IllinoisNet_Guest is a wireless network intended to offer temporary access to visitors and guests to the campus. It can offer temporary access to anyone who completes its registration, even without an Illinois account.

Existing Illinois accounts can also be used to set up longer-lasting guest account registration, and to register individual devices as guests.

Wi-Fi Access for Guests Without an Illinois Account

Follow these instructions if you do not have an Illinois NetID.

1. In your device's wireless settings, select the IllinoisNet_Guest network.
2. Your device will be prompted with a 'captive portal' popup. Some devices automatically open their web browser, while others will show a notification saying that the network needs you to sign-in.
   If this does not happen, open a web browser and try to load a website such as https://illinois.edu/ to have the login screen appear instead.
3. The login screen will offer two buttons; choose Guest Wi-Fi Access.
4. Enter your name, phone number, and email address, accept the terms of use, and click the orange Register button.
5. The site will show your email address as a username, and a randomly-generated password. Record these, then click the orange Login button.
6. After a moment of loading, your device will receive an internet connection through IllinoisNet_Guest.

This guest registration will expire overnight at 4 a. m., but can be repeated again each day.

The password recorded in step 5 can be used to sign in to IllinoisNet_Guest on other devices during the same time-frame.

Wi-Fi Onboarding for IllinoisNet

Joining the main IllinoisNet network using an existing NetID requires an existing internet connection. IlliniosNet_Guest is useful as a staging network to download the SecureW2 JoinNow configuration program that sets up IllinoisNet.

1. In your device's wireless settings, select the IllinoisNet_Guest network.
2. Your device will be prompted with a 'captive portal' popup. Some devices automatically open their web browser, while others will show a notification saying that the network needs you to sign-in.
   If this does not happen, open a web browser and try to load a website such as https://illinois.edu/ to have the login screen appear instead.
3. The login screen will offer two buttons; choose Student/Faculty/Staff Wi-Fi Access.
4. Enter your NetID and password, accept the terms of use, and click the orange Log In button.
5. Your device will receive an internet connection from IllinoisNet_Guest, and load a screen that looks very similar to step 3, but with different buttons.
   Select Faculty, Staff, Students: Setup IllinoisNet Here to be taken to the IllinoisNet onboarding site.
   If you leave this screen without proceeding, your device will remain on the _Guest network, and will not transition to IllinoisNet.
6. The onboarding site will automatically detect your device's operating system and guide you through more permanent configuration of the full IllinoisNet network.
   Detailed per-device instructions for this process can be found here: Campus Wi-Fi, Connecting to IllinoisNet

Onboarding Loops, Closed Portals, and Other Errors

Once the temporary network connection happens in step 5 above, some devices immediately close the captive portal.

Occasionally a device will be returned to the step 3 screen rather than proceeding to step 5.

If errors like these persist, instead follow the Wi-Fi Access for Guests Without an Illinois Account instructions above to register as a guest. Then use your device's web browser to navigate directly to go.illinois.edu/IllinoisNetSetup to continue setup; this skips to step 6.

72-Hour Guest Accounts Proxied by an Illinois Account

Existing Illinois accounts can be used to pre-configure guest accounts to provide to visitors who do not have an account of their own. Rather than expiring overnight, these registrations will last for 72 hours (three full days).

To prepare one of these temporary guest accounts:

1. Visit the Wireless Guest and Device Management Portal and log in using your NetID and password.
2. Click on Guest and Device Manager.
3. Click Create a New Guest Account.
4. Fill out the form for the guest:
   • Guest Name
   • Guest email address
   • Account activation (can be a date in the future, or deactivated from here)
   • Notes (this is for your own reference)
   • Terms of Use (agree before proceeding)
5. Click Create. Your guest's account will now be active for 72 hours.