This guide is intended to help Stanford students make purchasing decisions based on devices likely incompatible with our offered services.
In this document:
Unsupported Protocols and Devices
Supported Protocols and Devices
Unsupported Protocols and Devices
As non-traditional and "smart" devices become commonplace at the consumer level, some devices’ engineering does not account for the unique characteristics of an Enterprise network and will not perform as advertised. The following list contains devices determined as incompatible with the Stanford (wired/wireless) network and thus, after many diligent hours of troubleshooting, are considered as "unsupported". In some cases, these devices may be used in other ways, such as connecting devices with a USB cable or Bluetooth, or a wired ethernet connection. Residents considering either of these devices should consult with support staff prior to their deployment onto the Stanford network.
Note that this is an ever-changing list as new issues and devices come to our attention. Please contact us for any device not on this list and we are happy to research it!
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PRODUCT/PROTOCOL |
KNOWN ISSUE |
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The Stanford wireless network only supports 802.11 a, g, and n. Some older wireless devices may only run on the 802.11b wifi standard and will connect to the Stanford networks. |
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WEP/WPA/WPA2 login |
Some devices require you to enter the SSID name and passcode into the app or device during configuration. As the Stanford network does not require a login to get on the network, apps that maintain this requirement are currently incompatible with the Stanford networks. |
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2.4 Ghz only |
Some mobile apps and wireless devices require the device to always be on the 2.4 Ghz band to function as advertised. As the Stanford network is a "Dual-Band" (2.4,5 Ghz) Enterprise-grade network, we cannot guarantee at the network level, that any device will always/only be on any specific frequency (2.4 or 5) when connected to the Stanford networks. |
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Most devices that do not perform as expected lie under the three categories mentioned above... |
...A few of the more common devices we see students bring onto campus are described below. |
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LIFX products |
See "2.4 Ghz only devices" |
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SONOS products |
See "WEP/WPA/WPA2 login"; SONOS products include some proprietary technology that enable SONOS products to work great with other SONOS products, however that same technology is what makes them perform horrendously on the Stanford networks. |
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Philips Hue Bridge |
This particular product requires connectivity to both wired and wireless networks at the same time. As the wired and wireless networks at Stanford are 100% independent of each other, this setup will not work. |
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NanoLeaf Smart lights and similar “smart lights” |
See "WEP/WPA/WPA2 login" |
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Google Chromecast (1st-generation)
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The antennae on first generation Google Chromecast devices are/were not strong enough to maintain a reliable connection on the wireless network. Moving your Chromecast device closer to an access point may produce better results. |
| Wireless cameras including most baby monitors and security cameras (Nest, Ring, Owelet, Arlo, Wyze, etc.) | See "WEP/WPA/WPA2 login" |
| Wifi Routers | University IT strongly discourages on campus residents from installing their own wifi-enabled routers, as simply connecting it to the network may cause issues in the surrounding area. Residents considering this option should consult with support staff prior to the device's connection to the Stanford network. |
Supported Protocols and Devices
The Stanford network and related support staff can reliably accept and support devices running Microsoft Windows (Windows 8, Windows 10), Mac OS X 10.13 and up, Linux, iOS, and Android operating systems. This accounts for 90% of traditional devices.
Stanford Network (definition)
The telecommunications network at Stanford University is an Enterprise-grade network in both the residences and on campus. While most traditional platforms and devices are supported and can connect to the network with minimal effort, some types of consumer devices are not designed or intended to be compatible with an Enterprise-grade network. This guide is intended to help Stanford students make purchasing decisions based on devices likely incompatible with our offered services.
Technical Information about the Stanford Networks:
The wired and wireless networks at Stanford are separate, independent networks by design. For example, should the entire wireless network go out, the entire wired network is unaffected, and vice versa. This is great for 100% redundancy at a high-profile research institution, but not so great for a consumer devices that require that wired and wireless devices are on the same network to work properly.
The Stanford wireless network ("Stanford", "Eduroam") is a dual-band (2.4Ghz, 5Ghz) network. The wireless network supports 802.11 a,g, and n wireless protocols. Earlier wifi protocols (e.g., 802.11b) are not supported.
Get Help
Online support
All Stanford students can request support and/or arrange an appointment with the Peer Technology Specialist support team. Visit pts.stanford.edu and click the Submit a Request button.
In person support
*In-person support is currently unavailable at this time.
Feedback
We are always seeking feedback on the technology services and support available in the Stanford on-campus residences. Please direct your comments to the team at pts.stanford.edu
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