Escaping the Ethernet Cable

For the past 18 months, Plymouth State University's Information Technology Services team has been working to expand wireless capabilities to all corners of the campus.

Back in January, during phase two of this three-phase project, wireless networking was added to student residential spaces Samuel Read Hall, Belknap, and Blair. This endeavor was completed with a price tag of $90,000. 

However there is still work to be done.

"Today, all PSU residence halls, with the exception of Smith and Graton, have high speed 802.11N wireless networking coverage," says Chris Drever, a key member of PSU's ITS team.

Drever continues, "Grafton Hall is the next residence scheduled for wireless deployment which has an anticipated completion in early June." Accordingly, coverage of Smith Hall is scheduled to be completed by the end of July.

"Currently, all outdoor green spaces between High Street and Highland Avenue are covered with outdoor access points, as are all the athletic fields surround the PE Center," Drever says.
Come Fall 2012, not only can the Internet be accessed outdoors, it can also be accessed in all residence halls, something students have been anticipating for quite some time. 

No one likes to be trapped at their desk by an Ethernet Cable.
The ITS team here at PSU shows no sign of stopping improvements there, however. According to Drever, "Once these installations are complete we will begin upgrading existing wireless coverage and increasing wireless speed in the academic buildings and administrative buildings."

Another change that Drever states is scheduled to take place over this coming summer is the "convergence of wireless SSIDs, 'PSU Student' and 'PSU Employee' will be combined into a single SSID 'PSU Wireless' which will service all students, faculty, and staff on campus."

Due to the fact that technology is ever changing in this day and age, the ITS team works tirelessly to keep up with it and support those who bring personal communication devices to PSU.

 "Wireless is no longer just about connecting laptop computers; we now support smart phones and wireless tablets in addition to conventional computers," says Drever.

Though these upgrades take time it seems that the ITS team does just what they can to provide students with strong and fast internet connections. Drever indeed feels the same and states that, "The PSU networking team is constantly deploying new technologies to keep up with the rapidly expanding demand."