IT to improve Wi-Fi coverage to match growing demand

By Jieya Wen     3/18/14 4:58pm

The Network, Telecommunication and Data Center of the IT department began conducting site surveys in residential colleges during spring break, according to Manager of Networking Jason Bothe.

The Network, Telecommunication and Data Center of the IT department began conducting site surveys in residential colleges during spring break, according to Manager of Networking Jason Bothe. The IT department is still continuing these site surveys because they were not completed during spring break, Bothe said.

Site surveys are conducted using equipment to test wireless signal qualities at different places on campus, according to William Deigaard, Director of Networking, Telecommunications and Data Center.

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“We acquired a new tool to analyze the wireless quality, which is the passive survey tool,” Deigaard said. “It basically means a digital equipment that’s walking around and asking the wireless network, ‘Can you hear me now?’ It takes sampling of interferers and monitors our environment. It gets all the protocols that are available and the frequencies that are available. It shows you how well that network is performing.”

According to Bothe, the survey started in December 2013 at Wiess College. While one team conducts the site survey, another team works on adjusting the infrastructure of the wireless connection.

“We go room by room and study what the network is like,” Bothe said. “We relocate them based on what we see and get optimal coverage. We constantly strive to improve the service through several means, ensuring that we have the most current wireless controller software, carefully placing access points to meet shifting needs, adding access points in areas that are not sufficiently served.” 

Access points are devices that allow wireless devices to connect to wired networks through Wi-Fi or other protocols. Most access points are installed in the hallways of academic buildings and residential colleges, according to Bothe. 

“When it is determined that an AP needs to be placed in a particular area, we typically hire a cabling contractor to run a cable to the designated area on the ceiling or wall, and place the AP we provide in the desired location,” Bothe said. “Rice Network Architects then provision the AP to function on our network in sync with the other APs.”

Deigaard said that wireless network improvement is going to continue.  

“It is part of our normal methodology,” Deigaard said. “Once we finish the colleges, we will move to some academic buildings. Then we will just continue cycling through.”

Deigaard said that the improvement of the wireless network is to adapt to the changes in wireless demand. The change in wireless demand includes the increasing number of devices using the wireless network and the changing locations of the devices that being used. The trend that more people who use wired networks start to use wireless networks also increases the wireless demand, Bothe said. 

“Wireless technology is a service that is increasingly demanded by people,” Deigaard said. “There are more and more mobile devices everyday. One of the basic improvements is, the more users you have, the more access points you need to install. The other problem is the number of access points relative to the number of users in that area. The mobile nature of the wireless devices means that it is constantly changing. The demand just goes up, and it goes up very suddenly.”  

According to Deigaard, in addition to the change in demand, the technology used in the wireless network is also changing rapidly.  

“Since we put in a current network, we have changed significant components of the network infrastructure about three times,” Deigaard said. “The average life circle is about three years. The protocols of our wireless network support was the third generation, and we are approaching the fourth generation.” 

Bothe said the IT department is keeping up with the newest technology. 

“Once the new technology introduces itself, faster or new protocol, we have to go a round of engineering design, then install the equipment and adjust,” Bothe said.

According to Deigaard, there are ways for students and faculties to improve their wireless network experience, including updating the wireless driver for their laptops, not using personal wireless networks and seeking help from the IT help desk. 

“When you buy a PC, you want to look for something that can support a wide range of protocols,” Deigaard said. “In addition, the radio frequency space we have is finite and incredibly scarce. If people put another access point there, [the access point] is competing with the network. Finally, if you don’t have a good wireless experience, you should tell us. Please walk to the help desk. They will be asking for your ethernet address, your IP address and your room number. Then we will go to your room and do site survey and find out the problem.”

Gabriela Balicas, Duncan College freshmen, said she was satisfied with the wireless network on campus.

“I actually really like the Wi-Fi on campus,” Balicas said. “I didn’t really know what it’s like until I went to [the University of Chicago] over the break to visit. I literally switched between ten different Wi-Fi [networks] while walking on campus. The only thing that I don’t like is that [the Wi-Fi] is not very strong outdoors. But considering everything else, it is pretty good. ”

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