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College of William and Mary: Wireless Access Aids Displaced Students
3/25/2003
The IT team decided that a wireless local area network (WLAN) would be the most efficient and appropriate solution, and completed a site survey to determine the scope of their wireless needs. "After scouting the area, we discovered that we could physically see the roof of a large residence hall on the main campus from one of the buildings we were leasing at the Inn," adds Fenstermacher. "Unfortunately, we could also see several power lines and a very active railroad track in between, which compromised the clear line of sight we needed."
Working with the Inn, W&M surveyed the tallest Inn building and discovered a clear line of sight to the residence hall back on campus. However, the school was not leasing this particular building, and needed a way to connect the two leased buildings with the Inn's tallest facility. To solve the problem, W&M centralized all of the Category 5 network cabling for each of their leased rooms to two locations. Then, it located a conduit that joined them to the Inn building, which provided the critical line of site connection for the wireless antennas.
Once the Inn was ready, W&M evaluated wireless equipment vendors. The university had previously reviewed wireless products from a variety of vendors for other wireless projects. This allowed them to quickly select Enterasys Networks' RoamAbout R2 wireless access platform for its reputation for reliability, security, and high performance, as well as Enterasys' ability to deliver the equipment on-site quickly.
W&M used six RoamAbout Access Points, three at each end, to create three clear channels. Each of these channels would provide access for one-third of the users. Installation of the antenna was accomplished by installing a portable frame on top of the Governor's Inn and "banding" another set of antennas on one of the residence hall's chimneys. The electronics were housed in waterproof boxes and stationed on the roof of the Inn, and the Ethernet dropped down to a storage closet where fiber converters were installed. On campus, the connections were a bit easier because the wireless antennas were close to the residence hall's attic, which allowed for convenient equipment storage.
Off-Campus Success
The results were outstanding. All three wireless channels came online two days
before the students arrived and worked flawlessly until they were removed two
days before Christmas. No downtime occurred, and the number of service calls
received from the Inn was below the average for the on-campus residence halls.
Despite heavy rainstorms, high winds, and electrical storms, there were no disruptions
to the wireless connection during the entire fall semester.
"The students were able to enjoy the same resources and tools as the rest of the on-campus students. They could collaborate with classmates over a particular issue in their studies, check course syllabi for new assignments, and e-mail papers to professors. In addition, like many college students who study late into the night, the Inn students could conduct research from the comfort of their rooms, rather than having to walk across town in the middle of the night to the library," explains Fenstermacher. "Most importantly, the students experienced no downtime and had reliable access to college resources as if they had been living on campus the entire time."
With its mission complete and the 400 students now enjoying on-campus housing, W&M's IT staff re-deployed the RoamAbout equipment in other campus facilities. The College of William and Mary, already a wireless user before the residence hall situation, is more enthusiastic than ever about the benefits of wireless networking. It may soon take its wireless coverage campuswide, making the institution one of America's most historic and technically advantaged.
For more information contact Scott Fenstermacher, Network Manager, College of William and Mary, at dsfens@wm.edu.
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