Question:

With a sponsored guest wireless account, how do I access the Internet via the VirginiaTechSSID? I forgot the password for my sponsored guest wireless account. How does my department become a sponsor?

Answer:

Contents

• Sponsored Guest
  
  • Connecting to the VirginiaTechSSID Wireless Internet as a Sponsored Guest
  • Forgot Password
• Departmental Sponsor
  
  • Become a Sponsoring Department
  • Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool
  • Create a Sponsored Account
  • Create Multiple Sponsored Accounts
  • Reset a Sponsored Guest's Forgotten Password
  • Change or Extend a Guest's Account Expiration
  • Reactivate an Expired Guest Account
  • Import Accounts
  • Report or Ban a Sponsor or Device
  • Problems or Questions?

Connecting to the VirginiaTechSSID Wireless Internet as a Sponsored Guest

If eduroam is available at your home institution, connect to the eduroam network here at Virginia Tech. For more information, see the Connecting to eduroam at Virginia Tech page, under the Visitors heading.

If you have been given credentials (username and password), follow the instructions at Connecting to the VirginiaTech SSID as a Guest for Wireless Internet under Have Account.

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Forgot Password

• Guest: Contact your sponsor (contact person at Virginia Tech) to have them reset your sponsored guest wireless password. If you do not know who your sponsor is, call Virginia Tech's 4Help at (540) 231-4357.
  
  
• Departmental operator / sponsor: If you forgot your VT Username passphrase for the management tool, follow the instructions at Reset VT Username (PID) Passphrase.

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Become a Sponsoring Department

My Virginia Tech organization is interested in sponsoring guests for wireless access. How do we subscribe to the service?

Departmental guest wireless sponsorship is available to any Virginia Tech department. Your department may already be subscribed to the service; please check with your departmental network liaison, first.

Your department must enroll by completing the form on the Guest Access page, under Sponsored Guest Accounts, "For departments:", and submitting it to Customer Support Services (CSS). For more information and to view the form, go to the Guest Access page.

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Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool

1. Go to the https://guestmanager.nis.vt.edu web page
   
   
2. In the Username: text box, type your VT Username.
   (If you do not know your VT Username, see the Forgot VT Username page.)
   
   
3. In the Password: text box, type your VT Username passphrase.
   (If you forgot your passphrase, follow the instructions at Reset VT Username Passphrase.)
   
   
4. Click the Log in button.
   
   
5. You will automatically receive a Duo push notification or an automated Duo voice call. Complete 2-factor authentication by responding to the notification or voice call.
   (For more information, see Completing 2-Factor Authentication with LDAP.)
   
   

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Create a Sponsored Account

1. Log on to the management tool by following the instructions under Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool.
   
   
2. In the left menu pane, select Create Account.
   
   
   
   
3. Type the guest's information.
   
   
   1. In the Name of Guest: text box, type the first and last name of the guest.
      
      
   2. Optionally, in the Mobile Phone Number: text box, type a 10-digit phone number that can receive SMS text messages. Providing a mobile phone number will allow you to send an SMS text message with the account details (username and password) to the guest.
      
      
   3. In the Username (Email Address): text box, type an email address which the guest will use as their username.
      
      
      
      
4. Select options for this guest account.
   
   
   1. From the Account Activation: drop-down list, select whether this account will become usable right now or at a later date or time.
      
      
   2. From the Account Expiration: drop-down list, select whether the account will stop working after 24 hours or after a different length of time, up to a maximum of 30 days.
      
      
      
      
5. Click the Create button. You will see "The guest account was successfully created." A random, six-digit numeric code will be generated for each new account.
   
   
6. Important: Do one of the following to send or give the account details (username and password) to the guest:
   
   
   • (Recommended) To send an SMS text message with the account details, click the Send SMS receipt to XXXXXXXXXX link where XXXXXXXXXX is replaced by the phone number you entered for the guest.
     
     
     
     
   • To send an email with the account details, click the Send email receipt to ABC@XYZ.com link where ABC@XYZ.com is replaced by the email address you entered for the guest.
     
     
     
     
   • To print a paper copy of the account details:
     
     
   
   
   1. 1. From the Open print window using template... drop-down list, select Account List. A new window will appear with the account details.
         
         
         
         
      2. If a print settings window does not automatically appear, use your browser's print function to print the page.

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Create Multiple Sponsored Guest Accounts / Unknown Email Address

To create multiple generic sponsored guest accounts or to create one or more sponsored guest accounts without an email address:

1. Log on to the management tool by following the instructions under Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool.
   
   
2. In the left menu pane, select Create Multiple.
   
   
   
   
3. In the Number of Generic Guest Accounts: text box, type the number of accounts you want to create.
   
   
4. Select options for the guest accounts.
   
   
   1. From the Account Activation: drop-down list, select whether these accounts will become usable right now or at a later date or time.
      
      
   2. From the Account Expiration: drop-down list, select whether these accounts will stop working after 24 hours or after a different length of time, up to a maximum of 30 days.
      
      
      
      
5. Click the Create Accounts button. You will see "Finished creating X guest accounts." A random, six-digit numeric code will be generated for each new account.
   
   
6. Important: Do one of the following to print or download the account details (username and password):
   
   
   
   • To print a paper copy of the accounts details:
     
     
     1. From the Open print window using template... drop-down list, select Account List. A new window will appear with the account details.
        
