Troubleshooting Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)

If you're having trouble connecting to the internet through your wireless connection, you can try doing some troubleshooting on your own before contacting the OIT Help Desk.

All Device Troubleshooting

Before troubleshooting by specific device, try the following:

Make sure the wireless receiver on your computer is active.

Some computers have an indicator light that shows if it is active or not. If the light is off, your wireless receiver is off. On laptops, this is often controlled by a button or switch. If you are unsure, refer to your computer's documentation or contact the OIT Help Desk.

If you're on a non-PSU personal computer, check for updates.

Specific Device Troubleshooting

macOS Troubleshooting

macOS users can try the following methods to solve their wireless connection issues.

If you take too long typing in your credentials, you may receive a "Connection timeout error" message. If this happens:

Select OK a second time and it will try again.
If this fails, turn Wi-Fi off and wait 10 seconds.
Turn the Wi-Fi back on.

In some instances, the certificate will not be automatically trusted and each time you connect to the network (such as when you use your laptop in a different part of campus), you will be prompted to accept the certificate again. To solve this issue:

Attempt to connect to PSU Wi-Fi.
If a Verify Certificate window opens, select Show Certificate instead of Continue.
Check the box next to "Always trust" and select Continue.
Enter your computer username and password (not your Odin account) when prompted and select OK.

If you are using a personal computer and/or have administrator access, you can also try refreshing your wireless profile using the following steps:

In the Preferred Networks box, select any PSU networks.
Select the (–) button.
Select 802.1X from the row of tabs.
Expand the User Profiles section.
Select any PSU network.
Select the (–) button.
Select OK.
Select Apply.
Enter your Odin account username and password then select OK.
If you are prompted to accept the user certificate, enter the username and password you use for your computer.
Select OK.

Windows OS Troubleshooting

If you have connected to PSU Wi-Fi before, try forgetting the network before joining it again. To do this, follow these steps:

Select the wireless network icon in your taskbar.
Select Open Network and Sharing Center.
Select Manage Wireless Networks.
Select each PSU network and select the Remove button.
Select the wireless network icon in your taskbar.
Select Open Network and Sharing Center.
Select Connect to a network.
Select your desired network.
Check the box to "Connect automatically" and select Connect.
Enter your Odin account username and password in the window that appears.
Select OK.
Ignore any warnings that appear about the server not being validated.
Select Connect.

If you have connected to PSU Wi-Fi before, try forgetting the network before joining it again. To do this, follow these steps:

Select the Start menu and type "Connect to" in the search field.
Select Connect to a network from the list.
Shift+F10 or Right-click on PSU Secure and select "Forget this network."
Select the Network icon on your taskbar.
Select your desired network.
Check the box to "Connect automatically" and select Connect.
Enter your Odin account username and password in the window that appears.
Select OK.
Ignore any warnings that appear about the server not being validated.
Select Connect.

Clear Your Browser’s Cache

If web pages are still not loading properly for you, it may be an issue with your web browser's cache. The cache holds files from websites temporarily, so that they load faster when you return to the same page. Occasionally it may be necessary to clear out these files and get new ones from the page.

To clear your browser's cache, follow the appropriate instructions below:

Illustration by Storyset

Additional Support Resources

Staff and Faculty members may reach out to their department's designated Technology Coordinator for additional support.
If you're having trouble connecting to the Internet from a wired connection, please refer to Troubleshooting Wired Internet.