How we utilized eduroam Visitor Access (eVA) for great guest Wi-Fi

Speaker: Cheryl Connell

eduroam is already a powerful and widely adopted tool for higher education institutions around the world, providing secure, reliable wireless access for students, faculty, and staff. Building on that strong foundation, this presentation will outline how we successfully introduced a free and user‑friendly guest wireless solution called eVA (eduroam Visitor Access) by leveraging our existing eduroam network infrastructure.

I will walk through the steps we took to implement eVA, including the planning considerations, technical configuration, and communication strategies that helped ensure a smooth rollout across our environment. The presentation will also highlight the diverse ways we’ve integrated eVA into different areas of our campus and how these approaches have supported a variety of visitor needs—from short‑term guests to conference attendees and external collaborators.

Finally, I will share the practical benefits we’ve observed since adopting eVA, demonstrating how it has significantly improved connectivity, convenience, and the overall guest experience. Let’s explore how extending eduroam through eVA can enhance wireless access in any educational institution.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the purpose of eVA.
  • How to manage guest credentials.
  • How to delegate administrative tasks.
  • How to configure access parameters.
  • How to utilize self-service options.

Speaker Bio:

I grew up in a military family in Canada. I think all the moving around helped with my ability to settle into new environments and talk to people.

I started my career in electronic engineering and made the change to networking at Dalhousie university in my early 30s. Wireless came up on my radar quickly and I started learning all I could to help improve the wireless experience on our campus. This led to me very proudly earning my CWNE in 2023.

Outside of work, I’m married to a super supportive fella, and we have 3 amazing kids. They all put up with me looking up for APs and checking out the wireless everywhere we go.