Wireless Network Pilot at The Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre
Summary
Wireless networking is beginning to gain momentum for the connection of users requiring access to
computer networks. The University of Melbourne – Information Division,
recognises the potential of this type of networking service as being of value to the
University community and is exploring options with various pilot programs.
The student wireless pilot in the Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre, aims to prove
that the technology is useful to University students and staff by gauging uptake and feedback. The trial
is provided at no cost to the individual student or staff member and is run in an controlled environment. The wireless pilot
also aims to demonstrate that the technology is easy to deploy and is reliable.
What is a Wireless Network ?
In the Universities context, a wireless network is the provision of connections to the
University’s computer network without the use of data wires from individual
computers. Computers, typically laptops, use a wireless network card in their
PCMCIA slot which establishes a connection, in open air to a base station. The base station(s)
which are physically connected to the
network, manage connections to multiple wireless network cards.
Why Wireless ?
Developments in technology and the availability of
technology has meant the demands on availability of computing resources to
support teaching and research are intense. Wireless networking allows for the
rapid deployment of computer network access and the potential for a new range
of flexible teaching methodologies.
Uses for wireless networking include; flexible learning and
teaching environments, portable classrooms and seminar rooms, seamless campus
roaming, flexible computing for temporary student enrolments, registrations and
other events, deployment in unwired areas such as halls, conference venues,
cafeterias and athletic
ovals; field studies requiring ad hoc peer to peer and network connections,
hard to wire locations (i.e. Historic Buildings, or buildings with safety issues), disaster
recovery of wired networks and providing point to point building links.
Pilot Details
The initial pilot provides wireless network
cards to users with their own laptop computers within the Percy Baxter Collaborative Learning Centre,
level 1 Baillieu Library. It is anticipated that the pilot
will be deployed in semester 2, 2001 and conclude in October 2001. It is hoped to
gain feedback from users about the ease of use and usefulness,
as well as where users would like to see it implemented. The trial is
only available to University students and staff. This trial is brought to you by University of Melbourne
– Information Division, through the departments of Teaching Learning & Research Support
and Systems and IT Infrastructure.
Technical Details
Equipment selected for the trial is the
Orinoco AP-1000 access point base station, Silver Orinoco network
cards with 64 bit encryption. All equipment complying to IEEE standard 802.11b and
WiFi (The Standard for Wireless Fidelity).
Information Division