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Wireless Network and Services

Wi-Fi access to the university’s online resources is widely available across campus, including all academic and administrative buildings and student residences.

The UIT LAN Engineering (LAN-E) team is responsible for managing and maintaining the UIT Wi-Fi infrastructure. Note: the Stanford Hospitals maintain their own Wi-Fi infrastructures. UIT LAN-E performs Wi-Fi designs, configuration, upgrades, procurement, and troubleshooting of campus Wi-Fi infrastructure. Help with troubleshooting and configurations on desktop devices is provided by local IT support or the UIT Help Desk (5-HELP).

Current Wi-Fi Networks

Throughout the main academic campus, Redwood City campus, and student residences, the following wireless Service Set Identifier (SSID) are broadcasted:

  • Stanford
  • Stanford Visitor
  • eduroam

The Stanford SSID is provided for faculty, staff, students, and sponsored guests.

The Stanford Visitor SSID is provided as a low-bandwidth network available for transient visitors of the campus. See Wireless Access for Stanford Visitors for more information.

The eduroam SSID is provided for visitors from other colleges and universities to connect using their home institution credentials, as long as their institution also enables eduroam. It is available for Stanford faculty, staff, and students as well.

Designed for

Wi-Fi provided by University IT is designed for faculty, staff, students, visitors, and sponsored guests.

Requirements

  • For Stanford SSID access - device registration or wireless guest account
  • For eduroam SSID access - SUNet ID or eduroam account from peer institution
  • For Stanford Visitor access - nonregistered device
  • 802.11a/n/ac/ax compatible device (Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6)
  • Not to be used to transmit Moderate or High Risk Data, as defined by the Information Security Office, unless using an encrypted protocol or service such as VPN

Get started

All wireless devices* must first be registered in the Stanford network database (NetDB) before they can connect to SUNet. Note for laptop users: even if you have already registered your laptop's wired Ethernet connection, you must also register your wireless connection.

  • On-campus students should register through the Vice Provost for Student Affairs (VPSA) website.
  • Faculty and staff: contact your LNA (Local Network Administrator) if you are unable to complete your registration through the Stanford Network Self-Registration (SNSR) system
  • If you live off-campus or do not know your LNA, call the Stanford IT Service Desk at 5-HELP (650-725-4357).

To register the device, the LNA will need the MAC address of your wireless device (usually printed on a sticker on the device) and, if a laptop, the Host name of your Mac or PC.

* The Stanford Visitor wireless guest network does not require NetDB device registration.

Get help

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to register my device to use Stanford Wi-Fi?
Yes, your device must be registered to use the Stanford Wi-Fi network.
How fast is the Wi-Fi?
Devices using Stanford and eduroam can experience speeds between 20 Mbps and 400 Mbps depending on the device’s capabilities and supported Wi-Fi protocols.  Stanford Visitor is limited to 8 Mbps upload and download.
Who can use Stanford Visitor?
Any visiting person to Stanford University may use Stanford Visitor after acknowledging the splash page. Registered devices CANNOT use Stanford Visitor.
Does Wi-Fi calling work on campus?
Yes, the Stanford, eduroam, and Stanford Visitor SSIDs support Wi-Fi calling for devices that have it enabled.
How do I provide Wi-Fi for an on-campus event?
Campus events can provide guests access to the Stanford Wi-Fi network by using Sponsored Guest. A current Stanford faculty member, staff member, or student can sponsor this access. The requirement is to set a guest account name, a password, and a duration of up to 14 days. The password is used to connect to Stanford and guests must acknowledge the splash page. More information can be found here: https://web.stanford.edu/group/networking/cgi-bin/wirelessguest/accounts.cgi

For further assistance, please submit a Help ticket or call 650-725-4357.

Learn more

See also

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