| by
Jan Wopperer
The wireless network available now in the
library and Student Union will be soon expanding to cover
more space outside and inside at Buffalo State College to
benefit students who have computers with wireless capabilities.
By this summer, students will be able to use their laptops
in most public areas on campus. The plan is to install more
wireless access points and connect with the Buffalo WiFi
Project, which will run wireless Internet down Elmwood Avenue.
Since August of 2004, the service has been
available in:
• E.H. Butler Library's Study
Quad and surrounding areas
• the Fireside Lounge, Commuter Lounge, Assembly Hall
and surrounding hallway in the Campbell
Student Union
“We won't know the overall cost of the
expansion project until we have finalized the sites to be
added. The funding so far has come from a combination of
the Technology Fee and Computing Services budgets,”
said Judy Basinski, associate vice president of computing
and technology services.
Maryruth Glogowski, the assistant vice president of library
and instructional technology, is working with the Buffalo
WiFi Project connecting Buffalo State to that tentatively
within the next year.
"We're going to have all of Elmwood from Allen Street
down to Forrest... then it takes a hop to the Buff State
quad behind Rockwell Hall, the quad in front of Porter,
the Student Union quad … and we're hoping to have
a transmitter on the president's house and then it'll go
over to the park and Albright-Knox," Glogowski said.
"The most recent survey of students last fall indicated
that 33 percent of students have wireless," she said.
The expanding network will cater to that third; a percentage
that will most likely increase as more laptops are made
with built-in wireless.
This spring, Buffalo State will receive the software needed
to control the traffic in the network from Cisco Clean Access,
and "then we'll be able to start the expansion,"
said Basinski.
“The equipment and software have been purchased, and
we are in the process of configuring it now. We have an
early summer target for implementation,” she added.
"Our goal is to look at places where we can provide
wireless to the highest number of people...large gathering
areas both indoors and outdoors," said Tom Killian
of computing technology services in Twin Rise.
"The speeds are a little bit lower than the wired connections
are, but for general Internet access it'll be just as efficient
as other methods," he said.
Killian added that the service will be just as efficient
as the wired network, but less secure. Therefore, it is
not advisable for anyone to do their banking or any other
private activities using a wireless connection at the college.
Students, faculty and staff must give their Buffalo State
username and password in order to be use the Internet through
the wireless network.
Jan Wopperer can be reached at: jannygrl1@yahoo.com
Links:
E.H. Butler
Library
Cyber
Quad
Computing
Services
Cisco
Clean Access
Campbell
Student Union |
