Connecting to Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi with Mac OS X 10.3 and higher

This article is intended to get you quickly and securely connected to the Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi network with your Wi-Fi enabled Mac running OS X 10.3 and higher. After following the steps below, you will automatically connect to the Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi network with a secure connection any time you are within range of Feather.

Table of Contents
1. Install a supported Wi-Fi card
2. Enable AirPort and verify the Feather network is available
3. Configure a secure connection (802.1x) to the Feather network
4. Connect to the Feather network
5. Disconnect from the Feather network

1. Install a supported Wi-Fi card
   
   If your Mac has built-in wireless installed (AirPort 802.11b/g card), and you are running OS X 10.3+, you're on your way to connecting to the Feather network. Other 802.11b/g cards compatible with your Mac may work with the Feather network, but have not yet been tested.
2. Enable AirPort and verify the Feather network is available
   
   Select the AirPort menu from the top menu bar in Mac OS X.
   
   Airport Icon - On
   
   
   Airport Icon - Off
   
   
   Select Turn Airport On, if not already enabled (noted as AirPort: On)
   
   
   
   You should see the Feather network displayed as FeatherByEarthLink.
   
   
   
   If the network is not detected, ensure AirPort is enabled and you are within range of the Feather network. For current coverage, please see the Feather Coverage page.
   
   You will create a secure connection to the Feather network in the following steps.
   
3. Configure a secure connection to the Feather network
   
   Open the Internet Connect application by selecting Open Internet Connect from the AirPort menu.
   
   
   
   From the File menu, click New 802.1x Connection.
   
   
   
   In the 802.1x configuration window, click on the 802.1x lock icon.
   
   Select Edit Configurations from the Configuration drop-down selection.
   
   
   
   To create a secure connection to the Feather network, you must enter the information below in the 802.1x configuration window:
   
   
   
   For Description, enter Feather.
   
   For Network Port, select AirPort.
   
   For User Name, enter your Feather Login Name created during registration (i.e. user_name@featherwifi.net).
   
   For Password, enter your Feather Password created during registration.
   
   For Wireless Network, enter FeatherSecure.
   
   For Authentication, select PEAP only. Uncheck all other authentication options.
   
   After completing the steps above, your configuration screen should appear similar to the screen below:
   
   
   
   Click OK to complete the configuration for Feather.
   
4. Connect to the Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi network
   
   A correctly configured secure connection in Internet Connect will look like the screen below:
   
   
   
   To connect to Feather, click Connect in the Internet Connect window.
   
   The first time you connect, you may get a message indicating that the server certificate is not trusted.
   
   
   
   If you are using Mac OS X 10.3, click the Accept All button. If you are using Mac OS X 10.4 and above, click on Show Certificate. Check the box for Always trust these certificates and click Continue.
   
   
   
   You will no longer be asked for a certificate each time you connect.
   
   You may also get a message asking if you want to store the password in your Mac OS X Keychain. Click Always Allow if you receive this message.
   
   
   
   If everything has been configured correctly, you should see a Status: Connected message, similar to the screen below.
   
   
   
   CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE NOW CONNECTED TO THE FEATHER / EARTHLINK WI-FI NETWORK.
   
   If the authentication failed, verify you input your Login Name and Password correctly in the fields above. If you continue to have difficulties connecting, please contact Feather Customer Support at 1-866-WIFI-CITY (1-866-943-4248), or contact your service provider (see http://www.feather.com/support for more information).
   
5. Disconnect from the Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi network
   
   To disconnect from the Feather / EarthLink Wi-Fi network, access the AirPort menu and click Turn AirPort Off.