It seems as if everyone is on Facebook. Everyone has iLocker. Almost everyone is logged on.
Recently, however, many students found they weren't able to log on in Bracken Library because the Ball State University wireless system - running through Bluesocket technology boxes that are several years old - wasn't able to accommodate the increased traffic it has experienced this year.
Instead of updating the system or increasing the capacity of the boxes, Ball State did exactly what it should've done: start all over.
With the installation of the Cisco authenticating system, Ball State students will now enjoy better wireless access overall. Not only will the Cisco system be able to handle the increasing number of Internet users on campus, but students will also receive better virus and spyware protection and possibly even personalized Web services.
The fact that on-campus wireless usage increased by 300 percent within the last year shows that students on this campus are tech-savvy and ready to use whatever new technology is made available to them.
While two weeks ago we criticized the university for not having a program comparable to Indiana and Purdue universities' interconnected wireless system, this move to update our wireless services shows the university's desire to meet student needs.
In the meantime, University Computing Services has made accommodations for the increase in wireless use so users will not encounter wireless access problems between now and when the Cisco system is fully installed.
We appreciate the university's rapid and adequate response to this technological issue and hope it will continue seeking the highest quality services to offer students.
If technology access and quality on campus improve continually, perhaps the university will soon find itself topping the tech charts again - and maybe everyone can log on at once to see the results.
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