Your First Steps with ActivID ActivClient

Depending on your organization’s deployment process, you might need to configure your smart card before you can use it for authentication or digital signature operations.

Your first steps with ActivClient are determined by your:

  • Smart card status (whether your administrator has prepared the card for you and it is ready to use, or not)

  • ActivClient configuration (defined during ActivClient setup)

The following table lists the actions to take according to your smart card status:

Smart Card Status Action
You have a blank smart card (no PIN)

Your administrator has given you a blank smart card. You need to initialize the card before you can use it.

  1. Log on to your workstation using the same user name and password that you used before installing ActivClient.

  2. Initialize your new smart card and create your PIN, see Managing Smart Cards.

  3. Load credentials on to your smart card as described in Managing Digital Certificates.

  4. Use your card to log on to your workstation (if your administrator instructs you to do so), sign emails, access secure Web sites, etc.
Your smart card is personalized with a PIN but is not configured for Windows PKI logon

Your administrator has given you a smart card and a PIN, and the smart card has already been personalized with your credentials (for example, with digital certificates – but not configured for Windows logon). Your card is ready to use.

  1. Log on to your workstation using the same user name and password you used before installing ActivClient.

  2. Use your card to sign emails, access secure Web sites, etc.
Your smart card is personalized with a PIN and a Windows PKI logon digital certificate

Your administrator has given you a smart card and a PIN, and the smart card has already been personalized with your credentials (including a digital certificate configured for Windows logon). Your card is ready to use.

  1. Log on to your workstation using your smart card and your PIN. For more information, see Log On to Windows with a Certificate.

  2. Use your card to sign emails, access secure Web sites, etc.

At any time, you can access the ActivClient User Console to configure ActivClient, your smart card, or your credentials. For more information, see Working with the User Console.