Wi-Fi and network | Ohio University

Connecting on campus

Many devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones can connect to eduroam.
To connect other devices such as smart TVs, game consoles, smart speakers, and wireless printers, you will need to register your device.
Residence halls are equipped with Wi-Fi (no Ethernet ports).
Most buildings on the Athens campus have Wi-Fi. Reception is also available in many outdoor locations and parking lots.
- To see if your location has reception, review the Wi-Fi coverage map.

Some university applications and tools can only be accessed using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or using Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

Campus VPN creates a secure tunnel to the campus network, making your local device appear to be a part of the University network. When connected, OHIO related internet traffic goes through the campus network.
- Campus VPN is currently available for faculty and staff.
VMware Horizon View (VDI) allows you to remotely access a Windows desktop environment from any PC, Mac, iOS, Android, or Web Browser. When connected, the virtual desktop's screen images are sent to your device, and your keystrokes and mouse movements are sent to the virtual PC. This lets you easily access University resources and applications from your personal device.
- VDI is currently available for faculty, staff, and students.

Feature	Campus VPN	VMware Horizon View (VDI)
Resource-intensive for your device	Yes	No
Works with high latency connections (e.g., satellite internet)	No	No
Allows you to print wirelessly to OHIO printers from off-campus	Yes	By request
Available for faculty and staff	Yes	Yes
Available for emeriti	Yes	By request
Available for students	By request	Yes (Features will vary depending on course enrollment and college affiliation)
Available for graduate student employees	Yes	By request
Requires multi-factor authentication to access	Yes	Yes
Best for accessing sensitive data	No - though the VPN connection itself is secure, it does create local copies of data on your device while you work	Yes - data does not leave the virtual desktop unless you configure it to do so
Best for accessing University-supported, Windows-based applications (e.g. computer lab applications)	No	Yes - list of applications
Access to Network Attached Storage (NAS) on shared.ohio.edu and home.ohio.edu.	Yes	Yes
Licensing access to validate/activate software like ArcGIS, AutoCAD, and Microsoft workstations	Yes	By request. Students who are enrolled in a course that utilizes VDI will have access to necessary licensing.