Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Iona College remains only fully wireless metropolitan area campus

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 12:40:26 -0500

Iona College remains only fully wireless metropolitan area campus
Source: U-WIRE
Publication date: 2002-12-27
Arrival time: 2002-12-28

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- In Sept. 2001, Iona became the first college in
the metropolitan New York City area to install a completely wireless local
area network.

Students can now use computers to obtain information by accessing the
College's computer network, library databases, or the Internet from
anywhere on campus -- from the library, to the classrooms, to the dorms,
and even the football field.

Other colleges in the area such as Pace, NYU, and Columbia have installed
wireless networks. These institutions have only offered access in certain
buildings and not outdoors.

"As far as I know, there is no other college campus in the area that is
completely wireless, indoors and out," said Dimitris Halaris, Assistant Vice
Provost of Information Technology at Iona College.

"Wireless Internet access simply means connecting to a network without
having to be plugged into a cable connected to that network," explained
Halaris.

"Wireless networks are similar to cordless phones; they use radio
frequencies to transmit data rather than wiring."

Iona has 129 access points strategically located around campus to allow
students and faculty with wireless cards to connect to the network and
Internet. Laptops, desktops, and Personal Digital Assistants, such as
hand-held computers, can be connected to the wireless network.

The Ryan Library has five Gateway laptops, which were received in the
spring of 2002, which can be loaned to students and faculty for three-hour
increments.

However, there are cautions involved.

"Students and faculty may not take the laptops outside of Ryan Library,"
said Richard Palladino, Assistant Director of Libraries at Iona College.

"If they do, they will automatically receive a $50 fine, and there is a $1,800
replacement cost for lost laptops."

If students and faculty own laptops, the wireless network can be accessed
outdoors on campus such as the quad and rice oval.

Outside of the campus the service is limited.

"The only place that I am aware of it working other than on campus is in the
front section of the diner across the street," said Halaris. "The wireless
signal does stretch beyond the front gates of the school, but it starts to
weaken as you get further away."

The wireless project has appeared to be extremely successful and there
have not been many complaints made.

"There are over 300 students using the wireless network, and approximately
80 faculty and staff," stated Halaris. "Both the student and faculty
population have voiced their happiness with the wireless network."

Maricris SanAntonio, a junior at Iona College, has borrowed the laptops from
Ryan Library at least three times this year.

"I am very pleased with the wireless Internet access because when all of the
computers are occupied, I can borrow a laptop and go upstairs in the library
where I can study and do my research," said SanAntonio.

On the other hand, many students are not aware of the wireless Internet
access and the laptop borrowing. Christina Gashi, a senior at Iona College,
had no idea that Iona went wireless or that she could borrow a laptop from
Ryan Library.

"I wish I knew about the laptops earlier because the computers are always
occupied and it would save me time when doing research instead of wasting
time waiting for a free computer," said Gashi. "Even though I am a senior
and it is a little late, I am going to try to use the laptops from now on."

Besides developing ways to better promote the wireless network, there are
other improvements planned in the near future.

According to Halaris, Iona's current wireless network runs at speeds of 11
mbps, and there is a new technology that was just introduced, which runs at
54 mbps.

"Once the new technology stabilizes and becomes affordable we will be
looking into upgrading to the 54 mbps network," stated Halaris. "This
upgrade for the Iona wireless network is probably about two years away."

In the meantime, Iona students and faculty can utilize the wireless network,
which is the most recent example of Iona's commitment to help all Iona
students become skilled with new technology.

http://cnniw.yellowbrix.com/pages/cnniw/Story.nsp?story_id=35476252&ID=cnniw&scategory=Telecommunications%3AWireless&

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---

From: "Harry Ekelund" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 09:02:16 -0800

I earned my MBA from Iona in 1983. At that time, they had an on-campus
time-share network for running dedicated applications for various academic
programs and classes, along with a BASIC interpreter. Access to the computer
center was open, but there was great competition for the terminals
available! There was also dialup access (at 300 baud!) offering the same
features.

One class I had used a mathematical model to simulate the effects of changes
in price, advertising expense, direct sales expense, etc. for a set of
related products. I used an Osborne 1 (the first "portable" personal
computer running CPM) in those days to access the timeshare system, and used
screen captures to grab the data the model produced, and imported that data
into SUPERCALC for further analysis.

Nice to see how things have changed.

Harry J. Ekelund, P.E. -  AE7NY
Marketing Manager
Kathrein Inc.
Medford OR 97501

  -----Original Message-----
  From: Marcel [mailto:[email-masked]]
  Sent: December 29, 2002 9:40 AM
  To: [email-masked]
  Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Iona College remains only fully wireless metropolitan
area campus

  "As far as I know, there is no other college campus in the area that is
  completely wireless, indoors and out," said Dimitris Halaris, Assistant
Vice
  Provost of Information Technology at Iona College.

  "If they do, they will automatically receive a $50 fine, and there is a
$1,800
  replacement cost for lost laptops."

  "The only place that I am aware of it working other than on campus is in
the
  front section of the diner across the street," said Halaris. "The wireless
  signal does stretch beyond the front gates of the school, but it starts to
  weaken as you get further away."

  Maricris SanAntonio, a junior at Iona College, has borrowed the laptops
from
  Ryan Library at least three times this year.

  "I am very pleased with the wireless Internet access because when all of
the
  computers are occupied, I can borrow a laptop and go upstairs in the
library
  where I can study and do my research," said SanAntonio.

  On the other hand, many students are not aware of the wireless Internet
  access and the laptop borrowing. Christina Gashi, a senior at Iona
College,
  had no idea that Iona went wireless or that she could borrow a laptop from
  Ryan Library.

  "I wish I knew about the laptops earlier because the computers are always
  occupied and it would save me time when doing research instead of wasting
  time waiting for a free computer," said Gashi. "Even though I am a senior
  and it is a little late, I am going to try to use the laptops from now
on."

  According to Halaris, Iona's current wireless network runs at speeds of 11
  mbps, and there is a new technology that was just introduced, which runs
at
  54 mbps.

  In the meantime, Iona students and faculty can utilize the wireless
network,
  which is the most recent example of Iona's commitment to help all Iona
  students become skilled with new technology.

http://cnniw.yellowbrix.com/pages/cnniw/Story.nsp?story_id=35476252&ID=cnniw
&scategory=Telecommunications%3AWireless&

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