UNCP to expand wireless network

By Brandon Barber
Staff Writer

By the end of the spring 2005 semester, wireless high-speed Internet technology will be operational throughout most of UNCP’s campus.

Wireless technology, commonly referred to as “Wi-Fi,” provides users with the ability to connect to the Internet from mobile devices, such as laptops, without the use of cables. The connection speed is typically at least 100 times faster than standard dial-up connections.

Wi-Fi is currently available in certain buildings on campus and areas immediately surrounding them, including the Sampson-Livermore Library, UC and Lumbee Hall.

The expanded network aims to include most student and faculty areas.

“The new network will take care of most academic buildings and outside areas,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Resources Dr. Maurice Mitchell.

An important note is that residence halls will not be included in the new network. Since the residence halls are older buildings, their construction layouts cause severe problems with the wireless connection, Mitchell said.

Providing residence halls with Wi-Fi access would come with two risks - cost and security. Overcoming the problems with the construction layouts would increase costs dramatically and more security issues would arise if the network were extended to residence halls, Mitchell said.

In order to access the wireless connection, a user must have a UNCP login and password and a laptop equipped with a wireless card. Wireless cards can be purchased at the bookstore, but most laptops come with a pre-installed card.

If the use of Wi-Fi becomes more prominent on campus, academic programs are expected to be created to take advantage of the technology.

However, a problem could arise if the technology becomes too popular.

“If there are too many laptops in a classroom, then we may be at a bandwidth problem,” Mitchell said.

If such a situation occurs, the speed of the connection could be drastically reduced. In that case, the university would have to consider an upgrade to the Wi-Fi technology.

Those who decide to take advantage of Wi-Fi technology are encouraged to be software compliant and to have some form of virus protection.

For more information regarding wireless networking, contact University Computing and Information Services at 521-6260.