Temporary UW NetIDs

Guest Access and the University of Washington Wireless Network

Temporary UW NetIDs used in conjunction with the University of Washington SSID should be used only as a last resort to access a UW wireless network. Guests/visitors should first attempt to connect in order, as follows:

eduroam wireless network...
- using the guest's Eduroam-enabled home institution's credentials if applicable.
Husky Guest wireless network (no credentials required)
University of Washington SSID wireless network "connect as guest" option. NOTE: this option will no longer be available September 2026.

If these options fail and a temporary UW NetID is required as a last resort, it must be assigned by a UW faculty or staff member. [Note: the University of Washington SSID is scheduled to be decommissioned ~ June 2027.

Husky Guest Rollout

This new option uses ‘opportunistic wireless encryption’ making it more secure than University of Washington SSID. In addition, it requires no credentials or splash page to access the network. In context, this is the first step towards decommissioning the University of Washington wireless network. Our timeline is as follows:

June 2026

6/4/26 Rollout Husky Guest

Sept 2026

9/10/26 Remove eduroam and University of Washington guest/visitor options from UofW captive portal page

May 2027

5/31/27 Complete transition of all services/use off of University of Washington

June 2027

6/15/27 Fully remove University of Washington SSID

You will see more information on this in the first part of June.

Responsibilities

UW Faculty/Staff member assigning the UW NetID

- When assigning a temporary UW NetID, the faculty or staff member agrees to inform the recipient(s) about the ethical use of computers and networks inclusive of UW's Appropriate Use Policy.
- The UW faculty or staff member who submits the temporary UW NetID request form is responsible for providing support to the recipient(s), e.g., lost passwords.

Guest/Visitor

- The temporary UW NetID user is responsible for keeping their computer up-to-date and virus-free.
- Agrees to abide by UW's network/technology use policies as well as appropriate local, state, and federal laws including, but not limited to the following:

Types of Temporary UW NetIDs

There are two types of temporary UW NetIDs: personal and shared.

Personal Temporary UW NetID

Assigned to a single person for wireless access (up to 3 months). Examples: a visiting professor, a visiting vendor giving a multi-day demo, a person taking a class for two weeks.

Request a Personal Temporary UW NetID

Shared Temporary UW NetID

Assigned to a specific group of people for a short time (up to two weeks). Examples: Wi-Fi access for conferences, a specific meeting scheduled for non-UW people requiring Wi-Fi access.

Request a Shared Temporary UW NetID

For persons needing longer-term access or access to UW NetID services other than Wi-Fi, see instructions on how a UW faculty or staff member can sponsor the creation of a permanent personal UW NetID.

Password Issues

Temporary UW NetID passwords cannot be reset or recovered. In the event a password is lost and can't be retrieved, a new Temporary UW NetID will need to be requested.

Extend Time

To extend the expiration of a temporary UW NetID, go to this link after it is half-way through the temporary net's lifespan - Extend Time for Temporary UW NetID.

Support

UWIT Service Center provides support to the UW faculty and staff members who request the temporary UW NetID services.