Harvard University

Wi-Fi Device Certificate Check

Harvard Secure and eduroam use a certificate installed on your device to sign you in to Wi-Fi. This check shows when your certificate was issued and whether you need to replace it. It takes about 30 seconds.

Check my device certificate

Your browser will ask you to choose a certificate. See the steps below.
Each check is recorded to help HUIT plan the certificate replacement. What’s recorded?

What to expect

  1. Click “Check my device certificate”

    Use the device you connect to Wi-Fi with, in Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

  2. Your browser asks you to select a certificate

    A window appears listing the Wi-Fi certificates on your device. It’s normal to see more than one. A new certificate is added each time you set up Wi-Fi or re-enroll, and old ones usually stay behind. Some people also see one named with a number instead of their name.

    Choose the newest certificate: the one that expires latest. Each certificate is valid for five years, so the latest expiry date is the most recently issued one. The window looks different in each browser:

    The list shows a Serial number, not a date. Click a certificate, then click Certificate information to see when it Expires. Check each one, select the one that expires latest, and click OK.

    “Certificate information” shows the Expires date. On Windows the details window looks different, but it shows the same Valid to date.

    Safari lists only names. Click a certificate, then click Show Certificate to see when it Expires. Check each one, select the one that expires latest, and click Continue.

    Firefox shows one certificate at a time. Click the certificate name at the top to open the list and choose another. The Valid from … to … line shows when each one expires. Pick the one that expires latest and click OK. Don’t click Don’t send a certificate.

    Example from a Mac. Click the name at the top to switch certificates. The highlighted line shows the expiry date.

    If Firefox never asks, it may not be set up to use certificates from your computer. Try Chrome, Edge, or Safari instead.

    Not sure? You can check each certificate in turn. The page reports on whichever one you choose. Quit and reopen the browser between tries so it asks again.

  3. Mac only: enter your Mac password when asked

    After you click OK (or Continue in Safari), macOS shows a second window saying your browser “wants to access key ‘SecureW2 JoinNow Any Access’ in your keychain.” This is expected. Your Wi-Fi certificate's key is protected, and macOS asks before letting the browser use it.

    Type the password you use to log in to your Mac (not your HarvardKey password, unless they're the same) and click Allow. Your password stays on your Mac and is never sent to this site.

    Example. The window names the browser you're using (Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox), and the wording may differ slightly. Always Allow also works and stops macOS from asking again in that browser.

    Don’t press Esc or click Deny. That tells the browser to send no certificate. If it happens, see “No certificate was presented” below.

  4. Read your result

    A colored box tells you what to do. Each result is explained below. To see the technical details of your certificate, click Show certificate details. Copy details copies them so you can paste them into a help desk ticket.

Understanding your result

Certificate is current Green

Your certificate was issued on or after August 9, 2026. Nothing to do.

Re-enrollment required Red · Windows

Your Windows device has a certificate issued before August 9, 2026. Re-enroll now to avoid an interruption in Wi-Fi service in the future.

Re-enroll for Harvard Secure / eduroam →

Follow the steps on that page. When it finishes, quit your browser, reopen this page, and run the check again. The new certificate will have today’s date.

Certificate is valid Amber · Mac, iPhone/iPad, Android, Linux

Your certificate was issued before August 9, 2026. It is valid and will continue to function. We plan to move to a different certificate issuing service, so we’d appreciate it if you re-enrolled for a replacement certificate at your earliest convenience.

Re-enroll for Harvard Secure / eduroam →

Certificate expires soon Amber · All devices

Your certificate is still working but expires within 30 days. After it expires, this device will no longer connect to Harvard Secure or eduroam. Re-enroll now to get a new certificate and avoid losing Wi-Fi access. (On Windows, a certificate issued before August 9, 2026 shows the red result above, along with its expiry date.)

Re-enroll for Harvard Secure / eduroam →

Your certificate has expired Red · All devices

Your certificate has passed its expiry date and can no longer connect you to Harvard Secure or eduroam. Re-enroll to get a new one. If Wi-Fi isn’t working, use a wired connection or another network to reach the re-enroll page.

Re-enroll for Harvard Secure / eduroam →

No certificate was presented

The browser didn't send a certificate. This usually means the selection window was cancelled, Esc was pressed, or Deny was clicked on the Mac password prompt. Browsers remember that choice until they are restarted.

To fix: quit the browser completely (Mac: Cmd+Q; Windows: close every browser window), reopen it, and try again.

This isn’t a valid Harvard Wi-Fi certificate

The certificate you picked wasn’t issued by Harvard University Network Access. Quit the browser, try again, and pick a certificate issued by Harvard University Network Access. If none is listed, re-enroll using the link above.

Troubleshooting

The certificate window never appears

First quit and reopen the browser. The browser may still be remembering an earlier choice.

If it still doesn’t appear, your certificate may have expired. Browsers hide expired certificates from the list. If you also can’t connect to Harvard Secure or eduroam, re-enroll using the link above.

Otherwise, the browser can’t see a Harvard Wi-Fi certificate on this device. That can happen when the certificate was installed only for Wi-Fi (common on Android and Linux) or for the whole computer instead of your user account. Your Wi-Fi may still work fine. Contact the HUIT Service Desk if you’re unsure.

I picked the wrong certificate

The browser remembers your pick until it restarts. Quit it completely, reopen it, return to this page, and choose the certificate with the most recent date.

Is this safe? What does this page see and record?

The browser sends only the public part of your certificate: your name, who issued it, and its dates. Your private key and any password never leave your device. The same certificate is already presented every time you connect to Harvard Secure or eduroam.

What’s recorded: each time you run the check, HUIT Network Operations records the certificate you chose (including your name and email address), its issue and expiry dates, the result shown, the time, your IP address, and your browser and device type. This helps us find devices that need a new certificate and plan the move to a new certificate service. Records are kept for 90 days and are available only to HUIT network administrators.

I’m on a phone or tablet

On iPhone and iPad, use Safari. On Android, most browsers can’t use Wi-Fi certificates, so you’ll usually see “No certificate was presented”. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your Wi-Fi. If you’d like to replace the certificate anyway, use the re-enroll link above.

Check my device certificate