Wireless Network Access
The college has four wireless networks that faculty, staff, students, and campus guests may use. They serve different purposes and may require either configuration or registration of your device(s).
Primary Wireless Networks
PC-Secure
PC-Secure is the primary wireless network used by most devices owned by faculty, staff, and students. PC-Secure may require some configuration to connect, but should be used by any device that supports enterprise level network security (802.1x and WPA2 Enterprise) as it offers the greatest level of security. PC-Secure is only available to current faculty, staff, and students.
Instructions for connecting to PC-Secure
PC-Devices
PC-Devices is a network used by “consumer electronics” devices that do not support enterprise level network security and authentication. These types of devices include game consoles, smart TVs, smart speakers, digital media players, etc. PC-Devices requires that the device be registered. PC-Devices is only available to current faculty, staff, and students.
The PC-Devices network is limited to internet access only. It cannot access any internal campus resources other than those that can be accessed off campus (such as email, Sakai, CyberFriar, and the college website). It can only see other devices on campus if they are also connected to PC-Devices. If you wish for your device to have more access than this, which is not generally necessary to receive the full user experience from these devices, you should connect it via Ethernet.
Connect to PC-Devices
- Look up the MAC address of the device you wish to connect to PC-Devices.
- From another device (your computer or mobile device, but not the one you need to connect), visit the Device Registration (on-campus only) system and log in with your network username and password.
- Fill out and submit the form.
- Once it has been submitted successfully, you should restart your registered device.
- Connect your device to the PC-Devices wireless network.
If you have trouble, please contact the Helpdesk at 401-865-4357 or helpdesk@providence.edu. Be sure to provide your device’s MAC address, your network username, and the type of device you are trying to register.
Guest Access
PC-Guest
Individual guests can simply connect to the PC-Guest network. Upon connecting to the network, they may see a window open up asking them to fill out a form to connect. If this form does not display, they simply need to open any webpage, which will automatically be redirected to the form. The form requires they are sponsored by a current member of the faculty, staff, or student body. Guest access expires 24 hours from confirmation. Sponsors will receive an email with a link to confirm or reject the requested access. You can follow that link and log in with your network username and password.
Conferences, events, and planned official visits by an individual that will last longer than 24 hours should email the Helpdesk at helpdesk@providence.edu at least 48 hours prior to arrival to have a temporary guest account created for wireless access via PC-Guest. Please provide the name of the event, the staff/faculty sponsor of the event, and the start and end dates for when the guests will need wireless access.
eduroam
Eduroam is a wireless network roaming service. It allows members of other eduroam subscribers to connect to the wireless network on our campus using their own institution’s credentials. It also allows our faculty, staff, and students to connect to the wireless network at other eduroam subscribing institutions. Eduroam at Providence College is a guest network, allowing only web access.
Providence College Faculty, Staff, and Students
Providence College faculty, staff, and students who wish to connect to eduroam at other campuses can connect their device to the eduroam network and enter their full Providence College email address as the username and their password.
Guests of Providence College
Guests of Providence College from institutions with eduroam can connect to eduroam using the username and password provided by their institution.
