At IUB and IUPUI, what is a Network Access account, and how do I get one?

At IUB and IUPUI, you can get temporary wireless access to the Internet by obtaining a Network Access account. UITS provides this account for IU visitors who need to access the Internet via their personal computers while on campus.

Note: Indiana University and Purdue University allow researchers and visitors wireless access to their own networks from each campus. For details, see Wireless access at Indiana University and Purdue University.

On this page:

• Obtaining a Network Access account
• Connecting to the IU network
• What you can access

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Obtaining a Network Access account

To obtain a Network Access account, a full-time IU faculty or staff member must sponsor you. The sponsor must submit an online account assignment form, and state why you need IU network access. In addition to setting a start and end date for your account, the sponsor must ensure that you read, agree to, and follow the rules and guidelines contained in the University-wide Information Technology Policies.

To sponsor a Network Access account:

1. Go to Policies related to Network Access Accounts.
   
   
2. Read the policies, and click I agree. (If you do not agree with the policies, click Log Off to end the account assignment process.)
   
   
3. In the fields provided, enter the information for the person you're sponsoring. In the "Justification:" field, state why this person needs IU network access. Set the appropriate start and end dates for the account in the "Activation date:" and "Expiration date:" fields.

   Note: Network Access accounts last for 3 days by default, but you can request fewer days or as many as 21 days. Those who need access for more than 21 days will need some other type of IU computing account; see IU account types and abilities.

4. When you've completed the form, click Assign Account. The resulting screen will include the account name (i.e., username) and a password, which you should give to the person you're sponsoring.

   Note: Please record this account information. It is not sent to sponsors or account holders via email. Also, usernames and passwords are case sensitive, which means you must use the correct uppercase or lowercase characters. Also, be aware that users of Network Access accounts do not need to use VPN or register their MAC address.

Connecting to the IU network

To connect to the IU network once your Network Access account is ready:

1. Select the "IU Guest" SSID. Do not select "IU Wireless" or "IU Secure".
   
   
2. In the window that appears, in the "Guest username:" and "Guest password:" fields, enter your Network Access account username and password. Then follow the resulting instructions.

You will have access to the network for eight hours, after which you will need to repeat these steps for continued access.

What you can access

For a list of UITS-supported secure wireless sites at IUB and IUPUI, see the UITS wireless sites page.

For security reasons, you cannot access the email protocols used by desktop email clients such as Outlook and Thunderbird with a Network Access account. However, you can access web-based email accounts, such as Gmail and Windows Live Hotmail.

Network Access accounts do not provide access to the computers or printers in the Student Technology Centers (STCs), the Residential Technology Centers (RTCs), or the IU libraries, nor do they allow you to connect to any other IU system or service. They are not Network ID accounts. If you need access to IU resources, sponsors can request it from the owners of those resources.

Also see:

• At IUB, how can staff members or affiliates print in the STCs?
• At IUB, how do I set up printing accounts for conference attendees?
• In Windows, how do I use Remote Desktop to access my remote computer?
• In Windows, how do I install the Citrix ICA client?