Information for Visitors
Overview
If you are visiting from an institution that participates in the eduroam service then you can connect to the eduroam wireless service at the University of Aberdeen with the same username and password that you use at your own institution.
Find out more below >>
Guest Accounts - for short-term use - allow visiting academics, researchers, business partners, collaborators or conference attendees temporary access to our wireless service.
Find out more below >>
University of Aberdeen members visiting other institutions that offer Eduroam can use their University of Aberdeen credentials to connect to those institutions' wireless services.
Find out more below >>
Visitors to Aberdeen University from participating eduroam institutions
If you are visiting from an institution that participates in the eduroam service then you can connect to the eduroam wireless service at the University of Aberdeen with the same username and password that you use at your own institution.
Note that in the UK, eduroam is also known as the JANET Roaming Service (JRS).
- What can I do when connected to the eduroam service at Aberdeen?
- How do I configure my device to connect to eduroam?
- What should I do before I arrive at Aberdeen?
- Who provides wireless support when I am visiting Aberdeen?
- What guidelines should I adhere to when using eduroam at Aberdeen?
1. What can I do when connected to the eduroam service at Aberdeen?
Visitors to Aberdeen from other eduroam institutions will have internet access, via JANET, to:
- Web browsing, including secure websites
- E-mail, send and receive
- VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)
- File transfer
- Remote Shell and Desktop
The University of Aberdeen provides a JRS2 tier service. For full details of this service, see the JANET Roaming Service User Guide at www.ja.net/documents/services/janet-roaming/JRSUserguidev2.doc.
2. How do I configure my device to connect to eduroam?
Details of how to connect to the University of Aberdeen eduroam service are available:
- Windows XP: [PDF]
- Windows Vista: [PDF]
- Windows 7 [PDF]
- Mac OS X (Tiger): [PDF]
- Mac OS X 10.5: (Leopard) [PDF]
- Mac OS X.7 (Lion) [PDF] - NEW!
Note: Where the guides specify username@abdn.ac.uk, you should use a combination of own username and realm. Thus if your username is user123 and your realm myuniversity.ac.uk, your eduroam username will be user123@myuniversity.ac.uk. This is the only format that will work with the eduroam network; e-mail addresses such as jbloggs@myuniversity.ac.uk will not work.
You are not required to configure the proxy to access web pages, but other applications which would otherwise be blocked, e.g. MS Messenger, can make use of the proxy settings.
For detailed guidance, see the JANET Roaming Service Connection Guide (PDF).
3. What should I do before I arrive at Aberdeen?
Before you leave your home institution, you should check that:
- your device works with your home site JRS service (where present) and is prepared to accept dynamically-assigned IP addresses;
- you have read the University of Aberdeen's Conditions for using IT Facilities;
- you have confirmed that the network facilities you require are provided by the University of Aberdeen eduroam service;
- you have confirmed that your home site permits remote access to the facilities you require from the University of Aberdeen.
If in any doubt, contact your local IT support before you go.
4. Who provides wireless support when I am visiting Aberdeen?
Your home institution is responsible for eduroam support while you are visiting the University of Aberdeen.
You should contact your own IT support service to ensure that your laptop (or other device) is configured to work properly with the University of Aberdeen eduroam service before you get here.
5. What guidelines should I adhere to when using eduroam at Aberdeen?
By connecting to the University of Aberdeen eduroam service you agree to abide by the University of Aberdeen's Conditions for using IT Facilities.
You are also bound by the JANET Acceptable Use Policy, and that of your home organisation.
Guest accounts
If you are visiting from an institution that does not participate in the eduroam service, you can request a Guest account from your University host (e.g. conference organiser or academic department) in order to use the University's wireless service. Guest accounts are computer accounts set up specifically for short term use by non-University of Aberdeen users.
Your host will issue you with a guest userid and password; use these credentials to connect to the wireless network via guestweb and/or eduroam.
About guestweb
The guestweb wireless service provides visitors to the University with quick and easy internet access while on campus - without the need to configure your laptop.
- guestweb is a restricted service providing access to public web pages and web-based email only.
