BCM’s Wi-Fi & Auditorium Wired Connection Guide: Initial Connection & Basic Troubleshooting

Connecting to Wi-Fi varies based on device (phone, laptop, tablet) and operating system (Mac/iOS, Windows, Linux, Android).

• The normal process for connecting to BCM’s Wi-Fi initially, is to select “bcm-wifi” and then enter your BCM credentials (BCM username and password). 
  • On a Mac or iPhone, you will be prompted to accept or trust a certificate which should allow you to connect afterwards.
  • On Android devices, there are often additional fields to fill in, such as certificate information and domain. Most can remain as default; for domain enter “bcm.edu”.

If the connection fails, try entering “bcm\” before your username. For most failing to connect the first time (or after a password change) this should allow connection.

If you are having trouble staying connected to “bcm-wifi” after your initial connection setup, check the following settings:

• Check if you are currently connected to “bcm-guest”.
• The “connect automatically” is enabled. 

Solution: Disable or delete/forget may resolve these issues.

Ethernet is the most common type of local area network (LAN) technology, and it involves a hardwired connection to the internet through Ethernet cables (either blue or yellow). 

Ethernet has the benefit of being faster than Wi-Fi thanks to its use of cables for a wired connection and its lack of reliance on radio waves; it also happens to be more stable and secure for the same reasons.

Advantages of Ethernet

• Speed: An Ethernet connection is almost always faster than Wi-Fi because it uses a cable to transfer data nearly instantaneously, whereas a wireless network relies on the comparatively slow and diffuse transfer of data over radio waves. 
• Stability: By the same token, Ethernet tends to make for a more stable connection to the internet than Wi-Fi, as its tethered cables provide a stability that a dependency on wireless frequencies can't consistently offer.
• Security: Ethernet connections are also more secure since BCM IT can control who has access to the network; if someone isn't connected to the network, they have no access to its data and devices.

How to get connected

1. Plug in the ethernet adapter. (Complete this step if your device does NOT have an ethernet port). (Here’s an example of a usb-c ethernet adapter)
2. Plug in the ethernet cable. (If you have an ethernet port, connect directly into your laptop ethernet port. If you have an ethernet adapter, connect to the ethernet adapter.)
3. Depending on your device, the laptop should connect automatically and configure the laptop to use ethernet instead of Wi-Fi.  

Here’s how you ensure your wired connection is active.

• On Windows: Select the Start button, then select Settings > Network & Internet > Status.  
• On Macs: choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Network in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
  • View the network connection status on the right. A green, yellow, red, or gray status indicator appears below the service name. 

If you have issues accessing a specific website or specific application, please try browsing to a different website/application to ensure you are connected to the Internet.

If your Internet access is failing entirely, try the following solutions:

1. Disconnect your device from “bcm-wifi”.
2. Removing/deleting or forgetting “bcm-wifi” on your device.
3. Then create a fresh connection with your BCM credentials as listed above.
4. If you still have issues, please contact the IT Help Desk (see information below).

What is the difference between “bcm-wifi” and “bcm-guest”?

• Use “bcm-wifi” if you have BCM credentials to access it.
• The “bcm-guest” is intended for guest use and has zero access to anything internal to BCM, as well as being a lower priority connection by design.

If you still have issues or need assistance, please contact the IT Help Desk at 713-798-8737, visit https://it.bcm.edu, submit a ticket, or email wi-fiissues@bcm.edu. Please provide your BCM ID and location of your issue.