse Policy Key. This may change by the beginning of the fall semester (2007) as we are exploring the options available for enabling network authentication for all personally owned computers.

Requirements of the Network Policy

All PCs running ©Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista must install the Impulse Policy Key to enable the Impulse Policy Manager to verify your computer meets the minimum requirements, as defined in the College Network section of the Computing Resources Acceptable Use Policy.

Minimum Requirements

ECS requires your computer to have Windows Update set to Automatically download recommended updates and install. The Windows operating system and applications may have vulnerabilities which when exploited may enable viruses and worms to infect your computer.

You are required to have an anti-virus software package installed, running, and updated with the latest virus definitions. Viruses and worms were responsible for many of the campus network problems over the recent years.

We also recommend you install one of the several free anti-spyware software. Spyware can compromise your computer enabling other people to gain access to your personal information.

Setup: Impulse Policy Key

After successfully registering your computer, either in the residence hall through NetReg or having received email confirmation that your wireless registration is complete, you will be required to login to the Impulse Policy Manager using your Earlham username and password. Your username is your email address name without the "@earlham.edu".

Click Yes to proceed to the Impulse Login screen.

After logging into Impulse, you will be asked to agree to the ECS policy and install the Impulse Policy Key application. Follow the instructions on the screen.

The Impulse Policy Key will check that the computer meets all of the ECS policy requirements. Click on the link to install the policy manager. You may save the file to your desktop or run from the server. If you choose to save, you must double-click on the file to start the installation process.

Click Run.

Click Run and follow the screen prompts to install the Impulse Policy Key.

Click Install.

Click Finish.

You are now able to insure your computer meets the requirements of the Impulse Policy Key.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm on a Mac or running Linux, FreeBSD, or another kind of non-Microsoft OS. Do I need to still Impulse?

No. At the present time, only users of Microsoft Windows 2000 and above are required to install Impulse.

I try to install the Impulse software but it keeps asking me to install it. What do I do?

Check to see if Windows Firewall is enabled. Learn how. Also check to see if you have another firewall, such as McAfee or Norton, installed on your machine.