Spring Break
Wi-Fi keeps students online
Leo Atkinson
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Campus Life
Thanks to the college's Wi-Fi network, laptops dotting tables in the cafeteria glow with NCC Web mail, Facebook and other Web sites.
In an informal poll of laptop users regarding wireless access at NCC, most called the Wi-Fi fairly good, but all had reservations. Some called the service spotty and others were unsure where access is available.
The signal is good "as long as it's early and a hundred people aren't trying to squeeze on," said first-year General Studies major Matt Green.
When "more students (arrive) the signal is stretched across their computers" making it slower, Green added.
The signal for wireless Internet is transmitted from routers around campus. Each router is known as an access point, providing a signal for up to1,000 feet.
Building structures and radio signals decrease the range of the Wi-Fi signal, which explains complaints about dead spots in places like the College Center lobby, Network Manager Thomas Briggs said.
"Wi-Fi continues to grow at the college based on requests from students and faculty," Briggs said. "More buildings have Wi-Fi each year."
Penn Hall and the South Side campus are the newest reception areas for the network, with Kopecek Hall expected to go wireless soon.
NCC runs 21 access points, with 14 on Main campus, four in Fowler Center Southside Center and three on Monroe campus.
The routers used for Wi-Fi "are not the $39 Netgears you might see at Wal-Mart," Briggs said. "We typically use models from Cisco that are several hundred dollars each."
The initial hardware and network build-outs costs are the most expensive facets of the wireless Internet system. The access points collectively use as much electricity as a hair dryer running 24/7 and require little maintenance beyond the occasional software update, Briggs explained.
NCC wireless access points (AP) on the Main campus are: North Campus, one AP; Communications Hall, one; Commonwealth Hall, one; Richardson Hall, two; Reibman Hall, one; Laub Lounge, College Center second floor, one; Students Services, College Center, one; College Center first floor, two; Spartan Lobby, one; Spartan Center, main gym, one; and Mack Library, two;
In an informal poll of laptop users regarding wireless access at NCC, most called the Wi-Fi fairly good, but all had reservations. Some called the service spotty and others were unsure where access is available.
The signal is good "as long as it's early and a hundred people aren't trying to squeeze on," said first-year General Studies major Matt Green.
When "more students (arrive) the signal is stretched across their computers" making it slower, Green added.
The signal for wireless Internet is transmitted from routers around campus. Each router is known as an access point, providing a signal for up to1,000 feet.
Building structures and radio signals decrease the range of the Wi-Fi signal, which explains complaints about dead spots in places like the College Center lobby, Network Manager Thomas Briggs said.
"Wi-Fi continues to grow at the college based on requests from students and faculty," Briggs said. "More buildings have Wi-Fi each year."
Penn Hall and the South Side campus are the newest reception areas for the network, with Kopecek Hall expected to go wireless soon.
NCC runs 21 access points, with 14 on Main campus, four in Fowler Center Southside Center and three on Monroe campus.
The routers used for Wi-Fi "are not the $39 Netgears you might see at Wal-Mart," Briggs said. "We typically use models from Cisco that are several hundred dollars each."
The initial hardware and network build-outs costs are the most expensive facets of the wireless Internet system. The access points collectively use as much electricity as a hair dryer running 24/7 and require little maintenance beyond the occasional software update, Briggs explained.
NCC wireless access points (AP) on the Main campus are: North Campus, one AP; Communications Hall, one; Commonwealth Hall, one; Richardson Hall, two; Reibman Hall, one; Laub Lounge, College Center second floor, one; Students Services, College Center, one; College Center first floor, two; Spartan Lobby, one; Spartan Center, main gym, one; and Mack Library, two;
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
custom research
posted 11/25/09 @ 10:39 PM EST
It is graet!
CV writer
posted 12/03/09 @ 12:35 AM EST
In our digital times it is necessary to stay connected to the interenet.
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