Support Center
OIT administers and supports two wireless networks on the campus wireless network: UMASS-SECURE1X and UMASS. Other networks are not supported by OIT and are considered interfering networks because they may pose security risks and slow down speed of the network.
The main difference is security. UMASS-SECURE1X uses 802.1x authentication and encryption, which adds a layer of security to your connection. In addition, you can configure your UMASS-SECURE1X connection to log-in automatically every time you start your computer.
UMASS is the unencrypted, less secure, way to connect to the wireless network. To connect, you must log in through a Web browser with your OIT Account NetID and password. OIT will slowly be restricting the use of the UMASS SSID.
To connect to the UMass Amherst wireless network, you'll need to:
Yes. You can connect to the wireless network with an 802.11b adapter as long as it is WiFi-Certified.
Check the WiFi Alliance's lists of certified devices and adapters or refer to your device's documentation or specifications.
Yes. Faculty and staff members can create temporary accounts for their guests so that they can log in to the wireless network for up to three (3) days. Guests must log in using the UMASS SSID. See our Guest Wireless Accounts page for more information. Note: Students cannot create guest accounts at this time.
To find a wireless coverage area near you, download our Wireless Coverage Map (462KB) or view a list of buildings where wireless is available. Note: Both UMASS and UMASS-SECURE1X are available wherever there is coverage.
OIT is currently working to provide wireless coverage throughout all academic and administrative buildings on campus. For more information, see our Wireless Coverage Expansion Project page.
As of fall 2011, all residence halls at UMass Amherst have wireless Internet access. During the summer of 2011, OIT installed wireless and disabled wired Ethernet in the Southwest residential area. OIT installed wireless in residential areas on the East side of campus — Northeast, Sylvan, Orchard Hill, and Central -- during the summer of 2010. Wireless in Residence Halls Installation Project
Contact the OIT Help Center (413-545-9400, M-F, 9:00 am – 4:45 pm) to request that OIT install wireless in your building.
A faulty or slow wireless connection in a full coverage area is not normal, but can occur in certain circumstances. To learn what you can do, read Improving Your Wireless Connection: Tips & Tricks.
Try running XpressConnect, our setup wizard, again. OIT periodically updates XpressConnect to stay current with the latest improvements and security updates from our software vendor; you may have also installed a new operating system on your computer. In most cases, running XpressConnect again should be your first troubleshooting step. For details, see our instructions for
Windows | Macintosh | iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad | Android.
No. In accordance with our Wireless Airspace Policy, interfering wireless access points, i.e., access points not managed by OIT, will be disabled. These access points pose serious security risks and slow down the entire network.
Our wireless access points operate in the 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies. If you're worried about interference, we recommend that you purchase a DECT 6.0 cordless phone.
No. Also known as Network Bridging, opening multiple connections to the campus network may interfere with network stability and your wireless reception. If your computer has both wired and wireless capability, make sure it is not configured for network bridging (or Internet Connection Sharing). Remember that you can use only one connection at a time. Ethernet jacks on campus are set up to automatically shut off once they detect network bridging. Learn how to disable multiple network connections and turn off network bridging.
No. Your wireless card will automatically detect the channels available in your area, and select the channel that provides the best wireless reception. Note: You cannot manually select or change wireless channels when using the campus wireless network.
You need to log in to the campus wireless network through a Web browser (UMASS) or have set up your UMASS-SECURE1X connection before you can access the Internet or use non-browser software, including email clients (e.g., Thunderbird or Apple Mail) and SFTP programs (e.g., WinSCP).
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