- Contact our Service Desk by logging a call online in the Service Portal
- Email us at icts-helpdesk@uct.ac.za
- Call 021 650 4500
- Connect with ICTS social media (Facebook | X (formerly known as Twitter)
- Visit the ICTS Front Office on Cissie Gool Plaza or the ICTS-on-Main Walk-in Centre in Mowbray
What is the Guest Sponsorship Portal?
Visiting academics, researchers, conferences attendees and other UCT visitors can get access to the Internet in three ways. They can use eduroam, obtain a Third Party account or be sponsored to use the Guest WiFi Access. The type of access they need, and whether or not their home institution uses eduroam, will determine which method is used. To determine which method to use, ask yourself:
- Does your visitor come from an eduroam-affiliated institution?
If so, they just need to log on with their own username and password (from their home institution). Nothing else is required on the UCT network.
- Will your visitor be here for more than a month or two? Or do they require more than just Internet access – e.g. access to the library or the UCT network drives?
If so, you need to apply for a Third party account.
- If the answer to the above is “no” and your visitor will be here for a relatively short time, then you can sponsor their access to the UCT Guest WiFi service.
This article describes how to sponsor a UCT Guest WiFi account. It is a simple process that you can carry out via a web interface without having to log a call with the IT Helpdesk. UCT guest accounts expire automatically after the specified period, so you won't have to decommission them or worry about unauthorised WiFi access after your conference is over and your visitors have gone home.
Who can sponsor guests? What are the rules?
Any UCT staff member may sponsor individual guests by filling in each visitor's information on the relevant forms. However, if you're expecting a large group or if you're a conference organiser, you may apply for special rights to create multiple accounts more quickly.
- You can sponsor any number of guests.
- The visitors are bound by an Acceptable Use Policy which ensures that they use the service reasonably and responsibly - without any adverse consequences to the university.
- Your guest may connect up to three devices to the UCT network.
- If your visitors violate any of the abovementioned terms and conditions, they will be held responsible. In addition, you - as the sponsor - will also be held accountable and will face the relevant disciplinary procedures established for staff at UCT.
- You may extend their access to the WiFi, but at any point, the period remaining may not exceed the limit for that account type (e.g. 3 days or 7 days).
Create guest accounts
Create accounts for individual guests
You may create a guest account up to 3 days before the arrival of your guest. Your guest will be able to connect up to 3 devices at the same time.
You need to be on campus, working through a UCT wired or wireless connection, in order to use the Guest WiFi Portal. If you're off campus, you can access the service through the UCT VPN service.
- Navigate to https://wifi.uct.ac.za
- Sign in using your UCT Username and Password.
- On the Create Accounts tab, complete the required information:
- Enter the guest's details in the Guest Information section.
- In the Access Information section, enter the details of how long your guest will need access and when this access will be valid.
- Click Create.
- To send the login details to your guest, click Notify.
- Choose the notification method(s). Note that the SMS and Email options will not work if you've entered invalid contact details in step 3.
- If you've selected the Email option and you want to receive a copy of the notification, select Copy me and enter your email address in the Sponsor's Email address text box.
- Click OK.
- Click Done.
- To create another guest visitor account, repeat steps 1 to 5.
Video demo: Create an account for an individual guest (with captioning)
Create multiple accounts for a conference
There are three steps to creating multiple accounts for a conference:
- Apply to host a conference at UCT.
- Apply for conference organiser rights.
- Create conference WiFi accounts.
Step 1: Apply to host a conference at UCT
Complete the CMD 01 form - which is a pre-requisite for hosting a conference or event at UCT. Ensure that you fill out section 11, which relates to ICT support and Internet access for conference delegates.
Step 2: Apply for conference organiser rights
About conference organiser rights
There are two levels of conference organiser rights:
- Personalised tokens only: When creating accounts, you will need contact details for each guest.
- Personalised tokens AND generic tokens: When creating accounts, you don't need contact details for each guest. You can either give guests personalised tokens OR assign them random, generic tokens.
The first time you complete this step, ICTS will assign you rights based on your needs for that particular conference.
If you will be hosting future events - where you’ll need the same level of rights - you can skip this step and proceed to create conference WiFi accounts.
However, if you need a higher level of rights for a future conference, you will need to carry out this step again so that ICTS can upgrade your permissions.
To apply for conference organiser rights:
- Log on to the Service Portal using your UCT username and password.
- Click Internet and Networking > Request IT Services for a Conference.
- Enter the required information and click Submit.
Step 3: Create conference WiFi accounts
You may create guest accounts up to 30 days before the arrival of your guest. Each of your guests will be able to connect up to 3 devices concurrently.
What do you need to do? | Instructions |
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I want to create personalised WiFi tokens for multiple conference attendees. |
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I want to create generic WiFi tokens for multiple conference attendees. |
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Request additional ICTS conference services
Aside from WiFi, if you would like additional ICTS assistance for the conference:
- Log on to the Service Portal using your UCT username and password.
- Search for Conference IT services and select Request IT Services for a Conference.
- Enter the required information and click Submit.
Get support
If, while using the Guest Sponsorship Portal, you find that accounts are not created, or something seems to have gone wrong, first check the Notices tab for information about any errors that may have occurred.
If you need help using the portal: