Residence Hall Network and Telephone Services

Student network access, i.e. access to the Internet, is provided by secure wireless (WiFi) that is available in all campus buildings and much of the surrounding campus. 

Bryn Mawr is a member of the international eduroam wireless federation. Membership in this federation provides students seamless wireless access when visiting other member campuses, including Haverford and Swarthmore colleges. 

More information on eduroam can be found here:

• https://www.eduroam.us/
• https://www.eduroam.org/

LITS maintains current information on connecting to eduroam.

For your privacy, only devices supporting WPA2-Enterprise can connect to the college wireless network. Devices not supporting WPA2-Enterprise, such as some game consoles, e-readers, speakers/voice control systems (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.), and streaming media devices, cannot be used on the College network. Though WPA2-Enterprise is a common security standard, some devices are not compatible, especially those designed for home use.  This is a choice by the device manufacturer. If your favorite device does not support WPA2-Enterprise, we suggest contacting the manufacturer. 

Devices that broadcast signals in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum are not permitted in Bryn Mawr College residence halls.  These include:

• wireless routers
• personal hotspots (cell phone hotspots, Mi-Fi)
• wireless printers
• many cordless headphones
• many cordless telephones
• some network-enabled hard drives/backup devices
• personal microwaves
• network sharing from your computer 
• home automation technologies such as "smart" lightbulbs, speakers, heaters, and other app-controlled devices
• any device using Wi-Fi Direct
• any device that broadcasts its own network name

Wireless networks have a limited number of radio channels available and these devices disrupt College-provided wireless service.

Students electing to bring printers to campus should select devices without wireless. If you already have a printer that includes wireless you must be able to disable all wireless services. If you cannot disable wireless completely, do not bring the printer to campus. Please note that not all printers can disable their radios.  The same holds true with network-enabled external hard drives and other devices which may be operated with or without a direct wired connection.

Students are encouraged to bring devices supporting 5GHz WiFi. The college operates wireless service over both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, but 5GHz WiFi is preferred as there is less interference.

If a device is found to be interfering and the interfering signal can not be disabled it cannot be used and must be unplugged. Devices found to be interfering on multiple occasions are subject to confiscation; confiscated devices will not be returned until the end of the semester.  Please also note that interfering with wireless negatively affects other students, and some violations may fall under the Social Honor Code. In other cases, complaints may be lodged with the Deans' Office and/or Residential Life.

Campus phones are not provided to students. Courtesy and emergency phones are located throughout campus. Most VOIP phones will not allowably operate across the campus network (as outlined above).

All network and phone use must adhere to the College's Acceptable Use Policy.

Please call x7440 or e-mail help@brynmawr.edu with questions or concerns.