Computing and Information Services embarked this summer on a project to provide wireless Internet access to all on-campus residence halls. As a result, several dorms now offer wireless access. University officials call the project a significant improvement to campus life, but several students interviewed by The Herald say they are not using the new service.
"A great deal of student feedback to CIS stimulated this project," said Richard Bova, senior associate dean of residential life, adding it is a "top priority" to make wireless Internet access available to all residence halls.
Dorms currently receiving wireless connectivity include Keeney Quadrangle, Caswell Hall, Barbour Hall, Hope College, Young Orchard 2, 4 and 10 and Perkins Hall. Dorms without wireless Internet access are due to receive the service by the end of this semester.
Thomas Forsberg, associate director of housing and residential life, said introducing wireless Internet in dorms is a "tremendous advantage" to students because it facilitates increased mobility.
Students "don't need to be tied to a particular location within a bedroom," he said.
Despite this advantage, student feedback regarding the newly installed service is mixed.
"I don't really use the wireless Internet," wrote Caswell resident Adam Rodriquez '09 in an e-mail to The Herald. "It's kind of annoying because you have to keep signing in every five minutes," he wrote, explaining why he continues to use an Ethernet cable to connect to the Internet.
According to the CIS Web site, "Brown's wireless network supplements, rather than replaces, our high-speed wired network. Brown's wired network will continue to be primary access to Internet services for the foreseeable future."
In addition to spotty reception, Rodriquez indicated that sometimes one user will receive a strong signal while someone down the hall will get a weak one.
"You can't use (instant messaging) with wireless either," he added. Rodriquez wrote that he receives an error message when he tries to use AOL Instant Messenger with a wireless connection.
Even though CIS does not allow use of AOL Instant Messenger and some other programs using the standard login, users connected via the University's virtual private network are able to access AOL Instant Messenger and other services, according to the CIS Web site.
Alex Richardson '07, who lives in Buxton Hall, also reported that Wireless access can be unreliable.
"It was frustrating having to log in more than if you had a direct connection," Richardson said. Still, he noted this inconvenience was "not really a big deal" and that wireless Internet offers the advantage of "shared files from a network not connected to this dorm, like Keeney."
Richa Bhatnagar '09, a resident of Barbour Hall, said she believes that having to log in frequently is a "necessary evil," but she echoed Rodriguez's concern that the quality of reception varies considerably from room to room.
"If you're sitting on one couch you get (a strong signal), if you're sitting on another couch you don't," she said, referring to the living room of her Barbour apartment.
Bhatnagar said wireless access ultimately requires "too much effort," which is why she prefers using an Ethernet cable.
"Consistent service all over the building would be nice," she said.
