Security

Hi, I know this question has been asked here a couple of times. However, a lot of solution that provided always involves the network administrator to set up the server or issuing a newer certificate to fix this problem from the server-side. And that is not the solution I'm looking for.

I'm here because I'm the guest who tried to connect the enterprise network which used a captive portal for registration and I'm failed to that. Maybe you're wondering why I'm not asking the network admin to solve my problem, it's because I'm able to solve it once and this is my second encounter with the problem but I can't fix it with the same trick I used before. So here the story.

The first time I experienced this problem was accidental. I left my laptop and it disconnects automatically from the network because it enters the sleep mode. No matter how many times I tried to connect again, the browser (Edge) I used always show a certificate error from DigiCert and the child. Not from Aruba.

So, I tried to Google a couple of solutions. I tried the extreme one, which is to delete all the certificate related to the problem one. Then, I delete all the Digicert certificate and others which related to it or under it. Then, I change the default browser from Edge to Mozilla and it show this problem about Aruba network certificate error.

I Google other solution again and it suggests me to deactivate web/SSL monitoring from antivirus I used (McAffee). Somehow, I can't find it. Thus, I uninstalled the antivirus and I think it is okay though because the antivirus is still on trial. Still, nothing happened.

At this point the Digicert certificate that I deleted before already installed again on my laptop because I'm doing a workaround to connect. I used the tethering method from my phone.

Then I found another suggestion on google to delete the cert8.db file inside Mozilla. Because I used a newer version, the file that I delete is cert9.db. After I deleted that file, I'm able to connect to the network again just like nothing happened. Thus, the first time I encounter the problem is fixed.

Then, because of my stupidity. I decide to install another Antivirus provider and I choose Avast. In the middle of the installation process, which I believed the Avast is on the download progress to update the virus database, the wifi network suddenly disconnected. I'm panic.

I tried the method from before, uninstalled the anti-virus program, delete the certificate, and delete the cert9.db on Mozilla. But, it didn't help. At this point, I can't connect to the Wifi network anymore and the Securelogin.arubanetwork.com Certificate Error still there.

What I can do now is a workaround. I connect my phone to the wifi network and use the USB tethering method so my laptop can connect to the internet. I believed that there is a solution for the client-side without asking the network administrator to handle this.

Thank you before.

securelogin.arubanetworks.com was a valid certificate issued by a public CA (depending on version they are running), but got revoked. It was then created as a private certificate moving forward. Assuming the issue is the revoked one, even if you have it installed, it's still marked as revoked. You would need to somehow prevent OCSP and certificate validation to move forward with it. Normally a private cert allows you to pass through it, but a revoked one is more difficult. I've never tried accepting a revoked certificate, especially on Win10, but I imagine it's also browser related, try a few different browsers, see if the experience is different?

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@mharing wrote:

securelogin.arubanetworks.com was a valid certificate issued by a public CA (depending on version they are running), but got revoked. It was then created as a private certificate moving forward. Assuming the issue is the revoked one, even if you have it installed, it's still marked as revoked. You would need to somehow prevent OCSP and certificate validation to move forward with it. Normally a private cert allows you to pass through it, but a revoked one is more difficult. I've never tried accepting a revoked certificate, especially on Win10, but I imagine it's also browser related, try a few different browsers, see if the experience is different?

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Hi Michael.

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, I already used three mainstream browsers such as Edge, Mozilla, and Chrome, and the result is almost the same.

For the Edge browser, as I mentioned above, the error message appears. The same thing happened for the Chrome browser. However, Mozilla turns out to give me different behavior for this second encounter. After I tried to register to login to the network, the error message is not displaying on the browser. Instead, the Mozilla goes to looping and brings me back to the registration form page.

Although I can't find the solution, somehow today I can log in to the network. I don't know why, because I feel I didn't do anything that can solve this problem.

The only thing that I remember I'm doing something different was syncing my Laptop Date and Time with the Outlook in the OneDrive.

When this problem happened to me for the second time, my default browser is Mozilla. Then, I changed it back to Edge again. After that, I'm login to my Ms. One Drive account via Edge and open my Outlook account.

Just out of my curiosity, I tried to open the Outlook setting and setup it to my preference. Then, when I'm opening the date and time setting in the Outlook, I noticed it gave me a different time zone from where I live, which is Indonesia. Then I changed that.

I check my Laptop date and time again. It appears, for me, it shows the correct time and date, which is in Jakarta. Nevertheless, I still click that Sync button again just to feel ok.

Then, this morning, I can log in to the network. What I believed is, it shouldn't have an impact on the problem that I experienced. But, just to make sure (because I'm newbie), I think I need to ask it again here.

The permanent solution to this can only be fixed by the administrator for the captive portal.  The administrator needs to put a public certificate on the captive portal.  Some browsers will let you sidestep this, is why you have been able to gain access in the past.  Other browsers will not.  The administrator needs to fix the captive portal so that all browsers will not generate the error.

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@cjoseph wrote:

The permanent solution to this can only be fixed by the administrator for the captive portal.  The administrator needs to put a public certificate on the captive portal.  Some browsers will let you sidestep this, is why you have been able to gain access in the past.  Other browsers will not.  The administrator needs to fix the captive portal so that all browsers will not generate the error.

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Hi Joseph.

Thank you for the comment. I couldn't agree more with your solution. I just really want to know if a client can fix this kind of problem or not. As you mentioned above, today, I encounter this kind of problem again after yesterday I can log in to the network by luck I think.

Well, gonna call the network administration. Now, I wondering, why only Windows OS has this problem. My Mac never ever encounters it even once.