WIRELESS CONNECT
Your Guide to the Campus Wireless Network
CaTS offers a campus wide wireless network that is free to use and accessible by anyone with a campus account username
and password. All residence halls and common areas at the university have the ability to connect to the wireless network. See the questions
below for specific information. If you have any questions concerning the wireless connection, please contact the Help Desk.
Wright State University recently added authentication to our wireless network, requiring a campus username and password to connect. Read more about this under the Wireless Network Authentication section below.
General Questions
What wireless connection speed does the university offer?
Wright State University’s wireless network currently uses the 802.11n standard. Since the 802.11n network standard is backward compatible with all 802.11a/b/g wireless cards, wireless cards with the
following labels should be compatible with the campus network: 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n.
Where can I use the wireless network connection?
The wireless connection is available in all student residence halls and all common areas of the university. However, you may experience
connectivity issues in the Nutter Center.
How do I connect to the wireless network?
If your laptop has a wireless network card (almost all new laptops have one built in), then your computer should automatically see any available
wireless networks in range. On that list will be a connection called "WSU Wireless." This is the WSU wireless network. Simply connect to that network, and you'll be
ready to go. Keep in mind, though, that you will need to authenticate to the network using your campus username and password. When you open a browser window
and go to a website, you should be prompted to enter this information. To learn more about wireless authentication, see the Wireless Network Authentication section below.
Can I use the wireless network if I'm a guest at the university?
Yes. Wright State University offers two open wireless networks for use without authentication. “Harborlink-Public Welcome” is available in the Student Union, Dunbar Library, and Joshi Research Center.
“WSU_EZ_Connect” is available across campus.
Can I print using the wireless network?
Yes. Students, faculty, and staff can now print from their wireless computer to most of the PrintWright locations across campus. See the
PrintWright website for more information.
I'm a student living on campus. Can I use a wireless printer in my room?
Unfortunately, students living in the residence halls are unable to setup and use wireless printers in their rooms. If you want to use a printer in your room,
you will need to connect it to your computer with a USB cable.
Can students living in the residence halls install their own routers or access points?
We prohibit students from setting up their own routers and access points in the residence halls.
Wireless Network Authentication
Please note: Due to technical issues, authentication is temporarily disabled in the residence halls. “Student-Wireless” is an unauthenticated wireless network which is available for use in these areas until authentication issues are resolved.
What is wireless authentication?
Wireless authentication is simply the method Wright State University uses to make certain only WSU-affiliated individuals are using our wireless network. To accomplish this,
we have installed a wireless authentication system that asks each user trying to access the wireless connection to login with their campus username and password. If the user does not have an account, or if their
account information is incorrect, they will not be able to access the wireless network.
Why use wireless authentication?
Without wireless authentication, anyone with a wirelessly equipped computer can access the university's wireless network anonymously. This can open up many security vulnerabilities that could cause
severe problems with the wireless network. By having individuals authenticate, many of these problems can be avoided.
How do I authenticate to the wireless network?
To use the wireless network you will be required to enter your campus username and password. When attempting to connect wirelessly you will be presented with a
browser window (Internet Explorer or Firefox for example). You must then enter your username and password to gain access to the network. Once authenticated, you will have access to the
wireless network for approximately 23 hours before authentication is again required.
How long does my authentication last?
For students, authentication continues until 5:30am the next day. For staff and faculty, authentication continues until 5:30am the next Sunday. In both cases, access to the network will
not be interrupted at the 5:30am time, but upon restart of the computer, authentication will be required.
What about mobile phones and other handheld devices?
Mobile devices require authentication via the device’s web browser. If your device does not include a web browser, please contact the Help Desk.
What about gaming consoles such as Xbox, Playstation, Wii, etc?
Students wishing to use their game consoles on the network must register them. See the Game Console Registration page for more info.
What information does this system log regarding my device and network usage?
The date and time of your authentication is logged.
Who has access to the logged data?
Only CaTS employees who require this data for use in problem resolution will access the logs.
How do I remove the SafeConnect program that was used for authentication with the old system?
On a Windows PC, go to the Control Panel and select Programs. Select "SafeConnect" then click "Uninstall". For Macs, open the Applications folder and locate
“SafeConnect.app”. Right-click SafeConnect.app then select “Show Package Contents”. Open the Contents folder and locate “SCUninstall.app”. Run this file.
