Elon University Information Technology is rolling out a new option for Wi-Fi connection on campus – eduroam. Eduroam will fully replace elonu-secure as Elon’s primary Wi-Fi network by the end of the fall 2025 semester, according to Director of Campus Technology Support Rebecca Beck.
Eduroam has been available on Elon’s campus for years; however, Beck said Elon IT is working to consolidate the amount of networks in order to reduce confusion about what Wi-Fi to use. She also said Elon’s Wi-Fi vendor recommended that the university have fewer networks available.
Elon IT said in a statement that there will be fewer dropped connections on eduroam and improved performance. However, one of the main reasons for switching to the new network is accessibility across campuses.
“It's just an ease of access from both sides,” Beck said. “I can go anywhere that has an eduroam connection and log in with my Elon credentials, and then I know that I'm logging in securely and connecting to my whole network.”
Currently, colleges and universities across the United States use eduroam, including University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, James Madison, Vanderbilt and Davidson College.
According to Beck, visiting guests from other participating universities that have a university ID can log in with their account credentials without needing a special guest account to log in. Additionally, for those who use eduroam at their institution, they may already be logged in once they get to Elon’s campus, so there are no extra steps.
Eduroam was created in 2002 by Klaas Wierenga in Europe and is co-funded by the European Union. Wierenga is the chief information and technology officer at GÉANT, the association of European National Research and Education Networks. After its pilot, eduroam was adopted by GÉANT.
According to eduroam’s website, over 100 territories use the service worldwide.
Elon’s consolidation of networks comes after numerous Wi-Fi and network outages since the start of the second semester. However, Beck said the outages were unrelated to the strength of the elonu-secure Wi-Fi network. She did not specify the causes of the outages.
The elonu-connect network will still be used for what Elon IT calls the “Internet of Things,” which includes personal devices like televisions, gaming consoles and printers.
Beck said there is no immediate cutoff for elonu-secure; however, Elon IT is strongly encouraging the Elon community to switch over as soon as possible.
“The services are already there,” Beck said. “They're already active. What we're doing now is what we would call a soft roll out of eduroam, meaning it is completely at your discretion and at your convenience to switch to eduroam.”
According to a statement from Elon IT, the only difference for users is logging in to the network. To connect to eduroam, users should enter their full Elon email address and current Elon password. There is no requirement to create a new account.
Beck said Elon IT worked with groups ahead of the announcement to ensure that all questions are answered about making the switch. She also said Elon IT will be tabling and placing signage around campus this summer to provide the Elon community with additional support. New student orientation materials for incoming freshmen and transfer students will also include eduroam as the primary Wi-Fi network.
“It's really the same thing that you're doing now, just under a different name,” Beck said.
Elon IT has additional resources available online, but users with additional questions can also submit a ticket to the IT Service Desk.