Wireless: UniOfCam and Eduroam

UniOfCam is the UCS-run unencrypted wireless network service. It is accessible with either a Raven password, or a `visitor's ticket.' Visitors' tickets can be created by most IT staff and secretaries, and can have an expiry date up to two months in the future. The name of the visitor (and arrival / departure dates) is all that is required. (UniOfCam used to be called Lapwing.)

Shorter-term visitors' tickets (up to one week) can be created in limited numbers by anyone the UCS regards as "staff" by using the "tickets" tab on the wireless console page.

Visitors tickets are generally valid across the whole University.

Eduroam is an encrypted wireless network service. It too is run locally by the UCS, but is available in many educational institutions throughout the world. It blocks very few ports.

Both UniOfCam and Eduroam use the same physical wireless access points. Both are available in many University and College locations. In TCM all the access points support both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, and the 802.11 a, b, g and n standards. Most (all save the AP-104 and 105) also support 802.11ac.

Setting up Eduroam

Authentication is provided by a key stored on your laptop. You may revoke this key, should it be lost or given away, trivially. To find your key, or to revoke an old key and generate a new one, visit https://tokens.uis.cam.ac.uk/. The UCS has detailed instructions on setting up Eduroam with Windows, MacOS and Linux. Once this recipe is followed successfully, it is merely necessary to turn one's laptop on in any eduroam-supporting institution.

Printing in TCM from Either

The recommended method of printing to TCM's printers is to use the IPP service offered by plover. For those too lazy to follow that link, setting up an IPP printer, in Windows, MacOS X or Linux, of
https://plover.tcm.phy.private.cam.ac.uk/printers/ps2
should simply work.

Unnecessary details

TCM currently pays for seven access points. These are connected directly to the UCS's `point of presence'. The only things which TCM supplies are copper cable and electricity. However, it is still best if faults are reported via, or at least cc'd to, TCM's IT staff.

Like the rest of our networking infrastructure, the wireless APs are protected by a UPS, which should survive for at least half an hour.

To determine which access point you are using, look for the BSSID in your network configuration. The BSSIDs listed are of the access points for Eduroam and 802.11a. For UniOfCam, generally add 1 to the last digit. For 802.11g, generally add or subtract 8 or 10 (hex) to/from the last byte. All the APs are made by Aruba, the model numbers also being given below.

24:de:c6:79:39:40	Room 500	AP-214	(UCS tag 20508)
b4:5d:50:89:9e:70	Room 515	AP-214	(UCS tag 22116)
ac:a3:1e:99:8a:b0	Room 519	AP-204	(UCS tag 20174)
ac:a3:1e:99:ac:f0	Room 527	AP-204	(UCS tag 20152)
18:64:72:19:f7:a0	Room 528	AP-224	(UCS tag 19643)
ac:a3:1e:99:9b:c0	Coffee Area	AP-204	(UCS tag 20141)
ac:a3:1e:99:ae:70	Room 540a	AP-204	(UCS tag 20153)

Some Physics APs on the first floor of the Mott building are also visible in TCM.

To find your BSSID on Linux, type
iwconfig (it may be reported as "Access Point")
on MacOS 10.5, try
/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/Apple80211.framework/Versions/A/Resources/airport -I

Eduroam is pronounced edu-roam.

Those with access to the Lapwing console can browse TCM's Access Points. Those wishing to steal them need to be able to use Google well enough to find instructions about inserting a long, blunt, object, such as a Allen key, fully into the small square hole on the same side as the ethernet cable entry point. This releases a catch, at which point the AP can be lifted from its holder.

MJR November 2009 (Dec 2014, Jan 2019, Mar 2022)