Living at UB? Connect and Share Devices

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By Dan Heuskin

Published August 19, 2016 This content is archived.

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Dan Heuskin.

Daniel Heuskin (UB Student, Class of 2017) is originally from Long Island, NY. He is studying English at UB with aspirations to become a teacher or writer. In his free time, he enjoys playing bass guitar, doing nature photography, writing songs and reading.

You may have heard about the great strides UB is making towards more reliable Wi-Fi coverage with UB Wi-Fi Boost. What you may not have heard is that, in addition to revamping and improving UB’s Wi-Fi infrastructure, the Boost initiative includes major upgrades to UB’s ResNet. As a part of these upgrades, UBIT is introducing a useful new feature to manage devices on UB’s Wi-Fi and ResNet networks: the UB My Devices Portal.

Available only in boosted UB residences—as of Fall 2016, this includes all on-campus apartments, Richmond Quad, Spaulding Quad, and Governors Complex—the UB My Devices Portal is where students can manage and configure all their devices in one spot. In order to take advantage of ResNet’s powerful connection (1,000 times faster than campus Wi-Fi!) in boosted residence areas, your device must be registered on the My Devices Portal.

The My Devices Portal is also a place to share access to your registered devices. Using the AirGroup function, you can share access to devices, such as a printer, with your roommates. You can use AirGroup by plugging printer into a ResNet wired port and printing off an iPhone connected to eduroam.

To use AirGroup, make sure the device you want to share is registered and can connected to UB Connect, eduroam or ResNet. In the My Devices Portal, select this device and check “Enable AirGroup,” then enter the UBITNames of people with whom you want to share your device. Finally, click “Update Device.”

AirGroup sharing will not work in buildings still running on the old network, but in Wi-Fi boosted buildings, you can share access to anything from your Chromecast or Roku to your gaming console or wireless printer. The Wi-Fi Boost upgrade will be completed in all residence buildings by the end of Summer 2017.

Not sure where to start? Try these step-by-step instructions for registering, sharing, editing, and removing devices in the UB My Devices Portal.

Which network?

UB’s campuses have three Wi-Fi networks available for connection in Wi-Fi Boosted buildings: eduroam, UB Secure, and UB Connect. eduroam is UB’s preferred network and it is available on hundreds of university campuses around the world. When logging in, you must use “@buffalo.edu” after your UBITName, as in “jdoe@buffalo.edu.”

Unlike eduroam, UB Secure is found only at UB. UB Connect is available for guests visiting UB. It is also used for devices such as gaming consoles that can’t connect to eduroam.

What's next for UB's wi-fi boost?

You may notice that UB Connect is not available in some buildings; those haven’t been boosted. Guests in those locations can still log on to UB Guest.

“As of August 2016, we’re about half-way through the process, with completion in sight by the end of Spring 2018,” said Jerry Bucklaew, Network Architect and Project Manager for the Wi-Fi Boost project. “It’s about better coverage at more locations. We are doubling our access points.”

Beginning Fall 2016 semester, Wi-Fi boosted residence buildings will include all campus apartments—Hadley Village, Flint Village, South Lake Village, Flickinger Court, and South Lake Village—as well as the Governors Complex and Richmond and Spaulding Quads in the Ellicott Complex. All other residence buildings are scheduled for completion by the end of Summer 2017.  Boost upgrades in academic buildings will be worked on consistently throughout 2016 and 2017.

For a full list of boosted buildings and tentative completion dates for other buildings, see the Wi-Fi Boost schedule. It’s important to note that all dates shown are subject to change.