Sent: 2010-08-06
From: Information Technology Services
To: Employees
Subject: Authentication procedure for EIU wireless users
The procedure by which Eastern faculty, staff and visitors access the campus wireless network is being updated.
In order to improve wireless security and protect network integrity, a sign-on process will be implemented for laptops connected to wi-fi, effective Aug. 9, 2010.
Currently, the university wireless network is open. It is accessible to any laptop user without the need for verification. With the new procedure, university faculty and staff will obtain access by logging in with their EIU username and password, just as they do with their desktop machine or to log into their e-mail account. Guests on campus will have a similar log-in process.
Information Technology Services is working with Safe Connect, the application used in campus residence halls to ensure network security there, to provide the service.
Benefits to the university include better protection against virus infections, control of illegal peer-to-peer file sharing and greater ability to detect malicious activity on the network. The change also would help ensure that the network is available for the conducting of university business only, rather than being burdened by unauthorized off-campus users.
Users of the campus wi-fi network should be aware that the pending changes will only control access to the network, which remains unencrypted, and they should never transmit sensitive data such as personal financial information or Social Security Numbers unless they are logged in to the university VPN remote desktop application.
The changes will not restrict the websites that users can visit on the Internet from on campus, nor will they track or monitor Internet usage.
Devices such as PDAs and smart phones would not be affected by the change.
Please refer to the website http://its.eiu.edu/pubs/wireless-authenticate.pdf for more information.
