Internet & Networking

Campus WiFi Options

All academic and administrative buildings and public spaces are covered by our Eduroam network. All residential buildings are covered by Xfinity Wi-Fi. For information on how to connect to residential Wi-Fi, please visit this page: Housing Internet

Connect to Eduroam

Eduroam is the official wireless network for UA students, faculty and staff. Eduroam is a secure, worldwide federated network access service developed for the international research and education community.

Students – connect to eduroam with your Crimson email address and myBama password

Faculty and staff – connect to eduroam with your myBamausername@ua.edu email address and password

Once a user connects a wireless device to the eduroam network at UA, that device is then eligible to connect to over 600 eduroam campuses across the country! Eduroam is also available in 89 countries.

Steps to Connect

1. Visit your network settings.
2. From the list of available networks, choose eduroam.
3. When prompted, enter your mybamausername@ua.edu or mybamausername@crimson.ua.edu email address and password, click submit.
4. Read and agree to the network acceptable use agreement. Choose to “Trust” the network.
5. You’re now connected!

Forgetting a Network

If you were previously connected to another on campus network such as UA-Guest or UA-WPA2, first “forget” those networks before connecting to eduroam. To forget a network, visit your network settings, and select the option to forget the network. Additional instructions are provided below by device type.

Additional Instructions

• Setup on Windows
• Setup on Mac
• Setup on iOS Devices (iPhone, iPad)
• Setup on Android Devices
• Setup on other computers
• Find your Mac Address
• Manual SSID Setup Instructions
• Troubleshooting help – Connecting at other locations

Wireless FAQs

Why do I need to login with my full email address?

Eduroam requires your ua.edu or crimson.ua.edu email address and password to connect. If you have a departmental email address, such as username@culverhouse.ua.edu, do not use this email address, instead use your ua.edu email address – username@ua.edu. Additionally, for faculty and staff, eduroam requires your original UA email address. You may not be able to connect with an alias email address. For example, Big Al cannot connect with his alias email address, big.al@ua.edu, he must connect with the email address that reflects his myBama username, bal@ua.edu.

Is there an easy way to restart my connection?

Turn off/on your WiFi as a remedy for slowness or intermittent connectivity. Turning your wireless service off and back on, will reset your connection and reconnect you to the nearest wireless access point.

Is the campus well covered with WiFi access?

We have over 10,000 wireless access points in buildings across campus, and we’re constantly adding more to provide a better service to you.

Can I use a personal router or hotspot on campus?

Please don’t use a wireless hotspot, and please don’t bring a router or WiFi extender to campus.  Personal network routers and hotspots significantly and negatively impact the campus network environment by interfering with the UA network. This interference can make Eduroam unusable, since it operates using some of the same channels as these personal routers and access points.

WiFi uses a radio frequency that is open for everyone to use, and as a consequence, large-scale WiFi networks, such as the ones deployed on the UA campus, require careful coordination and cooperation to operate well and provide quality service. All wireless access points or routers in UA buildings need to be coordinated so that they do not occupy the same channel. The University carefully designs and operates the WiFi networks in each building to allow multiple access points to work with each other and provide a reliable and stable wireless environment for all to use. When a rogue access point is used, this carefully designed system is compromised. Leave the networking to us!

We’re Here to Help

If you are experiencing wireless connection issues, we want to know about it. Please visit 125 Gordon Palmer Hall, send us an email at itsd@ua.edu or call us at 205-348-5555. If you are reporting intermittent connectivity or an outage, please be prepared to provide your phone number, campus location, the type of device you are using and your MAC address.

UA-Guest is a secure internet network for visitors at The University of Alabama. UA-Guest provides internet-only access to non-UA personnel. It does not provide access to on campus resources or shared drives. To get connected to UA-Guest, follow the instructions below.

Get Connected to UA-Guest

1. Visit your device’s network settings.
2. From the list of available networks, choose UA-Guest.
3. Once connected, you will be directed to a sign in page.  If you are not automatically prompted to sign in, please open a web browser and visit a website that you do not normally visit. This will prompt your browser to establish a connection and direct to the sign in page.
4. Choose Request a Guest Account.
5. Complete the required fields. Please note that the guest network only accepts non-UA email addresses.
6. Your email address serves as your username. You will receive a text message with your password.
7. Go back to your device’s network settings, select UA-Guest, then enter your username and password to connect.

