Overview
See below for answers to frequently asked questions about MyResNet residential Wi-Fi.
Detail
General
Why the change?
As a result of Help Desk requests and feedback from students over the past several years, the University recognized the need to improve Wi-Fi access in our densely populated residence halls. We partnered with Apogee to make enhancements to the system over summer 2019. The new Residence Hall Wi-Fi (MyResNet), is an upgrade to PittNet Wi-Fi built to handle the growing demand for high-speed access in the 2,900 rooms across the Pittsburgh campus's more than 30 residential buildings. Note that residence halls provide only Wi-Fi service for network connectivity.
How exactly is this service better than PittNet Wi-Fi in residence halls?
One of the most significant improvements is expanded capacity to keep up with the unique demands in residence halls, where a single floor could have several dozen devices streaming media all at once. With PittNet Wi-Fi in residence halls, speed varied depending on how many other users and devices were connected to an access point at that time. As more devices connected, less bandwidth was available per device. The new, upgraded Residence Hall Wi-Fi (MyResNet) provides consistent download/upload speeds of up to 90/20 Mbps per device—on up to ten devices per resident.
Connecting
What's the difference between "MyResNet" and "MyResNet Legacy" connections?
Your device may support connecting to both of the MyResNet networks in residence halls: “MyResNet” and “MyResNet Legacy”. For the best experience and fastest speeds, connect to the network named “MyResNet” whenever possible.
“MyResNet” is a 5 GHz network that delivers download speeds of 90 Mbps per device. “MyResNet Legacy” is a 2.4 GHz network designed to support older devices that are not capable of connecting to a 5 GHz network. These older devices have technical limitations on the speeds they can achieve. “MyResNet Legacy” is optimized for such older devices, and it performs best when the only devices connected to the network are those older devices that must use it.
If you are able to connect to “MyResNet” and have previously connected to “MyResNet Legacy,” we recommend you forget “MyResNet Legacy” on your device by following these steps.
Will I be able to connect when visiting friends in other residence halls?
Yes. Once you create an account, you can connect your registered devices in all Pitt residential building with MyResNet.*
How do faculty and staff connect to Wi-Fi in residence hall dining facilities?
If you’re a faculty or staff member dining at Market Central in Litchfield Towers, for example, you may create a free MyResNet Basic account by following these instructions and selecting I am Faculty or Staff in Step 4. Note that, as an administrative building, PittNet Wi-Fi remains available at the William Pitt Union food court.
Speed and Bandwidth
How do I know that MyResNet is really going to deliver 90 Mpbs download and 20 Mbps upload speeds on my devices?
IMPORTANT: Be sure to register your device(s) before connecting to MyResNet. Unregistered devices will be unable to connect to the MyResNet network at the above speeds.
The University thoroughly vetted and carefully selected Apogee, higher education’s largest residential network provider, to manage MyResNet. We chose a partner who is committed to providing an outstanding level of Wi-Fi service to our students, and who is equally committed to addressing any issues preventing that level of service. If you experience a problem with MyResNet, please contact our Technology Help Desk at 412-624-4357, so that we can work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
As more people connect to MyResNet, won’t it slow down Wi-Fi on my devices?
No. Your speeds should not decrease as more devices connect. MyResNet is designed to support 90 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speed per device, on up to ten devices per student. The infrastructure is robust enough that those speeds should remain consistent regardless of how many other devices are connected at a given time or location.
Access to Resources
How do I access articles, ebooks, electronic journals, and databases available through the University Library System using MyResNet?
Follow instructions for using EZProxy to access ULS e-resources. In the near future, you will be able to access library resources through MyResNet, just as you would with PittNet Wi-Fi.
Related Information
More MyResNet FAQs
*Excludes Central Oakland Apartments, College Garden Apartments, Hyacinth Place, Mayflower Apartments, Residence Inn at Bigelow