LEANN BURKE / THE DEPAUW
The connection chronicles on campus have evolved. Since the beginning of the semester campus wireless systems have changed. Many students, however, are frustrated with the connections on campus.
Previously, there were two wireless networks available. If students, faculty, staff or guests wanted to connect to the Internet on campus, one would use DPU_Wireless and DPU_Secure. Both offered the same connection and same services; the only difference was the requirement of a username and password to use DPU_Secure.
The changes began on January 12 when the Help Desk sent an email to students, faculty, and staff detailing the new system. It announced that DPU_Wireless would be deactivated on February 10. If anyone wanted to continue to utilize the services previously available through that network, their only option would be DPU_Secure.
What functions are there that are unique to DPU_Secure and its retired companion DPU_Wireless? It is only through these networks that students, faculty and staff are able to utilize wireless printing associated with DePauw’s network of printers. Those networks must also be used to access network drives, which are essential to participation in some classes.
Why was the change made? The data that passes through an unsecured (no username and password required) network such as DPU_Wireless or DPU_Guest is susceptible to viewing by anyone on the network, which can lead to data theft. In addition to the limited number of people who can access DPU_Secure (only those with a DePauw account), data that passes through this network is encrypted, making it much harder for data theft to occur.
First-year Sarah Pearson likes that the secure network is available.
“I feel safer with the secure because scammers won’t be able to come and attack the students,” Pearson said.
Though the benefits of DPU_Secure seem to abound, many around campus are having difficulty connecting to that network, leaving them unable to access its unique functions. This has been the cause of much frustration and incomplete work.
First-year Abigail Martin is among those having trouble completing work due to campus Wifi issues. “It’s really frustrating,” she said. “We have homework that’s due at midnight and because of the Wifi, I can’t always get it turned in.”
The staff of the IT Help Desk are also somewhat frustrated that people are not able to connect properly. They have had lots of people coming to them seeking for their help in order to connect to DPU_Secure.
The IT Help Desk has also held many open labs and distributed many emails over the past few weeks trying to help students, faculty and staff connect to the Wifi. Two more open labs are on the schedule for next week.
Even the staff admits that the transition did no go as smoothly as it could have.
“Maybe they should have made sure everyone could connect to Secure before retiring Wireless,” said junior and student director Trevor Warfield.
The good news is that the number of people experiencing issues decreases every day.
“There have been very few people who we can’t help who come to see us,” Warfield says.
For some students, the frustration lies not with the inability to connect, but rather that the system as a whole is not on par with where it should be. Junior Drew Warner agrees.
“There’s such a strong academic focus, so Wifi needs to be one of the top priorities. It doesn’t make sense why it isn’t top quality like everything else it at this school,” he said.