Soaring wireless Internet usage prevented some students from logging on to the Web in Alden Library earlier this quarter — a trend put to an end last week by the Office of Information Technology.
After installing an update to the building’s wireless Internet system, OIT virtually erased a capacity limit, a restraint that plagued the old system earlier in April.
“People should be able to get on (to the Internet) any time now without a problem,” said Sean O’Malley, OU’s Information Technology communications manager. “(The new system) is using a different technology as far as how it manages the users. It’s been engineered to handle a lot more capacity than we’re currently seeing.”
Before the NextGen wireless system was launched, the wireless Internet in Alden had a capacity of 400 users.
“It was getting progressively more common for the capacity to get full,” O’Malley said. “We’ve been seeing wireless usage going up every year, and this year is by far the most usage we’ve seen, and especially this quarter.”
This year’s spike might be partly because more students carry multiple Wi-Fi devices with them, O’Malley said.
Alden rolled out the new wireless system four days ahead of schedule because Internet access in the library was hitting its limit out so frequently, said Scott Seaman, dean of Ohio University libraries.
“We were getting a lot of feedback when people were not able to get on to the Internet to do work,” Seaman said. “The assumption has always been that the Internet in the library is ubiquitous, that it never runs out.”
OU’s new wireless system, which will eliminate the need to log on to separate systems in each building on campus, is scheduled to be available on all campuses by 2014.
The pilot project for the NextGen system began Monday and includes Baker University Center, Alden, Stocker Center, the Computer Services Center and the West Union Street Office Center, according to OU’s website.
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