Wireless Network Overview

The AirPennNet Configuration Tool, Connect to AirPennNet, was retired on July 16, 2024.
Use AirPennNet Guest to configure or re-configure your device for AirPennNet.

Laptops with the new Snapdragon CPU are unable to install the security configuration needed to access AirPennNet. As a workaround, you can follow the instructions for Wharton-managed devices to set up AirPennNet, but please be aware that using this method on a non-Wharton-managed device will result in your connection being less secure and is not recommended.

Before You Start

You'll need:

an active PennKey
administrative access to your device (faculty/staff/anyone using a corporate computer)
to be in a location with access to AirPennNet

Working on the San Francisco campus? See our Wireless Network - San Francisco Campus article.

Penn's wireless network (AirPennNet) gives you high speed access to the Internet from your own laptop, notebook computer, or wireless handheld device while on campus.

In a hurry and want to configure your Penn Wifi without reading on? See the University's directions at: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/connecting-airpennnet-and-joinnow

AirPennNet Vs. AirPennNet Guest: Which One Should You Use?

Using AirPennNet-Guest

Use AirPennNet-Guest for:

Connecting to Penn's wireless network for the first time on a device,
Guests who wish to use the wireless network services.

Students, faculty and staff who want to connect to the wireless network should NOT use AirPennNet-Guest. This option is designed for guests at the University and for initial connections, and has limited bandwidth.

When connecting to wireless at Penn you'll notice you have four different options in most areas. But which one should you use? The four options, and when they should be used, are as follows:

AirPennNet: Students, faculty, and staff should connect to AirPennNet when possible. More secure and robust, it is PennKey authenticated. Installation and configuration instructions are listed below.
AirPennNet-Guest: As the name suggests, this option is for guests at the University. The AirPennNet-Guest service is NOT recommended for students who want to connect to the wireless network. Users must register themselves on this network every day; however, it does not require any configuration because it is an open network with limited bandwidth and no encryption. Most areas on campus have a limited number of IP addresses for AirPennNet-Guest and you may be unable to connect during peak capacity. For more information please see: The AirPennNet-Guest network at Penn
AirPennNet-Device: AirPennNet-Device is specifically designed for devices that cannot connect to the normal AirPennNet Network. This can include devices such as gaming consoles, tablets, and more. You'll need to follow these directions to register the device's IP address to gain access.
Eduroam: eduroam allows students, faculty and staff to use their home institution's credentials (for Penn affiliates, their PennKey) to easily access the wireless network when visiting other participating institutions. eduroam can be found in all locations where AirPennNet service is available, but must be set up at your home institution.

Accessing the AirPennNet Wireless Network

To access the AirPennNet wifi network on campus, you'll need to authenticate yourself using your PennKey and password. (To reset your password or get more information on PennKey, see our article on PennKey Accounts.)

For detailed directions, see the University's directions at: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/connecting-airpennnet-and-joinnow

Reconnect to AirPennNet

Occasionally you may need to reconnect your University-owned and managed Windows computer to AirPennNet.

Wharton-Managed Windows Devices

Open your wireless settings and select the AirPennNet network.
Check Connect Automatically if it isn't already checked. And then click Connect.
Enter your PennKey username and password in the prompt that appears. Leave the Domain field blank.
Enter your credentials. Leave Domain Blank.
ClickOK.
That's it! You should be connected to AirPennNet.

If you can't reconnect using this method you'll need to follow the instructions in "Accessing the AirPennNet Wireless Network." Those directions assume you have administrative rights to your device.

All Other Devices

For any device other than a University-owned and managed Windows computer follow the appropriate steps listed in the Accessing the AirPennNet Wireless Network section of this article.

Supported Devices

Devices that can connect to AirPennNet include:

Windows (7, 8/8.1, 10)
Mac OS X (10.11.3 or higher)
iPhone, iPod, and iPad (10.3 or higher)
Android (4.0 and higher)
Kindle Fire
Ubuntu (9.04 and newer)

AirPennNet-Device

For more information regarding AirPennNet-Device, please reference ISC's article.

To see what devices may require AirPennNet-Device, please reference Connectivity Options.

Troubleshooting

Our Troubleshooting Wireless Issues article lists a number of steps you can take if you're encountering issues. If these article doesn't resolve your issue reach out to your Wharton Computing rep.

Wireless Coverage at Penn

Map of Upenn Campus with AirPennNet and AirPennNet Guest access as green dots, AirPennNet Only access red dots.

Eduroam at Penn

Eduroam is a wireless network shared by multiple universities so that, when traveling, you can have easy and free access to the internet. Please keep in mind that for the best experience set up Eduroam at your home university.

For directions, see the University's configuration page: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/using-wireless-penn#Overview (scroll down towards the end of the page).

Questions?

Questions about AirPennNet?

For more information on AirPennNet, please visit the Penn Computing website.

For questions related to using AirPennNet at Wharton, contact your Wharton Computing representative.

Questions about Eduroam?

Contact: Help @ ISC

Email: help@isc.upenn.edu

Website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/how-to/using-wireless-penn