Faculty and Staff

Wireless Overview

Last updated November 6, 2009 2:28:15 PM PST
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Find out about UCSD's wireless data network.

You can access UCSD's wireless data network in most buildings and many outdoor locations on campus and at SIO. UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest also offers a wireless service to its staff.

Access for faculty, staff, and students: UCSD-PROTECTED

Wireless networking encrypted with Wi-Fi Protected Access-Enterprise (WPA-E/WPA2-E) technology is strongly recommended for faculty, staff, and students.  This service requires an Active Directory (AD) username and password and will be mandatory starting Nov. 9, 2009.

Help with configuration

Faculty, staff, and students should now be using UCSD-PROTECTED.  As announced in the Oct. 15 campus notice, the ACT Help Desk staff will be available in different areas of campus each day during the week of Nov. 2–6 to help you configure your laptop to use UCSD-PROTECTED:

  • Monday, Nov. 2 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. at IR/PS, lobby of Robinson Auditorium (map)
  • Tuesday, Nov. 3 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. at SIO Administration Building, Conf. Room 114 (map)
  • Wednesday, Nov. 4 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. at CSE (EBU3b) first-floor lobby (center of L-shaped bldg.) (map)
  • Thursday, Nov. 5 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. at BSB, Liebow Auditorium (map)
  • Friday, Nov. 6 – 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Price Center, Sun God Lounge (map)

Note that you can also bring your laptop/ PDA to the ACMS/ ACT Help Desk in Applied Physics & Mathematics (AP&M) Room 1313 (map) weekdays between 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Encrypted wireless connections make it more difficult for others to "listen in" on your wireless conversation. The service cannot encrypt your data through all the paths it travels, but it does offer a more secure connection.

To configure your laptop or phone for encrypted wireless, select your operating system:

To configure PDAs and other devices (including cameras, temperature sensors, etc.), try the encrypted wireless instructions above first if your device uses one of the operating systems listed.

If your device does not use the above operating systems, but has WPA-E or WPA2-E capabilities, try to access the "UCSD-PROTECTED" network using your Active Directory (AD) username and password and the instructions that came with your device.

If your device can't use WPA-E or WPA2-E, follow these instructions:

  1. Register your device with the UCSD hostmaster. Make sure to check this box: My device is UNABLE to use WPA-E/802.1x.
  2. You will receive an e-mail confirmation from the UCSD hostmaster. You're now authorized to use the "UCSD-GUEST" wireless network without authenticating and without restriction.
  3. Configure your device with this information:
    • Network name/SSID: UCSD-GUEST
    • Mode: Infrastructure
    • Encryption: disabled

Access for guests: UCSD-GUEST

The UCSD-GUEST wireless network is for visitors and guests, and is an unencrypted service requiring daily user registration. As a guest using this service, you can:
  • Browse the Web, including webmail (e.g., gmail)
  • Use VPN to access your home institution
  • Use SSH
  • Use most secure e-mail clients
To connect as a guest:
  1. Select the UCSD-GUEST wireless network.
  2. Open your browser and bring up a Web site.
  3. Follow the instructions to enter your e-mail address and accept the Terms of Use.
  4. Click Guest Login.
  5. You will be connected to the requested Web site within 2 minutes.

You will be asked to re-enter your e-mail address daily to continue using the network.

Note: See Connecting with Windows 7 if you're using that platform.

Security

For more information, contact the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853 or visit Wireless FAQ.

Note: This page has a friendly link that’s easy to remember: http://blink.ucsd.edu/go/wireless

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