As of August 1, 2006, the Wildcat Wireless service is available, free of charge, to all CSU, Chico students, faculty, and staff.
Wildcat Wirless Service and Security Information
Accessing Wildcat Wireless
The Wildcat Wireless service is available, free of charge, to all CSU, Chico students, faculty, and staff.
To access the Wildcat Wireless service, you will need a device that is compatible with the 802.11 (b or g) wireless standard. The vast majority of new
laptops come with these devices built-in.
Be sure that you are in an area of campus that has wireless coverage.
The network name (SSID) of the Wildcat Wireless service is "csuchico". You should be able to see this network name by opening the wireless network
browser on your computer, just as if you were connecting to a wireless network at home or in places such as airports or
coffee shops.
No security settings (such as WEP or WPA) are required to connect to the Wildcat Wireless network (see the Security Tips for instructions
on securing your Wildcat Wireless connection).
Acceptable Use Policy
Use of the Wildcat Wireless is governed by the campus acceptable use policy, as expressed in Executive Memorandum 97-18,
Policy on Use of Computing and Communications Technology. Users should also read this summary of the campus AUP for information
on how it may affect them.
Campus Wireless Coverage
The Campus Wireless Coverage Map (PDF) shows the buildings on campus where wireless signal is available.
As with all wireless technology, there are many factors that can affect signal strength, but signal is generally available in
and around the colored buildings on the map. In the residence halls, however, coverage is available primarily in
the hall common areas.
Security Tips
The campus wireless service operates in an open environment, meaning that information
sent over the wireless network (including sensitive data such as usernames, passwords or bank account info) is communicated in clear-text and can be intercepted, unless:
- You are accessing a secure web page (one that begins with "https").
- You have established a connection to the CSU, Chico Virtual Private Network (VPN).
- You are using an application that uses a secure protocol, such as SSH.
To protect your private information, you can download and install the Cisco VPN client (see below) and use it
while browsing. You can also protect it by making sure that anytime you are sending or viewing private information in your web browser
(such as usernames, passwords, or bank account information), you are accessing a website that begins with "https".
Using the Cisco VPN
For additional security, CSU, Chico uses a Virtual Private Network that encrypts network traffic. Use of the VPN is
required to access certain campus resources from the Wildcat Wireless service, but is not required for general browsing.
It is, however, a good way to ensure that all of your communcations when using the wireless service are properly secured.
To download and install the VPN client, please go to the Cisco VPN Client download site.
(Note that guest accounts -- usernames ending in "@cns" -- do not have access to the Cisco VPN Client download site. Guests who require
the VPN client should contact one of the helpdesks.)
Printing from the Wireless Network
Currently, printing to networked printers on campus from the wireless network is not available. However, this
option is being tested for use sometime in the future, although there is no ETA for this feature yet.
Connection Timeout and Session Length
There are two ways in which your Wildcat Wireless connection may time out:
- 60 minute idle timeout: If your Wildcat Wireless connection stays idle for 60 minutes, you will be required to login the next time you
attempt to use the wireless service.
- 12 hour session timeout: Regardless of any activity on the network, you will be required to
re-login to Wildcat Wirless 12 hours after your last login.
A Note About Wireless in the Residence Halls
As you may notice from the wireless coverage map, wireless access is available in the residence halls. However, due to
additional information security concerns in the residence halls, please be aware that users of the wireless service in the residence halls will
be required to install the Cisco Clean Access Agent. This software will ensure that computers in the residence halls meet campus software security
requirements. More information can be found at the ResNet home page.
Getting Help
If you are having trouble connecting to the wireless service, or you need some other technical support, please contact
one of the following:
Students:
Student Computing
(530) 898-HELP
MLIB 116
helpstu@csuchico.edu
Faculty and Staff:
User Services
(530) 898-6000
MLIB 109
helpuserserv@csuchico.edu
WildcatMail | MS Exchange 
Admissions
Registration