Ohio State is updating the security used to verify our eduroam Wi-fi network. For MITS-managed devices, no action is required—IT will re-onboard university devices for you. Requirements for other Ohio State provided devices may vary by department.
If you connect your personal phone, tablet or computer to Wi-Fi when you are on campus you MUST re-onboard, or you will no longer be able to connect the eduroam network after Oct. 13. To ensure your personal devices continue connecting without interruption, you will need to re-onboard your device now so it is properly configured. If you do not onboard before Oct. 13, you may need IT assistance to connect.
The update simply allows your device to recognize and accept the new security. After that, everything works normally. If you do not re-onboard, starting in October your device will no longer be able connect because it will no longer recognize Ohio State’s network. To re-onboard now, visit our website and choose the instructional guides that matches your device.
Managed Devices
Actions needed for Ohio State provided devices vary by department because IT departments across campus manage devices in different ways. You should plan to onboard your university-managed device(s) by Oct. 13 - unless you are in one of the following groups*:
| College/Unit | Action |
|---|---|
| College of Arts and Sciences | No action required |
| College of Veterinary Medicine | No action required for university-managed Windows laptops; Mac laptop users must re-onboard their university-managed device |
| Managed IT Partners | No action required |
| Office of Advancement | No action required |
If your college or business unit is NOT on this list, you should re-onboard your university-managed devices by Oct. 13.
* Note to IT Support Units: The Office of Technology and Digital Innovation uses device certificates and 802.1X to authenticate devices on both wired and wireless (eduroam) networks. To use this capability, an area must be a MITS partner or be actively progressing toward a managed network and SDES, including the required certificate authority (CA) capabilities. Please let us know if you have questions or would like to discuss the requirements and next steps.
The technical details
When you first connected to Ohio State’s network, your device was configured to recognize and trust the network as a safe place to connect. It does this by verifying a digital security certificate, which serves as proof that the network is legitimate. These certificates are issued by trusted certificate authorities and have traditionally remained valid for several years.
However, the certificate industry is significantly reducing certificate lifespans, meaning they may soon need to be renewed as often as every 40 days. To avoid requiring frequent updates on your devices, Ohio State is moving to a new certificate model that provides longer-term trust. Your device needs to be re-onboarded so it recognizes Ohio State's new security certificate. Once re-onboarded, your device will continue connecting securely to the university network and will require far fewer certificate updates in the future.
Get help
If you have issues updating your device, the IT Service Desk is available to support you 24/7. Request IT support online or call the Service Desk at 614-688-4357 (HELP).