The University of Alabama at Birmingham has opened a parking lot on campus to provide “Drive-in Wi-Fi” for UAB students and K-12 students who need access to a Wi-Fi network. UAB Information Technology has launched a website, go.uab.edu/freewifi, highlighting free Wi-Fi access points in the Birmingham area.

“We want to do everything we can to ensure students at UAB and other students in our community have the resources they need to continue their studies during this uncertain time,” said Curtis A. Carver Jr., Ph.D., chief information officer at UAB. “Technology is the best way for us to connect right now, and our Drive-in Wi-Fi lot and the Wi-Fi map are two tools that can help reach students who need reliable Wi-Fi.”

UAB IT partnered with the Ben Rosebrock, vice chancellor for information technology with the Alabama Community College System, to develop the free WiFi map, which also highlights WiFi availability at community college campuses around the state.

Express Lot 4 will be open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lot is located on Fifth Avenue South and 10th Street South on the UAB campus in Birmingham.

“We are grateful for the partnership with UAB to offer this service to our scholars and their families,” said Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring, Ph.D. “This resource is helping to close the gap of internet access in students’ homes. We remain thankful to all partners that are assisting us during the pandemic.”

UAB students and employees using the lot can log into the Eduroam network using their BlazerID email address and BlazerID password. K-12 students in the Birmingham area can log into the UABStartHere network, an open, unsecured Wi-Fi network.

To use the lot:

• Drive into the parking lot and park at least every other space to maintain social distancing guidelines.
• Stay in your car.
• Keep in mind there are no public restrooms on-site, and a limited number of trash receptacles. Please do not litter.

To connect to the UABStartHere network:

• Open a web browser on your device and navigate to any URL or webpage. You will be redirected to a page with Wi-Fi options.
• Select “Register for Guest Access.”
• Enter your name and email address, accept the terms of use, and click “Register.”
• On the next window, click “Log In” and you will be connected to the network.

For UAB students who live in Huntsville and need access to Wi-Fi, the Eduroam network is also available at UAB’s sister campus, the University of Alabama-Huntsville. UAH has opened two lots, G5 and W28, with the following rules:

• Practice proper social distancing by remaining in your vehicle and at least 6 feet from others.
• If you are showing COVID-19 symptoms or if someone at your home is sick, please stay home and do not come to campus.
• Observe precautions in severe weather.
• If you park anywhere else on the UAH campus, you will be asked to leave.

For more information, visit www.uab.edu/it.

(Courtesy of UAB)