Stay Connected for 30 Days

Once a visitor establishes a UA-Guest connection, the connection is valid for 30 days. Visitors can renew this connection endlessly. For visitors that require longer-term access, or access to UA resources, these visitors may request access by contacting the IT Service Desk. By default, all visitors will receive access to the UA-Guest network. Please make note in your request if the visitor will need Eduroam access, as the visitor must receive a departmental LDAP account. All affiliate accounts require a UA faculty or staff sponsor.

Visiting from another campus? Connect to Eduroam.

Guests visiting from institutions that support Eduroam may use the Eduroam network rather than UA-Guest.

Staying in a residence hall? Connect to Xfinity-Guest.

Visit xfinityoncampus.com to connect to Xfinity-Guest.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you’ve previously connected to a UA network, such as eduroam, forget that network in order to connect to UA-Guest.

New UA-Guest device registration is not available on home football game days. Devices with an existing UA-Guest registration will be able to connect.

Staying connected never felt easier, thanks to Xfinity

How to connect to the WiFi

1. Visit xfinityoncampus.com
2. Enter “University of Alabama” in the search field
3. Sign in using your myBama username and password
4. Once signed in, visit the Account tab. Under the Profile tab, you’ll find your WiFi information.
5. Locate your network on your device from the list of those available using the WiFi information provided

After you have signed in once with your device, you will automatically connect to the network in your following sessions.

Guest access to WiFi

Your guests may access WiFi by connecting to Guest-Xfinity. Guest access will last seven days. After seven days you will have to renew your access.

Turn any screen into a TV with the Xfinity Stream app

There’s more to watch in more places, with over 200 channels, thousands of movies and shows, and 20 hours of DVR storage to record your favorites.

How to get connected

1. Download the Xfinity Stream app and tap “Sign in here,” or visit xfinityoncampus.com
2. Enter “University of Alabama” in the search field
3. Sign in using your myBama username and password
4. Once signed in, start watching

Get the speed you need at a great price

Visit xfinityoncampus.com to see how you can step up your internet speed so you can download and upload even faster.

Support

Do not use personal wireless routers or hotspots. 

Personal routers and hotspots cloud the network and cause interference with the UA network. Using a personal router or hotspot interferes with others’ connections, not just your own.

Disable the network created by wireless printers.

Similar to a hotspot, wireless printers can cause interference and cloud the network. Disable your printer’s “Direct Print” feature, and connect your printer to your computer with a USB cable. UA Libraries have printers available for students if you prefer not to bring a printer to campus.

Remember that other devices can interfere with the wireless network.

Microwaves, gaming consoles, and Bluetooth connections can all interfere with the UA network. If you experience issues with the Xfinity network, try disabling or physically moving these devices and then restarting your connection.

Do not connect to Guest-Xfinity. 

The Guest-Xfinity network is designed to be a network for guests only. Students living on campus should connect to UA-Xfinity.

Contact Xfinity for help!

If you’ve followed the tips above and you are still experiencing connection issues, sign into xfinityoncampus.com and navigate to the Support tab to receive support. The Xfinity Assistant tool within the portal can connect you with a live chat agent for instant support.

You’ll need to be in your campus housing and have the device experiencing connectivity issues with you. Please make sure you have ready:

• Your crimson email address
• Your campus housing address
• Your residence hall number (if applicable)
• Your phone number
• The ticket number for an existing issue, which makes it easy to pull up your account information

If you’re unable to use the real-time chat support available at www.xfinityoncampus.com, Xfinity On Campus can be reached at 833-455-2678. 

Please note: If you are experiencing connectivity issues, contact Xfinity first to determine the root cause. Credential issues can be resolved by the Office of Information Technology.

Internet service in residential buildings is covered by Xfinity WiFi exclusively. UA and Xfinity do not provide wired network connections in residence halls.

Comcast may have the right to exclusively market certain services to residents. We are not an exclusive provider of any services and services from other providers may be available.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Services and features vary based upon service level. Actual speeds vary and not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit www.xfinity.com/networkmanagement. Streaming content limited to the U.S. © 2023 Comcast. All rights reserved.

