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Set up Wi-Fi on a Windows laptop

Takes about three minutes. You need your WRA username and password. Works on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

1. Join WRA-Start

Click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar and connect to WRA-Start. There is no password.

A sign-in window opens by itself. If it doesn't within a few seconds, open a browser and go to pf.wra.net.

2. Sign in

Read the short acceptable-use note and click I accept the terms at the bottom. Then click Employee/Student Login, and on the next page click Sign in with Microsoft.

Sign in with your WRA email address and password, for example ellsworthj@wra.net. You will not be asked for an Authenticator code here.

3. Create the certificate

On the One more step page, click Continue.

4. Download and run WRA Wi-Fi Setup

On the next page, click Download WRA Wi-Fi Setup. Open the downloaded file, wra-wifi-setup.exe.

If you see "Windows protected your PC": click More info, check that the publisher is Western Reserve Academy, then click Run anyway. Windows shows this for any new app it hasn't seen many times yet.

5. Approve the certificate

The app explains what it is about to do and then Windows asks whether to install a certificate from WRA-Root-CA. Click Yes. This certificate only lets your laptop recognize the WRA Wi-Fi network. WRA does not use it to filter, inspect or interfere with anything you do online.

6. Done

The app adds WRA-Secure to your saved networks, connects to it, and removes WRA-Start from your saved networks so your laptop doesn't drift back to it. Check the Wi-Fi icon: it should say WRA-Secure, connected.

From now on the laptop joins WRA-Secure on its own.

Good to know

  • WRA Wi-Fi Setup shows up under Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Uninstalling it removes the WRA-Secure network, both certificates and the app itself, if you ever want to undo everything.
  • If WRA-Start is still in your saved networks afterwards: Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks → WRA-Start → Forget.
  • If you ever get a "This device is already set up" page on WRA-Start, just pick WRA-Secure from the Wi-Fi list.

Problems? See Troubleshooting.