Colorado State Upgrades WiFi to 802.11n
Colorado State University is deploying 802.11n WiFi throughout several buildings at its Fort Collins, CO campus, with plans for expansion in 2010.
The deployment, using Xirrus 802.11abg+n arrays, will include the new Computer Science Building, the Morgan Library, the Andrew G. Clark Building, and the Academic Learning Center. there are also plans to expand the deployment in the future at the 90,000-square-foot Academic Instruction Building, which is under construction and expected to be completed in 2010.
"We have had a Wi-Fi network with hundreds of APs for some time, but some of these traditional APs were being saturated as more and more students brought in Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, PDAs, and phones," said Greg Redder, interim director of networking at Colorado State, in a statement released today. "Throwing more and more APs at the problem in some of these facilities was ineffective and costly, so we looked around for an alternative wireless solution--something that could support dozens to hundreds of concurrent users and supply enough bandwidth to meet current and future needs."
Redder said Colorado State invited Xirrus to its campus to demonstrate the technology. Using a single AP, the "Wi-Fi Array supported over 200 concurrent users without blinking an eye. This scenario fit well with some of our larger and more concentrated locations on campus. Thus, we are rolling Xirrus 802.11n Arrays across several high capacity buildings, including the newest building on our campus--the Computer Science Building, a four-storey, 45,000 square foot facility, [comprising] classrooms, lecture halls, three student labs, faculty offices and large meeting areas."
Colorado State serves about 25,000 students and employs about 1,450 faculty members.