Choose the Right District Wireless Network for Your Device

The District provides several different wireless networks at its various locations, and there is sometimes confusion as to which network a given device can be, or should be, connected to. There are always some exception cases, but this article covers the configurations that we want to see in most cases.

What Type of Device?

The following table matches the type of device to the appropriate District network.

If your device is: The network it should be on is: Notes: A District Windows device, including:

Laptops
Surface Pro tablets
Desktops with wireless networking

KPBSD-Internal (should connect automatically; if it does not, see Get a Windows PC Back Onto District Wireless)
(Note: Connections student Windows laptops are treated as personal devices.) The KPBSD-ManagedDevices, KPBSD-PersonalDevices, and KPBSD-Guest networks may also be available, but you should "forget" those networks and allow the normal automatic connection to KPBSD-Internal. A District Chromebook device, any model KPBSD-ManagedDevices (should connect automatically)
Also see Connect a District Chromebook to District Wireless The KPBSD-Internal network may appear, but will fail to connect.

A District Apple device, any model KPBSD-ManagedDevices (should connect automatically)
Also see Connect a District iOS Device to District Wireless The KPBSD-Internal network may appear, but will fail to connect. A District wireless device not covered above Probably KPBSD-ManagedDevices, but please confirm with us.
(Contact the Information Services Helpdesk) For example: connected Interactive Flat Panel (IFP) displays, Raspberry Pi computers, Android devices for use with Novisign service, etc. Work with the Helpdesk to get these devices deployed! A personal wireless device, any model (includes Connections-issued student laptops running Windows) Are you a current District employee or student?

If so, use KPBSD-PersonalDevices, using the same credentials you would use to log in to a District Windows computer (e-number or student number, and password)
If not, use KPBSD-Guest, with credentials arranged through the school's front office.

Is your device managed by another institution (e.g., Kenaitze, UA, etc.)?

If so, see Connect a Domain-Managed Windows PC to District Wireless

Also see:

A connection with KPBSD-PersonalDevices will apply network content filtering using credentials appropriate to your account.
A connection with KPBSD-Guest will apply least-common-denominator (in other words, the most restrictive level of) network content filtering.

Other Important Cases

There are a couple of other significant cases that bear mentioning here:

District Mi-Fi units. All District Chromebooks are designed to connect automatically to any of the District's Mi-Fi program devices, using the broadcast network KPBSD-MIFI. In practice, this should be transparent to the user of a District Chromebook, which will connect automatically to KPBSD-ManagedDevices when within the District's network (i.e., at a District building), and to an available KPBSD-MIFI when at home with a participating Mi-Fi program device.
Raspberry Pi devices. We're happy to say that classroom Raspberry Pi computers can now operate wirelessly on the KPBSD-ManagedDevices network, but you must work with the Helpdesk to enable this--they will not "just work" by trying to connect them the way you would a managed iPad or Chromebook.

The Networks, Summarized

The following lists each of the District-wide wireless networks by name, providing a brief summary of what the intention is for offering them:

KPBSD-Internal. This network is for District Windows devices, and all such machines connecting wirelessly should use this network and no other. Connect information for the network is supplied automatically by Windows group policy, and you should never have to supply credentials for it. (If this does happen, see Get a Windows PC back onto District Wireless.)
KPBSD-ManagedDevices. This network is for District non-Windows devices such as District Chromebooks and iPads. Connect information for the network is supplied automatically to District iPads and Chromebooks by their respective Mobile Device Management (MDM) tools, and you should not have to supply credentials. If you are challenged for a password:
- For a District Chromebook, see Connect a District Chromebook to District Wireless
- For a District iOS device, see Connect a District iOS Device to District Wireless
- For other devices or if necessary, contact the Helpdesk
KPBSD-PersonalDevices. This network is intended to support the non-District devices of KPBSD staff and students, such as personal smartphones and laptops. When connecting, you supply the same credentials you would use to log in to a District Windows machine: e-number and password for employees, and student number and password for students. While on this network, the District's web content filter will operate off your account's permissions, instead of operating on the (most-restrictive) rule set of the guest network. In general, you'll be able to do more things here, than on the guest network. For more specific connection details, see the following articles:
KPBSD-Guest. This network is intended to support non-District devices not belonging to KPBSD employees or students. Credentials for this network can be arranged through the front office of the school. Note that this network applies the most restrictive content filtering rules of any of the available networks.
KPBSD-MIFI. This network is provided through the District's Mi-Fi program, and it is not broadcast through the wireless access points in the school buildings themselves, but from the portable Mi-Fi units that can be assigned to families that need them. So, while the above networks are available at school, the MiFi network instead would be thought of as available away from school, usually at a participating home, for the purposes of distance learning. If you have a Mi-FI unit, you can see the related article Cellular MiFi Quick Start Instructions.