Off-campus wifi

Accessing university resources from off-campus

If you're using the Internet outside of the campus network -- such as at home or while traveling -- the access to certain UMass Dartmouth IT resources is restricted. In order to access these resources, you must connect to UMass Dartmouth's  server. The VPN server also ensures that your information is encrypted and protected.

Using wi-fi networks securely

Do you use a wi-fi (wireless) network at home or at public "wi-fi hotspots" such as an Internet café, an airport, or a hotel?

Be aware that your network traffic--including personal data, account numbers and passwords--are typically being sent in "clear text." This means that the information sent to and from your computer can be intercepted by anyone with readily available tools such as sniffers or scanners. 

To prevent someone from being able to "sniff" your network traffic, you must encrypt your traffic by authenticating to a virtual private network, such as UMass Dartmouth's VPN. The VPN server creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and the  server, thus protecting your traffic from malicious hackers.