Eastern Illinois University has a new campus network with miles of state-of-the-art fiber optic and Category 6 cable.

But the latest chapter of the network project means that laptop users won't have to attach their computers to all that wire in the first place.

Twenty-five wireless network access points were being installed across campus during the Fall Semester, bringing parts of the university that were never computer accessible before - classrooms, auditoriums, lounges, common areas, even the grassy quads between buildings - under the umbrella of network availability.

"This project includes adding wireless capabilities for use by students, faculty and staff," said Assistant Vice President for Information Technology Chat Chatterji. "We plan to deploy more than 100 wireless access points during the Fall Semester, and we will work steadily toward fuller campus coverage during the coming academic year."

Although wireless at the university started with just about 20 access points, eventually, about 200 additional points are to be installed in academic, administrative, recreational and other common areas, bringing the total on campus to about 300. Until now, wireless was available in areas of the student union such as the Bookstore, Java B&B, meeting rooms on the second floor, the lounge area outside of those meeting rooms, Lumpkin Hall and a few other offices in Old Main and private areas around campus. Those "private" wireless transmission areas will be assimilated into the new campus system.

The project, administered and supported by ITS, is part of the recently completed campus network project.

Wireless networking refers to technology that lets two or more computers communicate using standard network protocols but without hard network cabling. Any technology that does this could be called wireless networking, but current nomenclature generally refers to wireless LANs adhering to the "Wi-Fi" standard. This technology, fueled by the emergence of cross-vendor industry standards has produced a number of affordable wireless solutions that are growing in popularity with users such as universities.

There are two kinds of wireless networks: An ad-hoc, or peer-to-peer wireless network consists of a number of computers each equipped with a wireless networking interface card. Each computer can communicate directly with all of the other wireless enabled computers. They can share files and printers this way, but may not be able to access wired LAN resources, unless one of the computers acts as a bridge to the wired LAN using special software. A wireless network can also use an access point, or base station. In this type of network the access point acts like a hub, providing connectivity for the wireless computers. It can connect (or "bridge") the wireless LAN to a wired LAN, allowing wireless computer access to LAN resources, such as file servers or existing Internet Connectivity. With appropriate networking software support, users on the wireless LAN can share files and printers located on the wired LAN and vice versa.

Plans call for totals of 15 wireless access points in Lumpkin Hall, 15 in Buzzard Hall, five in the Lantz facility including O'Brien Stadium, four in McAfee Gymnasium, 15 in Coleman Hall, 19 in Klehm Hall, one in the Physical Science Building, seven in Old Main, five in the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, two in the Gregg Triad and seven in the
Life Sciences Building and Annex. While this will not provide 100 percent saturation coverage of campus, it is expected to cover most academic areas.

This will allow users with laptop computers access to the Internet from almost any point on campus. "Wireless is becoming a common expectation," Chatterji said, "and it's availability is an important part of the future of the Internet. There has been a demand from students and faculty for more access."

In addition to laptops, wireless technology of the future will also provide access for PDA devices and Web telephony, including voice over IP (VOIP).

While wireless technology has advantages, it also has some drawbacks compared with hard-wire networks, most notably, comparatively slower data throughput and security vulnerabilities.

"We are focusing on open areas for the first 100 access points, which will give as many students as possible wireless Internet access now," said John Henderson, director of Client Services at the Center for Academic Technology Support, which is helping with promoting and educating the university community on how to use the access capabilities.

Wireless Network Connections on Campus