What is Eduroam?

Eduroam appears as a WIFI selection for those on university campuses. Photo by Lilian DeFilippis '26

When students arrive at Marist University for their first semester, they have plenty to worry about: “Will I fit in?” “How are my classes?” but, most pressingly, “What’s the Wi-Fi?” 

Most students get on and stay on FoxNet, but there’s another network many overlook: eduroam. Aside from serving as a backup when FoxNet gets unreliable, few give it much thought. However, all Marist students and faculty can benefit from learning the full value that eduroam offers not just to the campus, but to the entire Red Fox community.

Even though not much is publicized about eduroam, there is a fair share of rumors around campus. Some believe eduroam is similar to FoxGadget, meant for smart homes and video game consoles. Others assume it’s simply a last‑resort network. A few students who know people at other universities recognize eduroam as a system used across multiple campuses, but simply assume it’s a generic network.

A poll done by The Circle in the dining hall with 50 random students concluded that the majority of students have no clue about the difference between Foxnet and eduroam, and can’t even manage a guess.

“Eduroam is a global network for higher ed institutions where users who participate can get on the Wi-Fi as if they were at their own university,” said Jeff Obrizok ‘10, director of Network and Telecommunications.“Essentially, when you sign in with your username, the system knows to authenticate you against your own university.”

The availability of eduroam benefits both Marist students and visitors from other institutions, allowing students from other universities to use their home credentials to access their own university’s software and resources when on the Marist campus. It is also valuable for instructors who travel to affiliated schools, as they can access their materials from any campus that participates in eduroam.

Several schools, such as Adelphi University and St. John’s University, also participate in eduroam. Students at these schools could log onto eduroam using their own credentials and access their school’s software with greater ease and security than they would on a guest network. The same applies to Marist students visiting other institutions, allowing them to access Brightspace or myMarist using another school’s eduroam.

“Eduroam is a global network that provides fast, reliable, secure network and internet connectivity,” said Obrizok. “Eduroam offers stronger security than a typical guest network while providing the same speed and experience as FoxNet,” which is an important detail to alleviate some worries amongst not only Marist students, but faculty as well. A misconception amongst the student body is that eduroam is an inferior network, or even one that could be easily tracked, but this simply isn’t true. Eduroam is secure, reliable and safe to use for everyone at Marist.

In essence, eduroam allows students at participating universities around the world to access their home institution’s network from anywhere. With Marist reporting that more than 50% of students study abroad during their time at the college, abroad students will especially get value out of Marist’s collaboration with eduroam. 

Marist having a Wi-Fi network that provides a consistent experience both in Poughkeepsie and overseas is an invaluable asset for keeping the Red Fox family united. As students on their first day of housing feel scared, students studying abroad also face a great deal of uncertainty, and thanks to eduroam, Wi-Fi is not one of these stressors. Eduroam allows students throughout the Marist family worldwide to stay connected both to their education and community through the use of a reliable Wi-Fi. 

Wi-Fi is a deeper part of daily life than many give it credit for. It’s the core of communication, school work, entertainment and much more; it's a no-brainer that a strong network like eduroam would hold great value to the Marist community, both home and abroad. Maybe now students can give another thought of gratitude towards what Wi-Fi does for them every day, and instead of looking at eduroam as a backup option, think of it as some of the glue that holds the wider Marist family together.