Wireless Networking

It is easy to take our Internet and network connections for granted. In fact, most of us don't pay too much attention to it, unless it stops working! This wasn't always true. Some of you may remember times in your career when a network connection was not always available in your office or where you needed it. However, now that these connections are almost universally available it is sometimes hard to imagine not having them.

This is because access to the Internet for services such as email and the web has become a part of our daily lives. With access to the Internet becoming more integrated into our work at the University, there is a trend toward expanding those connections to the network even beyond the reaches of those little cables that connect our computers to the net. One way this is achieved is through wireless networking. At one time, wireless networking was seen as a solution to a networking problem, specifically how to provide network connections to individuals working in historic buildings or in other situations where it was impossible to drill holes and run miles of cables. More recently however, wireless networking has captured the attention of educators as a way to expand access to information.

An example of this is Carnegie Mellon University's large-scale implementation of wireless networking featured on the Carnegie Mellon web site. This is available at (http://www.cmu.edu/home/news/wireless.html) and has also been printed as part of the information packet distributed today. While nothing this comprehensive is planned for KU, there are pockets of wireless connectivity available on campus. Some of these areas of wireless connectivity are available in the JRP building. Currently, the wireless network in JRP has been established to primarily to provide Internet access to faculty using laptop computers.

In order to take advantage of the wireless network you must have a computer that is capable of wireless connectivity. Apple PowerBooks have this feature available as an option called AirPort, which adds approximately $95.00 to the purchase price of an Apple Laptop. If your PowerBook has an internal AirPort slot you can have the University Technology Center (864-4640) in the Kansas Union install one. The cost is $99.00 for the card and $45.00 for installation. For those who prefer the Windows operating system, companies like Dell offer wireless connectivity options on notebook computers such as their Latitutude line that adds about $128.00 to the purchase price. In addition, if your laptop, Apple or PC is new enough and has a PC card slot you can purchase an aftermarket wireless connectivity card, which you can install yourself. These are priced from $75.00 to around $200.00 from discount vendors. When shopping for such a card make sure that it complies with the 802.11b standard.

How wireless networking works

Information about the Apple implementation of wireless networking

Review of return on investment, includes an analysis of wireless networking in education