Ball State University students no longer have to deal with Ethernet cords and stringing wires across dorm rooms to get access to the Internet.
During Winter Break, the university installed wireless transmitter boxes in some residence hall rooms, so students now have easier access to the Internet through an expansion of the university's wireless network.
O'Neal Smitherman, vice president for information technology, said students were asked about the amount of wireless coverage they wanted and the amount of wireless access they used in order to see what updates needed to be done within the halls.
"We wanted a way to improve the density of wireless access," Smitherman said. "The coverage will include all rooms within the residence halls instead of just the coverage radiated from common areas. Having these boxes will provide one more option for students to access the Internet if not wanting to use the wired network, but students can still use the wired network if they wish."
More than 400 boxes were installed across campus at a total cost of about $600,000.
Each box includes a high quality wireless router, an Ethernet hub and extra power outlets. The Ethernet hub allows students to continue using wired access if they want.
Buddy Wombold, a freshman in Clevenger Hall, said he used Ethernet before but because of these boxes, he no longer has to.
"These [boxes] are absolutely good things for the residence halls to have," Wombold said. "The internet access for me has pretty much been the same as when I did have Ethernet."
Wombold lives in one of the rooms in which the wireless transmitter was installed.
"The box really is not an inconvenience and sits under my desk," he said. "The hall director asked if I would be willing to have it in my room before we left for break. He said I would get a check back for the technology fee for having it in my room so I thought free money, why not."
Blake Hearn, a freshman in Hurst Hall, said he had trouble only because he had to sign into the network with his Ball State user name and password now as compared to when he did not have the box in his room.
"Despite having to sign in, it is easier," Hearn said. "I had wireless before, but the signal was not good."
Smitherman said the amount of boxes within a residence hall depends on how much wireless access each hall gets already and the material used to build the complex.
"If the residence hall was made of materials such as plastic and wood, wireless signals are able to penetrate easier so fewer boxes are needed," Smitherman said. "If concrete and brick were used to build the complex, wireless signals are not as easily penetrable so more boxes are needed."
Catherine Bickel, Associate Director of Housing and Residence Life, said the housing and residence leadership wanted to make wireless signals stronger and make access more even and fair.
"We hope these boxes will level the playing field with those who could pick up wireless from other locations already," Bickel said.
The network will have great feedback capabilities, Smitherman said. The error detection system will send out a signal to a technician so the university can trouble shoot quickly.
"We can pinpoint exactly where the trouble is so we can send someone put to take care of it," he said.
Smitherman said the network would be worked on every now and then to ensure students have the best service possible.
"Ball State has a good track record in technology and it is important to keep the improvements going," Smitherman said.
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