Easy internet access when travelling to eduroam-affiliated institutions
UCT, along with hundreds of other universities worldwide, uses the eduroam service (short for EDUcation ROAMing) to provide free and secure wireless access to all staff and students. This means that when you travel to another eduroam-affiliated institution (either in South Africa or abroad) you can access their wireless network simply by logging on with your UCT credentials. You avoid the hassle of having to request a visitor account from the host institution.
It also means that when people from other eduroam-affiliated institutions visit UCT, they can connect to eduroam using the username and password from their home institution.
Note that in recent years, eduroam has also been made available at other public sites - such as libraries, airports, and healthcare facilities. Access the eduroam South Africa interactive map to see where else eduroam is available.
How to use eduroam at other institutions
- While you're still at UCT, set up your laptop or mobile device to use eduroam.
- When you visit another eduroam-affiliated institution, enable your device's wireless setting.
- Connect to the eduroam service, which will appear as a wireless service.
- Log on using your UCT username (e.g. 01234567@wf.uct.ac.za) and password.
- Instantaneously, the host institution will send an authentication request to verify your credentials. Once authenticated, you are able to access their wireless network and the internet.
At UCT, we’re fortunate to have more available bandwidth and infrastructure resources than many other local institutions. So when you visit other institutions, you need to be considerate of your host.
Failure to do so puts strain on your host’s infrastructure, inconveniences their staff and students, and tarnishes UCT’s reputation in the eduroam community.
When you visit other institutions, please:
- Limit the number of wireless devices you use simultaneously:
Find out how many devices your host will allow you to connect and remain within this limit. Limits vary depending on your host’s capacity, and your host can track the number of devices you connect. If you exceed the limit and your host lodges a complaint with UCT, we are obliged to take action against you.
- Familiarise yourself with the rules:
Read and abide by the eduroam National Policy for South Africa.
Don’t share your UCT username and password with anyone else. Doing so can be in breach of the local participating eduroam service provider’s acceptable use policy – which can result in you losing access to eduroam both at UCT and elsewhere.
