Visitors to the University of Iowa campus will soon be able to enjoy free guest wireless service without having to track down a guest ID to log in, courtesy of a partnership between Information Technology Services (ITS) and AT&T. The new guest wireless service is currently available in limited areas, and will be launched campus-wide on Monday, Dec. 23.

The new guest service is being implemented as a convenience for visitors. Current UI students, faculty, and staff should continue using the eduroam wireless network for optimal service and security.

Guest wireless service will be available everywhere that eduroam is offered, except for Kinnick Stadium, Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and the outdoor space at the Pentacrest and Hubbard Park.

To connect to the guest network, guests simply select the "attwifi" network when configuring a device for wireless access. Then guests need to use a web browser to confirm the connection to the wireless network and agree to AT&T's terms and conditions and UI acceptable use policies. For technical support, guests using attwifi can contact AT&T directly at888-888-7520.

Guests should be aware that, like most guest networks in public places, the attwifi network is not encrypted. That means users should take precautions to protect their data, like using Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology and making sure websites are secure (look for HTTPS in the URL) if personal information like bank account, credit card, or Social Security numbers will be shared. Attwifi should not be used to access data that’s protected by privacy laws (HIPAA/FERPA).

Current UI students and employees should connect to the UI’s eduroam wireless network by logging in with their UI credentials (<yourhawkid>@uiowa.edu and password). Eduroam is a secure network that allows UI users to access key university resources, such as file shares and printers (similar to a public or home network, some UI resources are not accessible from the attwifi guest network).

Eduroam users who have connected their device to an attwifi hotspot in the past (either on the UI campus or elsewhere) may see their device automatically connect to attwifi instead of eduroam. In those cases, you will need to manually reconfigure your device to prefer eduroam and/or remove the attwifi profile (see its.uiowa.edu/support/article/101595 for more information). You can contact the ITS Help Desk at 319-384-HELP or its-helpdesk@uiowa.edu for assistance configuring your device for eduroam.