Expansion of wireless Internet network tested on the Hill

Students in De Neve residential plazas recently began testing a new campus wireless Internet service that officials hope to eventually expand to provide in-room coverage to every resident of on-campus housing.

The service was launched Jan. 28 in De Neve Cedar in a collaborative effort between Communication Technology Services, the On-Campus Housing Council and the Student Technology Center.

Last week the network was launched for residents of De Neve Dogwood, and further expansion to include the entire Hill is planned for the next few years, said Nick Thompson, technical services manager at the Student Technology Center.

“Students can expect to get high-speed wireless access at business hot spots like Starbucks. … Why not provide them the same benefits here?” Thompson said.

Unlike the Hill’s existing wireless services, which only cover public areas such as study lounges and Covel Commons, the new service uses more-advanced wireless broadcasting radios mounted on every floor to bring faster speeds to students in their rooms.

“This means that students will eventually not have to worry about buying their own wireless mini-hubs or having to log-on to the public wireless networks,” Thompson said.

In order to use the new network, students who live on campus must register laptops with ResNet through the Student Technology Center as they currently must do with plug-in Ethernet connections, Thompson said.

The new wireless network will recognize their registered systems, allowing students who live on campus to connect instantly without having to enter log-in information.

The new network, which is also being tested in study lounges in high-rises such as Hedrick Hall and Rieber Hall, appears under the name “UCLA_RES_WLAN” when students attempt to connect.

The current wireless network, “UCLAWLAN,” will remain in place for the time being, allowing UCLA students who do not live on campus to connect to the Internet in public areas.

Students living in Cedar, who have had the chance to use the new network for nearly three months, expressed mixed reactions to adjusting to the new technology.

“I was excited when I heard about it, but my ability to get a wireless connection in my room has gotten worse,” said Alexandria Richardson, a first-year international development studies student.

Richardson said she relies on wireless Internet access because she lives in a triple and cannot connect using an Ethernet cable.

She reported difficulties connecting and slow speeds but remains optimistic that the network will improve to suit her needs.

Juliane Piggott, a first-year undeclared student, said the new network has made it much easier to connect to the Internet.

“I bought my own router before and couldn’t figure it out, but this has been great. I can sit on my bed and surf the Net at high speeds,” Piggott said.

Thompson said students will likely not notice increases in housing costs because of the gradual implementation of the new network, but, regardless of that, the changes will be worth it to them.

“We are making a great investment that will want to make students stay on campus longer,” Thompson said.