Wireless Service Update
As you may have experienced, connecting to the wireless network (Wi-Fi) has been increasingly tricky this semester. Several incidents have impacted the service, and we are also seeing a change in usage coming out of the pandemic.
Early in the fall semester, connectivity appeared normal. Usage was as expected, and support requests were focused on the normal uptick of new devices and new students connecting for the first time.
By mid-September, support requests started to change. More students and faculty could not execute exams or complete online assignments while in the classroom. This is an especially important and significant usage change from prior semesters.
Analysis of the access issues points to the fact that our wireless usage has changed and we need to make adjustments to adapt. Faculty and students are continuing to utilize electronic systems as they did when we were all fully remote. For example, we didn’t see as many in-classroom online exams as pre-pandemic. Now, we are seeing more in-classroom online connectivity. In other words, we’ve brought the need to be remotely connected into a face-to-face experience.
So, now what?
Our three-phase plan:
Add wireless access points where demand has increased. We currently have almost 1500 access points on campus and we plan to increase to 2000 by the end of Spring semester.
Expand bandwidth to meet demand. Hardware upgrades are scheduled for early January 2023.
Reconfigure the service to accommodate for future growth. This is currently underway and will occur over the next 15 months.
We expect to stabilize and strengthen the environment so teaching and learning can continue. Please continue to report service issues to support@mnstate.edu.