Wireless Computing

Information Technology Services maintains a campus Wi-Fi network that allows students, faculty, and staff to connect wireless devices in all academic, residential, and administrative buildings.

To connect, you will need an 802.11b/g/n/ac compatible wireless device. We support all Wi-Fi channels within these standards.

When connecting your device to any wireless network, you share an access point (AP) with all other connected devices. A single device connected to an access point has the potential to achieve the following maximum speeds:

  • Up to 54 Mbps on Wi-Fi b/g (802.11g)
  • Up to 100 Mbps on Wi-Fi n (802.11n)
  • Up to 500 Mbps on Wi-Fi ac (802.11ac)

As more users connect to the access point, the download speed decreases, not only based on how many people are connected, but also by what they’re doing on the network. Too many users or just a handful that are being poor neighbors can degrade the performance of the wireless network to a point of it being unusable.



The campus Internet service operates through a 2 gigabits per second fiber optic connection to the outside world (that's A LOT of bandwidth). You have two types of network connections available when in your room:

  • A WIRED (Ethernet) connection that provides dedicated access to the campus network and is generally more reliable for heavy usage such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, etc.
  • A WIRELESS (Wi-Fi) connection that is shared by you and those in the immediate area.

Think about what you are doing when using the internet to decide which connection is the best for your use. Here are some recommendations to guide you:

The Wired Network is best for bandwidth-intensive activities such as:

  • Watching streaming video
  • Listening to streaming audio
  • Playing online games
  • Downloading large files from the internet or from iTunes

The Wireless Network provides mobility and is best suited for activities such as:

  • Checking email and sending instant messages
  • General web browsing
  • Connecting to social networks

Be considerate when using the wireless network. For high-bandwidth activities, use the wired network whenever possible. This will help ensure better performance for everyone!

 

If you need an Ethernet cable and are a new student, check with your RA or RD. You may also stop down to the ITS Helpdesk for a free 10-foot cable. We are located on the lower level of Herrick Library.

If you have any questions, please contact the ITS Helpdesk.