Dorm renovations and added equipment are being phased in to increase wireless Internet coverage on Virginia Tech’s campus.
Kenneth Belcher, associate director for occupancy management, said there would be renovations of all dorms built before 1983 within the next 15 to 20 years. This will include expansions in regards to wireless connectivity.
East Ambler-Johnston Hall is currently under renovation and will reopen in fall 2011.
“Before we started the renovation, Ambler-Johnston only had one location that had a wireless port in it,” Belcher said. “But when we finish this renovation, we’re going to have about 1,200 beds that will have wireless coverage. It’ll be a big boost for us.”
Most residence halls lack wireless coverage, but the newly opened New Hall West is breaking that pattern.
“New Hall West was designed as wireless pretty much throughout. That’s really our first building that has that kind of structure,” Belcher said.
Belcher stated that the goal is to attempt to have at least one wireless spot in each of the facilities, and afterwards to try to expand coverage.
“Hokie Stone and cinderblock walls and everything are wonderful, but they also block a lot of the signal,” Belcher said.
According to Belcher, Housing and Dining Services are working very closely with Communications Network Services. He said that the number of wireless points has probably been tripled over the past year.
“(CNS) really gave us a pretty big boost this past year,” Belcher said. “We’ve got some more coming as money and equipment and personnel that can install them are available.”
The equipment will not be a major expense, according to Belcher.
“It’s really the design and having the time and capability to do it when you’re pulled in a thousand different directions,” Belcher said. “Everybody needs something right away and we’re one of the groups that needs something.”
“We’re constrained by physics,” said Steven Lee, a communications research engineer. “We use the unlicensed spectrum for wireless connectivity, and that’s limited. So we can theoretically only put in so many access points in a given location before interference kicks in and it’s turned into a negative effect. So we kind of hit that limit, and then performance will drop.”
Although it may not be entirely resolved in the near future, Lee confirmed that there would be changes.
“What you will see happening is that the access points are getting more intelligent so that they can reduce their power to help minimize the effects of other access points,” Lee said.
He also said more advanced equipment would help alleviate the high traffic in the campus airwaves.
Tech offers two main wireless connections: VT-WLAN, which has a login screen, and VT-Wireless, its encrypted equivalent.
Leave a comment 2 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.
About time wireless is being used in dorms! I say get it in all rooms in dorms, but definitely in common areas first (if it isn't there already). It was a pain when I was a freshman that it was easier to get wireless in academic buildings and not in my living area.
Reply to this Top
Cinder block walls are not nice. They make the school look like a penitentiary. Wooden walls are nice, plaster walls are nice. Cinder block walls, are not nice.
Reply to this Top