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Short-Term Network Guest Accounts

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Frequently asked questions about short-term network guest accounts

• Who can create a short-term network guest account?
  • Personally sponsored network guest accounts
  • Departmentally sponsored network guest accounts
• What can a guest do with a short-term network guest account?
• What information will you need to provide about your guest(s)?
• Where do you log in to create a short-term network guest account?
• Where can you get help with short-term network guest accounts?
• What other types of guest accounts are available?

Who can create a short-term network guest account?

Every campus member can create two guest accounts for up to three days in duration, also known as "personally sponsored" guest network accounts.

Designated departmental representatives can be authorized to create more user accounts that can last up to 31 days, also known as a "departmentally sponsored" guest network account. (Additional information about being a departmentally authorized creator of network guest accounts is available in the VPN administration section of the CITES website.)

Personally sponsored network guest accounts

Any student, faculty, or staff member at the University can visit the network guest account website to create up to two short-term network guest accounts at a time. These personally sponsored accounts can last for up to three days.

You can also change your guest's password if he or she loses or forgets it before the account expires.

Note: As the guests' sponsor, you will be responsible for your guests' actions on the UIUCnet network. Make sure that your guests understand and follow the Campus Appropriate Use Policy and Terms of Use. If your guests create problems, CITES Security may disable your ability to create guest accounts.

Departmentally sponsored network guest accounts

If you are authorized to create guest accounts for a campus unit or department, you can create more than two short-term network guest accounts for more than three days, in order to support events such as conferences.

Guest access is typically granted for three days after the date chosen for activation, though you can select different activation and expiration dates in the network guest account website. (If your guest plans to stay for a month or more, you should probably arrange for a long-term account instead. )

The guest account website allows authorized registrars to download guest account information in a .CSV file format, enable and disable departmentally sponsored guest accounts, reset guest account passwords, and search for information about the departmentally sponsored guest accounts that you or members of your department have created.

What can a guest do with a short-term network guest account?

A short-term network guest account will offer your guests network access through:

• UIUCnet Wireless locations
• Walkup locations
• QuickConnect guest authentication
  (simple, web-based access to frequently used resources)
• VPN guest authentication
  (more complex and requires software installation, although it provides access to a wider range of resources than QuickConnect)

What information will you need to provide about your guest(s)?

The guest account creation form will ask for the following information:

• The number of accounts to create
• The name(s) of your guest(s)
• The date on which the account(s) should be activated
  (typically the current day, though you can select another)
• How long the account(s) should remain active
  (typically three days, though designated registrars can create accounts with longer durations)

Where do you log in to create a short-term network guest account?

Log in to http://guestnet.uiuc.edu to create or edit guest accounts.

Where can you get help with short-term network guest accounts?

See Sponsoring UIUCnet QuickConnect and VPN Short Term Guest Accounts for additional information about the network guest account creation process.

For additional assistance with account creation, email wireless@uiuc.edu or call (217) 244-1600.

What other types of guest accounts are available?

The Guide for Hosts and Sponsors lists all the types of guest accounts that are available, including network accounts, computer lab accounts, online coursework access accounts, and more.