What is changing?

• The MASON-SECURE network will be shut down at the end of the 2025 fall semester, in favor of eduroam as the primary Wi-Fi network across all George Mason campuses and locations.

What is eduroam?

• eduroam (education roaming) is a secure, global Wi-Fi network used by the international research and education community. It’s been available at George Mason since March 2014.
• It provides seamless wireless access at over 38,000 locations across more than 100 countries, including universities, libraries, research centers, and public spaces such as airports and transit stations. [internet2.edu]
• Once a user configures their device to connect to eduroam at George Mason University, it will automatically connect at any other eduroam-enabled institution — no need to reconfigure or request guest access.
• This transition significantly enhances the user experience, particularly for students, faculty, and staff who frequently travel between campuses/locations or collaborate with other institutions.

How do I connect to eduroam?

• To get started, select eduroam from the available Wi-Fi networks and log in with your full George Mason email address ([email protected]) and Patriot Pass Password.
• Your wireless device must support 802.1x authentication to access the eduroam network. If you have a device that does not support 802.1x, see Device Registration for Network Access.
• For further directions on how to connect, select your device from the following list:
  • Android 11 (or older)
  • Android 12
  • iPhone
  • Linux
  • Mac
  • Windows

With eduroam, are we turning authentication over to a third party?

• No — authentication remains fully under George Mason’s control.
• When a George Mason user connects to eduroam, their credentials are securely verified by George Mason’s own identity infrastructure.
• The eduroam federation acts as a trusted broker, using a protocol called RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) to route authentication requests to the user’s home institution.
• This means that even when a George Mason user connects at another eduroam-enabled location (e.g., UVA or Virginia Tech), their login request is securely forwarded back to George Mason for verification.
• Credentials are never shared with the visited institution or any third party — only the user and their home institution (George Mason) see the authentication data.
• This model preserves privacy, ensures secure access, and supports seamless roaming without compromising control.

What if I don’t want to automatically connect when I roam?

• eduroam is designed for convenience and seamless roaming, while still allowing users to retain full control over how and when their devices connect.
• If you prefer not to automatically connect to eduroam when visiting other institutions, you can:
  • Disable auto-connect in your device’s Wi-Fi settings.
  • Remove eduroam from your list of preferred networks.
  • Use MASON when on campus or a guest SSID, if available at the visited institution. Keep in mind that these networks are typically unencrypted, so using a VPN is recommended when handling sensitive data.
• For George Mason users who travel frequently, keeping eduroam enabled offers the best experience — but it’s not mandatory.

What are the Wi-Fi networks, and where are they?

1. eduroam

• Purpose: Secure, encrypted Wi-Fi for students, faculty, and staff.
• Authentication: Uses WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1x authentication.
• Coverage: Available across all academic and administrative buildings and in some public spaces in residential buildings.
• Federation Access: Also accessible to visitors from other eduroam-participating institutions.

2. MASON

• Purpose: Provide guest access to visitors without eduroam credentials.
• Security: Unencrypted; users should avoid transmitting sensitive data unless using a VPN.
• Coverage: Available campuswide, but intended for short-term or casual use.

3. ResNet (via Boldyn Networks)

• Purpose: Wi-Fi and wired internet in residence halls.
• Access: Students connect via “MyResNet Start Here” and follow the registration process.
• Support: Provided by Boldyn Network, not directly by George Mason ITS.
• Coverage: All residence halls.

What are the problems with maintaining MASON-SECURE?

Complexity and Redundancy

• Operational Burden: Maintaining MASON-SECURE requires ongoing support for a separate Wi-Fi SSID and authentication configuration across a wide range of devices and operating systems. This adds unnecessary complexity to IT operations.
• User Experience Fragmentation: Users must configure two separate profiles — one for MASON-SECURE (on-campus) and another for eduroam (roaming). This creates confusion and increases the likelihood of misconfiguration or support requests.
• eduroam as a Unified Solution: eduroam provides a single, secure configuration that works both on-campus and at thousands of participating institutions worldwide. It simplifies the user experience and reduces support overhead.
• Modernization and Consistency: Retiring MASON-SECURE aligns with best practices in higher education networking — consolidating around federated, secure, and scalable solutions like eduroam.