Wireless Networking Changes

A number of steps to improve security on the campus wireless network have been taken recently. The SSID SwatWireless is now only available to College-related individuals with a Windows domain account at Swarthmore. This includes faculty, staff and students. Logon with your Windows username and password will be required. Before using SwatWireless for the first time, individuals using Windows laptops will need to perform a few steps to install a security certificate available at http://wireless.swarthmore.edu. This only needs to be done once. Macintosh computers will automatically download the certificate. SwatWiress uses much stronger encryption and includes encryption of username and password credentials. There will be a per user upper bandwidth limit of 1 Mbps from the Internet and a limit of 256 Kbps to the Internet. If you already have a SwatWireless network entry saved on your computer from before August 22, delete it and follow the new instructions provided at http://wireless.swarthmore.edu.

There is a new SSID called SwatGuest for visitors and other individuals who need temporary access to the wireless network. Individuals can obtain a username and password by visiting any of the campus libraries or at the ITS help desk in Beardsley. Photo ID and contact information may be requested before any account is issued. Please note that SwatGuestdoes not provide for encryption of traffic and so is not a secure network.
No security certificate is required. There is an Internet bandwidth limit of 256 Kbps in both directions for guests. Wireless devices cannot act as servers to the Internet. Guest access to the Internet and to the campus network is limited to web and e-mail with the following protocols: http, https, smtp, pop and imap.

Updated instructions and other information pertaining to wireless networking can be found at http://wireless.swarthmore.edu.

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