        
        
        
     2. If a print settings window does not automatically appear, use your browser's print function to print the page.
        
        
   • To download and save a copy of the account details:
     
     
     1. Click the Save list for scratch cards (CSV file) link.
        
        
        
        
     2. If prompted, choose to save the file to your computer.

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Reset a Sponsored Guest's Forgotten Password

1. Log on to the management tool by following the instructions under Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool.
   
   
2. In the left pane, select Manage Accounts.
   
   
   
   
3. Find the account. To search for the username or phone number:
   
   
   1. Near the top of the table, in the Filter: text box, type the username or phone number associated with the account.
      
      
      
      
   2. As you type, results will appear and change.
      
      
4. Click the username of the account to view options for that account.
   
   
5. Below the username of the account, click the Reset password link.
   
   
   
   
6. Click the Update Account button.
   
   
7. Important: Do one of the following to send or give the new password to the guest:
   
   
   • (Recommended) To send an SMS text message with the account details, click the Send SMS receipt to XXXXXXXXXX link where XXXXXXXXXX is replaced by the phone number you entered for the guest.
     
     
     
     
   • To send an email with the account details, click the Send email receipt to ABC@XYZ.com link where ABC@XYZ.com is replaced by the email address you entered for the guest.
     
     
     
     
   • To print a paper copy of the account details:
     
     
   
   
   1. 1. From the Open print window using template... drop-down list, select Account List. A new window will appear with the account details.
         
         
         
         
      2. If a print settings window does not automatically appear, use your browser's print function to print the page.

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Change or Extend a Guest's Account Expiration

1. Log on to the management tool by following the instructions under Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool.
   
   
2. In the left pane, select Manage Accounts.
   
   
   
   
3. Find the account. To search for the username or phone number:
   
   
   1. Near the top of the table, in the Filter: text box, type the username or phone number associated with the account.
      
      
      
      
   2. As you type, results will appear and change.
      
      
4. Click the username of the account to view options for the account.
   
   
5. To the right of the Reset password link, click the Change expiration link.
   
   
   
   
6. From the Account Expiration: drop-down list, select a length of time when the account will stop working.
   
   
7. From the Expire Action: drop-down list, select what will happen when the account expiration time is reached.
   
   
8. Click the Update Account button.
   
   

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Reactivate an Expired Guest Account

Follow the instructions under Change or Extend a Guest's Account Expiration to re-enable an account by setting a new expiration date.

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Import Accounts

1. If you want to import accounts from the legacy guest wireless system, first export the accounts from the legacy guest wireless system to a file.
   
   This import tool will support most list types, and a list of optional fields that can be included in the file are explained on the upload page of the import tool.
   
   
2. Log on to the management tool by following the instructions under Logging on to the Departmental Sponsor Management Tool.
   
   
3. In the left pane, select Import Accounts.
   
   
   
   
4. Either upload the file or copy / paste the contents of the file.
   
   
   • To upload a file containing the accounts:
     
     Acceptable file types are XML, comma-separated values (CSV), tab-separated values (TSV), or plain text format.
     
     Your file must include at least one of the following fields; the other fields are optional and can be set later in the import process:
     Username or email address
     Password
     Name of guest
     Phone number
     Activation time of account
     Expiration time of account
     Role
     Notes
     
     
     1. Click the Browse... button.
        
        
     2. Navigate to and select the file containing the accounts.
        
        
     3. Click the Open button.
        
        
   • To copy / paste the contents of the file:
     
     
     1. Copy the contents of the file containing the accounts, including the usernames and passwords.
        
        
     2. Under Accounts Text:, in the text box, paste the copied text.
        
        
5. Click the Next Step button.
   
   
   
   
6. Tell the system which columns of your data are the usernames and passwords.
   
   
   1. From the Username: drop-down list, select which column of your data corresponds to the username of the accounts.
      
      
   2. From the Password: drop-down list, select which column of your data corresponds to the password of the accounts.
      
      
      
      
7. Set options for the guest accounts.
   
   
   1. From the Role: drop-down list, select the role you want for these guest accounts.
      
      (If you don't know, select Sponsored Guest.)
      
      
   2. From the Activation Time: drop-down list, select whether the accounts will become usable right now or at a later date or time.
      
      
   3. From the Expiration Time: drop-down list, select whether the accounts will be usable forever or will stop working after a specified length of time.
      
      
   4. From the Account Lifetime: drop-down list, select the length of time before the accounts will be unusable.
      
      
   5. From the Expire Action: drop-down list, select what will happen when the account expiration time is reached.
      
      
   6. From the Notes: drop-down list, select whether any notes will be stored with the accounts.
      
      
   7. In the Header Rows: text box, type 1 if the first row of your uploaded or pasted data are headings instead of account data.
      
      
      
      
8. Click the Next Step button.
   
   
9. If the displayed data is correct, click the Create Guest Accounts button to finish creating the accounts.
   
   

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Report or Ban a Guest or Device

To report a guest and / or their device, call Virginia Tech's 4Help at (540) 231-4357.

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Problems or Questions?

If you have questions or problems or need help, call Virginia Tech's 4Help at (540) 231-4357.

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