Despite ongoing student complaints about weak wifi access in campus apartments, Infrastructure Services says that there is no problem with college’s internet network and advises students to discontinue use of devices that cause network interruptions.

Since the start of the semester, students have expressed concerns about the wifi in residences and other buildings on campus.

“I’ve never had wifi as bad as it is in Goodyear,” said Isabel Harrison ’16, a Goodyear resident.

Goodyear resident Dongteng Kuang ’18 agreed.

“Whenever I’m playing video games online, I always get disconnected because my computer tries to find a new network,” he said.

On Sept. 7, students living in Goodyear received an email from the Residential Community Director, Amanda George, stating that “there are at least 20 unauthorized wireless access points set up in Goodyear causing interference.”

Dickinson College policy states that personal internet routers and wireless printers are not allowed on campus.

Kevin Truman, director of Infrastructure Systems, explains that personal routers and wireless printers interfere with campus wifi because they share the same frequencies. Truman says that students “exacerbate network problems by bringing in those items.” Truman claims there are 19 college wireless access points in Goodyear, and each one allows 20 to 25 devices to be connected. He believes that the wifi trouble students are experiencing “is not a problem with the campus network,” but rather student-bought routers and wireless printers.

“We have more than sufficient coverage in all of the campus buildings to serve the users we have on campus,” Truman said. He explained that his team monitors the campus network every day and that they “do not see problems with the network infrastructure itself.”

Sarah Wakefield ’16 says that her wifi in Goodyear seems to work well.

“Sometimes it might go in and out but I reconnect and it’s fine,” she said.  “For any wifi, if there are a lot of people on it at once it’s a little slow, but I’ve never had any problems with it.”

Students who live in other campus housing have also experienced difficulties with the Dickinson wifi. Grace Mulcahy ’16 said that her wifi connection in the Factory Apartments has “never been this bad before.”

Katie Wenger ’16 lives in the Delta Nu house on High Street, where she  has noticed weak wifi this year.

“This year has been the worst Dickinson wifi year I think ever,” Wenger said. “When you’re in your room you expect for it to be able to work and for you to be able to submit assignments on time.”

Wifi in other areas of campus has also caused a headache for students.  Harrison explained that when the wifi cuts out in her room, she relies on other campus buildings. Mulcahy said that during busy times on campus, such as common hour in the dining hall, the wifi is unreliable.

Truman asserts that the real issue with the campus network is unauthorized routers and wireless printers.

“These devices. . . will not function on our campus wireless network, so they should not be activated. They are consumer products meant to be used in a home environment and not on an enterprise level network,” he said.

Wireless usage policies used to be covered in orientation. However, Truman does not mind responding to student complaints about the network because the conversations are an opportunity to educate students about the network policies.

Information about the college’s network and wireless policies can be found on the LIS website under “Technology Policies.”