OIT provides wired internet services in academic and administrative buildings.

Wireless internet is provided in every building on campus; however, many faculty and staff prefer to use a wired connection at their desk. Wired internet services are available in all academic and administrative buildings on campus. Wired internet service is not available in any residence halls.

Required Equipment

• Standard ethernet (network) card in your device
• CAT 5 ethernet cable (can be purchased at SupeStore or local retail store)

Personal Routers

Personal network routers or switches should not be connected to UA’s wired network. Personal routers or switches can cause conflicts with core services and disrupt the network connectivity of other individuals. If additional networking connections are needed, please submit a work order to request network connection installation. Network connections are subject to a $150 install fee per connection.

Need help?

Our IT Service Desk is happy to help you get connected. Give us a call today at 205-348-5555.

VPN is required for accessing critical applications on campus because it creates a secure pathway back to the UA campus network. Duo two-factor authentication is required to access the VPN. All remote desktop access (RDP) from off-campus requires a VPN connection. The VPN is only required to access certain applications, it is not needed for access to Banner, O365, Webmail, Box or other common work tools.

Accessing the VPN

Accessing the UA VPN requires use of the Cisco AnyConnect application which can be found in the OIT Software Catalog. Use one of the guides below for further instruction. Upgrade to the latest version of the software for your operating system to ensure the best experience.

• Windows
• Mac
• Linux and BSD
• iOS
• Android

Remember to disconnect from the UA VPN when you are done with your session, this will free up your session for another user.

Duo & VPN

Duo is required to access the campus VPN. When you connect to the campus VPN, you will be prompted for your username, password and second password. In the second password field, you can enter the word “push” to receive a push notification to your smartphone, you can enter “phone” to receive a phone call, or you can enter a passcode. The passcode option is considered the fastest option for connecting to VPN. On your Duo mobile app, click the Capstone A to retrieve a passcode. Additional instructions for using Duo with VPN is available above under each operating system.

Courses Requiring VPN Access

Courses can be “VPN Enabled” in Banner by departmental or college staff, granting VPN access to all students enrolled in that course.

• Instructions for setting a course as “VPN Enabled”

Who Can Access the VPN?

Students

Students who are not enrolled in a non-VPN enabled course but need VPN access must have a faculty member or department head submit the VPN request form on the student’s behalf.  Students in UA-funded research positions are automatically assigned VPN access. Student access to VPN is assigned on a semester basis. Access terms:  Jan. 4-May 30, May 31-Aug. 14, Aug. 15-Jan. 3.

Faculty and Staff

Access to the VPN is provided to all faculty and staff automatically. Most users will connect to the Campus VPN; however, check with your IT support team, or the IT Service Desk to determine the appropriate network.

Faculty Retirees/Emeritus

Faculty Retirees and Faculty Emeritus who need VPN access requires approval from the dean or school from which the user retired. The department must submit the VPN request form to request access. Access is limited to one year.

Please note that faculty retirees/emeritus will automatically have VPN access for 6 months after the end date of their last assignment. Additional VPN access time beyond the 6 months will need to be requested through the VPN request form.

Staff Retirees

Access to the VPN requires Human Resources approval. The retiree may contact Human Resources for additional information.

Vendors and Contractors

IT representatives need to request VPN access for any non-UA employees through our VPN Request Form. Please be sure to include the specific server access that is needed, including DR access if necessary. OIT will assign the account name based on the company/individual name. A link to download the VPN client will be sent to the requestor. Access to VPN will begin July 1 of the current year, and last until June 30 of the following year, regardless of when the access is requested. The same process must be completed each year to renew access.

Campus Visitors (visiting scholars, volunteers, and other Non UA-employees) requesting access to UA resources for academic or business, including UA email and wireless access. Sponsorship is required by the Dean or Department head. The department should submit:

• New Faculty/Staff Setup Form to UA’s Human Resources Payroll Department.
• AD/Exchange Account Form if an AD (network login) or Exchange account (email), if needed.

NOTE: The account should be re-certified annually by the sponsor.