File photoSenior Brent Neely tests out the new Wi-Fi in the Mann Student Center.

File photo
Senior Brent Neely tests out the new Wi-Fi in the Mann Student Center.

New Wi-Fi on ENC’s campus was introduced at the start of the fall semester.

Shane Ringer, a new full-time hire at the ITS Help Desk, started and led the project to upgrade Wi-Fi in the dorms.

“Shane worked to get the project completed in under a month through coordinated efforts [with] ITS employee David Kingsley,” Chief Information Officer Charlie Burt said.

Ringer added, “All existing dorm wireless access points were replaced, new cabling work completed, and the total number of access points nearly doubled. This should provide much improved coverage.”

Sophomore Alexis Young seems to be enjoying the new and improved Wi-Fi. “[ENC’s Wi-Fi] works better than last year, and it is faster. It actually works in my dorm room [this year],” she said.

Ringer also pointed out that “firmware updates were applied to the legacy wireless access points on campus to create a single ‘ENC’ wireless network. We also added new units in some high traffic locations, such as [the] Mann Student Center and Lahue [PE Center].”

Despite the improvements, some students are still having difficulty connecting to the new Wi-Fi.

“[The Wi-Fi] has been off and on. I have just been using my Ethernet cord,” sophomore Melissa Duxbury said.

Senior Ellen Wheeler is having more trouble connecting to the internet this year than others.

“I have always had difficulty with ENC’s Wi-Fi, but this year has been far worse than any other,” Wheeler said. “It’s extremely unreliable, even with an Ethernet … I’ve been in several classes where the teacher has struggled to sustain a connection long enough to teach what they planned to, and many of my friends have had similar difficulties.”

Wheeler is not so sure that the updated Wi-Fi was worth the trouble.

“I understand trying to update the internet situation at school, but unless the updates made are actually an improvement, then it is only making the problem worse,” Wheeler said.

Burt advised that “if you can’t get on the ENC network, let [ITS] know because we may not be aware of an issue affecting your particular device.”

“Whenever new systems are implemented, it is natural to repeat a cycle of finding and correcting issues before everything works smoothly,” Burt added.

“When the next two phases are approved, we will be replacing wireless access points in the remaining buildings, common areas, and classrooms for improved Wi-Fi access in the classroom,” Burt said.