Can a virtual machine trick our corporate WIFI into thinking it's an official corporate laptop?

[mmueck]

The company I work for is virtually exclusively using PC laptops. I've been able to convince my Mac-sympathetic boss to buy me a MacBook Pro for use at work and home provided the VMWare emulation allows me to do absolutely everything the PC laptop I'd otherwise have would do. I believe I'm there aside from the fact that I cannot operate wirelessly. I'm currently using my own MacBook Pro to shake this all down. We have an internal wireless network that 'just works' for the PC laptops as provided by our IS department. Regular PC laptops can't connect to this, and the same is certainly true for my MacBook Pro. Everything is set up such that the PC laptops are checked to see if they are properly sanctioned corporate laptops, and when that test is passed all the remaining security happens and a successful connection is made. I really don't know much about the setup workings at all.

The ethernet side of things certainly hasn't been a problem - I can connect to everything I want. I was able to rescue an old junker laptop and have our IS department wipe it and set it all up for me. My intention is to assimilate the PC laptop into my Mac and then just keep the old PC laptop locked in my drawer. Before assimilation, I made sure it could connect wirelessly in the hope that it's configuration would transfer to the virtual machine - but it didn't :-(.

I need to have this working such that if the ethernet dies the wireless can take over. Is this possible?

[vvegas]

I believe you will need to get your IS department involved to setup the wireless on the Mac to work with your corporate WIFI. Unfortunately, even though Windows is running via VMWare on your Mac, it is still your Mac that is connecting to the network. The Windows guest is connecting "through" the Mac, so the Mac's Wireless has to be setup to work with your corporate network in order for the Windows guest to use also use the wireless connection.

[mmueck]

Our IS department is the PC gestapo - their assistance for a Mac will never happen...

[WoodyZ]

Without knowing all of the technical details which I'm sure you do not know nor would I give you them if I were in charge of your IT Department so I'm not even going to ask however the only thing I can think of that would make this work for you would be to use a 3rd party USB WiFi Network Adapter in the Virtual Machine so whatever security checks are in place, which could be MAC Address Bindery of the WiF NIC as part of the overall checks being made and this might make it possible.

[mmueck]

Now here's a thought. I have the old junker PC laptop now locked away - never to be used again. Is there a mechanism whereby I can use it's MAC address and somehow transplant that into my Macintosh?

[WoodyZ]

Your missing the point of my reply and the actual MAC Address is not going to do a thing unless you validating you direct WiFi connection from within the Virtual Machine and if I were you I'd talk to your IT Department and get your Boss involved if you have to since he's the one okaying your use of an Apple Computer and VMware Fusion.

[K-MaC]

If your wireless security/authentication is done solely based on MAC that would be another thing to talk to your boss about. You are able to change the MAC address of your nic though. Although I am almost certain that there are other requirements.

Cheers

Kevin

[vvegas]

I think WoodyZ's suggestion of trying to use a USB adaptor is interesting if you are willing to spend a few bucks and try. But ultimately, you still need someone from the IT department set the device up to connect to the wireless network. The moment they see it is a Mac, they may not support you.

The wireless security might be simpler than you think. If you can do some asking around about what type of wireless security they are using (WPA/WPA2, Radius, LEAP, etc), you might be able to get your Mac wireless setup. Radius and LEAP, for example, will require a username/password. They might be using a shared key passphrase and WPA2, in which case you would just need to obtain the passphrase. If also using MAC address restrictions, you would just need to give them the MAC address of the Airport card.

[mmueck]

I can find out about the WIFI specifics a little later and pass them along. For now I'm mostly interested in WoodyZ's previous comment:

"the actual MAC Address is not going to do a thing unless you validating you direct WiFi connection from within the Virtual Machine"

Is this even possible?

[WoodyZ]

Without knowing (and I really don't need to or want to know) how your Companies IT Departments nave their Systems configured it is a mute issue as to whether or not employing some form of MAC Address Spoofing is going to solve your problem and the bottom line is if your Boss has okayed you using a Mac then this really should be handled with your IT Department.

[Photubias]

The easiest would probably be to just plug in a USB WiFi adapter and forward it (connect it via Fusion) to the Windows Virtual Machine.

It will then connect to the WiFi and your IS department can configure it for you inside Windows.

[WoodyZ]

@Photubias why are you bumping a thread that is well over 4 years old, replying to me rather then mmueck who is the author of this thread, while offering absolutely nothing whatsoever above an beyond what I've already said!?  Either you didn't actually read the thread before you posted or you just like repeating something that was already said.  Doesn't really matter as it was absurd to bump such an old thread especially under the circumstances of mmueck's issue which was only going to be resolved by the powers that be at is place of employment!  Additionally base on what mmueck has said I'd say that unless his boss has the power and authority to override company policy this wasnt going to happen anyway!

[Photubias]

I didn't realize it was a four your old thread.

Didn't think he understoud the possibility to plug in a WiFi USB Device, full screen the Windows VM and head to the IT department.

BTW, I have something simmilar but completely different (is why I arrived to this thread); briding to WiFi adapters works perfectly unless the company is using WPA2 Enterprise (RADIUS services). I was thinking if there was any way around this (without using NAT).