Wireless Network Policies

Wireless networking lets computers and other devices connect using radio waves instead of wires. The wireless network is an institutional resource made available for the benefit of the Caltech community. Use of all computers, mobile devices, and other wireless devices is subject to the Caltech Network Policy and the Acceptable Use of Electronic Information and Computing Resources policy.

Wireless networks depend on the ability to transmit and receive radio waves which makes them fundamentally different from wired networks. The strength of the radio signal used to establish the network connection is affected by factors such as:

• A computer's distance from wireless access point
• A building's construction
• The materials used in making the building
• The presence of interference; this includes vegetation and other water sources
• The number of computers connected to the same access point: all users are sharing the same radio signal unlike a wired Ethernet connection where each user has a distinct connection to the network.

Caltech offers five wireless networks. Use the one that fits you.

• Connect laptops, tablets, and phones to Caltech Secure if you have access.caltech credentials.
• Use Caltech-IoT only for devices that cannot connect to Caltech Secure. Do not share the Caltech-IoT password with visitors, and do not use it to avoid connecting to Caltech Secure.
• Visitors who are not from another institution should use Caltech Visitor. Visitors from participating institutions should use eduroam.
• Anyone with a supported AT&T or T-Mobile phone can also connect that phone to CaltechAirpass, which connects automatically with no sign-in.
• The person who holds a Caltech-IoT password is responsible for all traffic from devices that use it.

Hosting guests or an event? Guests can connect to Caltech Visitor. Caltech does not provide separate temporary conference networks.

Wireless networks are intended to provide network connectivity in environments where network wiring is not practical or the users are highly mobile. It is provided to campus users as a convenience to facilitate research and learning. In most cases, wireless is not a substitute for a wired network. If you are having problems with the wired network please do not use the wireless as a substitute, please use the contact information below for assistance:

Online: ServiceNow
Phone: 626.395.3500
Email: [email protected]
Remote Help: TeamViewer
In-Person: 367 S. Holliston Avenue
Room 204 (Bldg. 85)
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8AM - 5PM

You can also try the Wireless Troubleshooting page.

Please do not set up your own wireless access points, routers, or range extenders on campus. This includes personal Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems, as well as devices that broadcast their own network, such as some printers, projectors, and streaming devices.

Why we ask

• They slow down wireless for everyone nearby. IMSS manages the campus radio channels. A device that broadcasts its own network uses some of the same airspace. In the 2.4 GHz band there are only three channels in the United States that do not overlap, and devices on the same channel take turns transmitting, so each extra network makes everyone wait longer. Your own connection suffers too.
• You are responsible for the traffic. The owner of an access point is responsible for all traffic that passes through it, including traffic from anyone who connects to it.
• It sits outside campus protections. People who join a private network do not sign in with Caltech credentials, and Caltech's security controls do not cover it. Home routers and range extenders are also often left without security updates.
• We can't help when it breaks. IMSS cannot see or repair a network it does not manage.

Check your devices
Some devices create their own Wi-Fi network without being asked, often with a name based on the device. Check the settings of anything you plug in, and turn this feature off if you do not need it.

Talk to us first
Most needs can be met without a separate access point. Open a ticket at ServiceNow and tell us what you are trying to do. We can often solve it with Caltech Secure, or with Caltech-IoT for devices that cannot use Caltech Secure.

If you need your wireless devices to communicate with each other, tell us in your ticket and we will work out the best option for your space.

If we find one
Wireless access points and routers are subject to the Caltech Network Policy and the Acceptable Use of Electronic Information and Computing Resources policy, like any device on the network.

If we find an access point that interferes with the campus network, we will try to contact its owner. If we cannot find the owner, we may disable network access on the port the access point is plugged into, which also disconnects anything else using that port. IMSS reserves the right to disconnect any device, wireless or otherwise, that interferes with the operation of the network.