- guestweb is an unsecured service and as such is used at your own risk.
- Your Guest account is valid for a fixed period, as determined by your host.
- When using the guestweb wireless service, you are bound by the University of Aberdeen's Conditions for using IT facilities.
Connecting to guestweb:
- Look for available wireless networks on your laptop in the usual way - guestweb is listed as one of the options.
- Connect to guestweb.
- Launch your web browser.
- A Welcome to the guestweb service page will display automatically.
- Login using the login credentials provided by your host, i.e. your guest userid and password.
About eduroam
Eduroam provides encrypted access to the internet. However, you will need to configure your laptop before you can access the service.
Connecting to eduroam:
- Fact sheets providing step by step instructions on configuring your laptop are available on our Configure your device page.
University of Aberdeen users visiting other institutions
eduroam is a location independent wireless network that allows for inter-institutional roaming.
If you are visiting an institution that participates in the eduroam service then you can connect to the eduroam wireless service at the host institution with the same username and password that you use at the University of Aberdeen.
- Where else is eduroam available?
- How do I configure my device to connect to eduroam at another institution?
- What should I do before I leave Aberdeen?
- What can I do when connected to the eduroam service at a participating institution?
- Who provides support for eduroam when I am visiting another eduroam institution?
1. Where else is eduroam available?
In the UK, eduroam is also known as the JANET Roaming Service (JRS). You can locate other participating institutions in the UK and Northern Ireland by following the link below. (Note that institutions where the Service is listed as Home Only do not provide a service for visitors.)
For locations of participating institutions outwith the UK:
iPhone/iPad App
You can easily locate eduroam-enabled sites via a FREE app for the iPhone and iPad. eduroam companion helps you locate your nearest eduroam point by visualising the central database of eduroam-enabled facilities on a map and provides you with the information you will need to connect to the service. Download the app from iTunes.
2. How do I configure my device to connect to eduroam at another institution?
If you have already configured your device to use eduroam at the University of Aberdeen, you should be able to simply start up your device and logon to eduroam as you would at Aberdeen; however we recommend you check with your host institution, before you leave, for any possible differences.
Details of how to configure your device should be available from the institution you wish to visit.
If you intend using the eduroam service whilst visiting another participating institution, you must configure your laptop for that site before you go. The site you are visiting is not obliged to provide you with any support; support should be sought from the DIT Service Desk.
You will need to know the following:
- your realm: e.g. abdn.ac.uk
- your username: e.g. xxx123
- the University of Aberdeen wireless support web site address: www.abdn.ac.uk/wireless
- the University of Aberdeen Conditions for using IT Facilities: www.abdn.ac.uk/dit/documents/cond-IT.pdf
- the DIT Service Desk phone number: +44 (0)1224 273636
Note: Your eduroam username is a combination of own username and realm. Thus if your username is user123, your eduroam username will be user123@abdn.ac.uk. This is the only format that will work with the eduroam network; e-mail addresses such as jbloggs@abdn.ac.uk will not work.
3. What should I do before I leave Aberdeen?
Before you leave Aberdeen, you should check that:
- your device works with the University of Aberdeen eduroam service;
- you have read the Acceptable Use Policy of the site you are visiting;
- you have confirmed that the network facilities you require are provided by the host service;
- you have confirmed that remote access to the University of Aberdeen facilities you require is permitted by the host site.
If in any doubt, contact the DIT Service Desk - before you leave.
4. What can I do when connected to the eduroam service at a participating institution?
You won't have the same Internet access as you do from the University of Aberdeen eduroam service; access to some University of Aberdeen resources is restricted. The services available to you off campus are the same as those available to you when connected from home, or from an internet café. You will be able to access your e-mail via Outlook Web Acccess (https://mail.abdn.ac.uk/exchange) and your home file space (H: drive) via secure ftp.
5. Who provides support for eduroam when I am visiting another eduroam institution?
The DIT provides eduroam support - whether you are on campus or visiting another eduroam institution. If you have difficulty connecting to the eduroam service whilst visiting another institution, contact the DIT Service Desk.
Last updated: Monday, 26-Mar-2012 09:51:35 BST