Starting this summer, connecting to the campus wireless network is easier than ever before. UNLV-Setup will eventually be replacing UNLV-WiFi as the temporary network used to set up devices to connect to eduroam, UNLV’s official wireless (WiFi) network.

The new name better reflects what the network represents, according to Matt Kole, Associate Director of Network Development and Engineering (NDE) for UNLV Information Technology.

“We’re hoping to reduce any confusion about which WiFi network people should be connecting to and expedite the process of getting them connected to eduroam,” Kole said.

In the past, some people would use UNLV-WiFi thinking they were automatically connected to the campus WiFi network for internet access. Since UNLV-WiFi is a temporary network for setting up devices for eduroam, users found themselves reconnecting their devices every 15 minutes when trying to use it while on campus.

UNLV-WiFi will be active until Aug. 1 to help make the transition to UNLV-Setup smoother.

Students, faculty, and staff who want long-lasting WiFi connection need to enroll their devices into eduroam to securely access the internet at UNLV and participating eduroam institutions. UNLV-Setup helps start this process but should not be used as a primary WiFi network.

Even with the network name change, anyone re-enrolling their devices for eduroam will be familiar with the WiFi setup process. Kole said the step-by-step instructions for connecting to eduroam remain the same, requiring an ACE login and multifactor authentication.

Along with updating the network’s name, eduroam users will be able to stay connected to campus WiFi while visiting the UNLV Bookstore and Robert L. Bigelow Physics building. WiFi coverage was recently extended to the bookstore, with plans to expand it to the physics building in August. Over 70 access points were added between these two locations for seamless WiFi connection to those on campus.

“By expanding our WiFi coverage, those who are in these buildings and connected to eduroam won’t need to connect to another WiFi network,” Kole said. “Instead, eduroam will continue to work as they’re in these buildings, bringing a better network experience when moving around campus.”

Before the expansion plans, the bookstore didn’t have WiFi service and the physics building used a different network for internet access. Once students, faculty, or staff left these places, they would have to check if their devices they’d have to check if their devices reconnected to eduroam or risk losing WiFi completely.

For the bookstore, WiFi was one of the most requested improvements students asked for before it started its renovations. Since the study lounge was frequently used by students, making sure internet connectivity was available became a top priority. Rebranded to the Rebel Room, the remodeled space now has reliable WiFi service for anyone using eduroam while on campus.

"Student Affairs strives to provide more access for students across campus,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Rogers. “This collaborative effort across our division and the Office of Information Technology only helps students access more areas that provide the services they need."

The newly added access points in the bookstore and physics building have innovative features that set them apart from others at UNLV. Much like those in the Advanced Engineering Building, these access points can self-identify network issues and report them back to the NDE team, allowing them to fix network issues quicker and keep internet connectivity running smoothly.