Wireless Access to the USC Network

There are two wireless networks to choose from at USC: USC Wireless and USC Wireless Plus.

USC Wireless Plus

USC Wireless Plus is a faster, encrypted wireless network, available only to USC account holders. Before connecting to the USC Wireless Plus network for the first time, users may need to configure their wireless device. For information on configuring your wireless device to connect to USC Wireless Plus, see the documentation under "Accessing USC Wireless Plus" in the menu on the right-hand side of this page.

USC Wireless

USC Wireless is an open wireless network. Guest users can connect without entering a USC username and password. Because USC wireless is an open network, ITS recommends using USC’s Virtual Private Network (VPN) software to protect personal information when using this network. For more information, see www.usc.edu/its/vpn. For information on configuring your wireless device to connect to USC Wireless , see the documentation under "Accessing USC Wireless" in the menu on the right-hand side of this page.

Computing Safety

ITS recommends that all users of the wireless network maintain a firewall, as well as antivirus and antispyware software. Links to free firewall and antivirus software, along with additional information, are available on the ITS Security page.

If you wish to improve the security of your communications, consider using USC Wireless Plus. Additionally, ITS recommends:

• Visiting only secure Web pages—those whose URLs begin with https//
• Encrypting any confidential or sensitive information
• Logging in to UNIX shell accounts using SSH or Kerberized Telnet (rather than basic Telnet).

If you are unfamiliar with these security measures, please contact the ITS Customer Support Center at 213-740-5555.

Getting Help

If you have problems or questions related to your connection to the USC wireless network, contact the ITS Customer Support Center at 213-740-5555 or consult@usc.edu.