Hi Montana,
Our wired and wireless networking are managed by our campus’ central IT group too. Our wireless network requires WPA2 Enterprise authentication as well, and we do not have a guest
network typically available – outside of eduroam, but that’s not exactly conference/short-stay guest friendly. Each summer we use a bulk creation tool to generate a few thousand guest logins that are handed out at the desk during check-ins.
The one piece that we do a little differently is that we have an option to request a temporary activation (duration of 7 days or less) of an SSID that can be accessed by a simple
password, much more like an at-home experience. So, when our conference team is hosting events that have hundreds to thousands of guests, we can set up the event with a single password that goes out along with confirmation & reminder emails to guests, and
can also be provided again at check-in.
The details are listed here as a service offering:
https://uts.mcmaster.ca/services/infrastructure/wireless-at-mcmaster/mac-events/
Sincerely,
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Steven Barei |
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Manager, Information Systems |
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IT Department |
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McMaster University |
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location: Brandon 107 |
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From: Montana Quiring <Montana.Quiring@umanitoba.ca>
Sent: May 8, 2025 3:04 PM
To: can-uni-res-it@lists.umanitoba.ca
Subject: [curi] WiFi accounts for short-stay/conference guests
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Caution: External email.
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Hello,
We have a central IT managed WiFi network across the campus.
They use WPA2 Enterprise and have a secured network and a guest network.
For the secured network a UofM ID is required to login. The guest network is open but limited.
Over the spring/summer, when we have short-stay guests or conference guests stay in our residence buildings, the guest network wasn’t sufficient, so we have 1000’s of ID’s based on the building, and room etc
that we loan out. We have new ones for each month so there’s less chance of abuse.
Central IT has improved the quality of the guest network over the years. It wasn’t very usable initially.
They want us to switch over to the guest network so that we all don’t have to manage all of these accounts.
Do any of you have short-stay and/or conference guests stay in your residence buildings?
How do you handle it granting them Internet access?
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Regards,
Montana Quiring
Systems and IT Admin
Student Residences
University of Manitoba
400 Arthur V. Mauro
Winnipeg, MB, R3T 6B3
204.474.8694
