Campus Wi-Fi, Getting Connected (Start Here)
IllinoisNet
The main network, IllinoisNet, can be joined by most modern devices, including computers running Windows or macOS and smartphones running many versions of Android and iOS. It will require an active Illinois account to join.
Connect: IllinoisNet can be easily configured using the SecureW2 JoinNow program, available here: https://go.illinois.edu/WiFiSetup
Detailed information about using IllinoisNet can be found in this article: Campus Wi-Fi, Connecting to IllinoisNet
IllinoisNet_Guest
The guest network, IllinoisNet_Guest, can be connected to on a temporary basis, without needing an active Illinois account. It is also used to gain a network connection in order to download SecureW2 JoinNow, a necessary step for some devices joining IllinoisNet (see the article linked above).
Connect: To start connecting to IllinoisNet_Guest, simply select it in your device's wireless settings and wait for the 'captive portal' popup to appear.
Detailed information about using IllinoisNet_Guest can be found in this article: Technology Services Wi-Fi Help Portal - Visitors and Guests
eduroam
The network named "eduroam" is part of an international collaborative effort to provide network connectivity to researchers, teachers, students, and staff of educational institutions across the world.
If you're visiting the Illinois campus from an eduroam partner institution, we recommend you follow your home institution's instructions for setting up the network. If your device connects to eduroam there, it should connect to eduroam here just the same. Otherwise, you're welcome to use the IllinoisNet_Guest network for temporary internet access (see above).
If you're an Illinois user planning to travel abroad to an eduroam partner institution, configure the network using the SecureW2 JoinNow program, available here: http://go.illinois.edu/eduroamsetup. For ease of use, this setup will include both IllinoisNet and eduroam configurations.
Please note: the profile provided by JoinNow will prefer IllinoisNet, and you may need to toggle your device's auto-join settings for eduroam once you are outside the Illinois campus.
Detailed information about using eduroam can be found here: Technology Services Wi-Fi Help, eduroam
Can't Use the JoinNow Program?
Some devices, including video game consoles, internet-of-things gadgets, and other non-standard operating systems are not able to use the SecureW2 software, or don't produce the 'captive portal' popup needed by IllinoisNet_Guest. These devices can still connect to the internet if they're registered to your account from another device's browser.
This is done in the Wireless Guest and Device Management Portal, which you can log in to here: https://go.illinois.edu/IllinoisNetDevices
Detailed information about using the Portal to register devices can be found here: Technology Services Wi-Fi Help Portal-Illinois Faculty, Staff and Students-Gaming Devices
Having Trouble?
There's a wide variety of devices, operating systems, and network configuration options, and setting up or fixing networks manually can be tricky. We provide the SecureW2 JoinNow configuration software to automatically 'figure out' the settings and certificates for you, so our recommended first steps for troubleshooting are:
- Have your device entirely 'forget' the Illinois networks, or otherwise remove the connection from its network settings.
- Click the appropriate network's links above to get the JoinNow program for your device.
- Follow the JoinNow program's prompts, and allow it to configure the device's network settings.
If JoinNow is not working to connect your device, or if you're running into other trouble, contact the Technology Services Help Desk by email at consult@illinois.edu or by phone at 217-244-7000.
Advanced Information
For use by the Technology Services Help Desk and other IT groups across campus, we provide the following additional documentation:
- Technology Services Wi-Fi Help Portal-Troubleshooting
- Technology Services Wi-Fi Help Portal-IT Professionals
Please note that the information these pages contain is not necessarily intended for normal everyday use, though is provided for reference when it is needed.
Policies
Use of IllinoisNet and the other campus networks must abide by Illinois policy, namely FO-23 (Connection to IllinoisNet) and FO-78 (Radio Frequency Spectra).