UARK Guest Wi-Fi Temporarily Unrestricted for Devices Unable to Connect to Secure Wireless

IT Services has developed a temporary workaround for devices unable to connect to UARK 5G and 2G Wi-Fi networks due to a new security standard. Devices with the following versions are affected: Windows 10 version 1511, Android 6.0 and Ubuntu 15.10.

To provide better network access for affected devices, IT Services has temporarily removed restrictions on the UARK Guest Wi-Fi network, which is normally restricted to Web-only traffic. This change allows devices to connect to servers and printers, map drives and use email apps, and it increases timeouts so that users can stay connected for longer periods of time.

The guest network is unencrypted, and users are urged to be cautious transmitting personal information unless they are connected to the campus VPN or accessing a website using the HTTPS secure protocol. To connect to UARK Guest Wi-Fi, choose it from the list of available networks, open your Web browser and enter a valid email address.

The university's Wi-Fi authentication vendor is expected to release a fix to make the university wireless networks compatible with the new security standard. Before implementing the fix on the campus network, however, IT Services will perform extensive testing to ensure that it is compatible with all university online services. Implementation of the vendor's fix is expected by the beginning of spring semester. Until then, IT Services recommends users do not upgrade to Windows 10 version 1511, Android 6.0 or Ubuntu 15.10.

The IT Services Help Desk is available to assist users affected by the Windows 10 update. Contact the Help Desk by calling 479-575-2905 or by submitting a request at askit.uark.edu.

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