Wireless Networking for the Residences: All Undergraduate Residences Now Covered
by Ethan Rikleen
Over the past few years, Residential Computing has been working with Networking Systems (part of IT Services) to add wireless networking to the on-campus student residences. This wireless coverage has been added without specific funding, one residence at a time, as situations have allowed.
In the past year, we have managed to add several new locations, and as of last quarter all undergraduate residences now have some form of wireless coverage! Wireless coverage in the Graduate residences is up to 58 percent, with service to 800 more students added, as well as partial coverage in several undocumented locations.
Here is the story of our journey through each of the new locations.
The Suites
Towards the end of last winter, a powerful "phased array" antenna was installed by Networking staff on the roof of the Lyman Apartments and pointed at the Suites. Such antennae can potentially cover residences and outdoor areas without the installation of untold interior wireless access points, and the Suites installation was to be a pilot. The installation was a long time in coming, and promptly after completion the manufacturer went out of business. Nonetheless, the antenna continues to function and Networking staff has been working to fine tune the system and fill the holes in coverage.
Roble Hall and Durand House
Roble Hall underwent the final phase of its renovation by Student Housing this summer, and as such was brought up to current standards, including a permanent wireless infrastructure. Such an installation is composed of numerous wireless access points mounted in hallways near the ceilings. This requires a decent amount of wiring (and thus a decent amount of funding), but provides consistent and thorough coverage, even during the summer when most residences are occupied by conferences or summer programs. Previously, Roble only had coverage in the common areas. Similarly, this quarter Durand House reopened after renovation with normal coverage. Before that, Durand had temporary student-placed access points.
Mirrielees Apartments, Toyon Hall, and the Escondido Village Studios
With funding from the Telecommunication Fee, Residential Computing was also able to add permanent wireless infrastructure to Mirrielees, Toyon, and the EV Studios, starting in the late spring. Fortunately, the project could be piggy-backed onto IT Services' wireless project in the academic buildings, using Residential Computing funding with IT Services' already assigned and hired project managers and contractors. Sites were selected where the largest number of students could be served with the smallest amount of effort, complexity, and time. The EV studios are linear and similar to one another, Mirrielees has twelve more or less identical halls, and Toyon is consistent in layout and quite like Branner Hall, which already had thorough coverage to model after. Mirielees, Toyon, and the EV Studios house roughly 1500 students.
Governer's Corner Independent Houses
This year, the Independent Houses (EAST, Murray, and Yost), were given the same temporary wireless coverage that exists on the Row. Wireless access points, configured and managed by Networking staff, were given to the Resident Computer Consultants to place as they saw fit, suiting the peculiarities of each house. The houses are technically dorms as they have Resident Fellows and are not student managed (EAST has a kitchen manager). However, in many ways they feel like Row houses and can be treated as such.
Lagunita Court
In Fall Quarter, using its portion of the Telecommunication Fee, Networking Systems addressed the residential wings of Lagunita Court, with coverage in the dining halls coming soon. Lagunita's unique construction - two sprawling stories sandwiched between extensive basements and attics - allowed coverage without having to touch the exposed interior of the historic building, which was built in 1933. This approach was cheaper and less invasive than that applied in other residences.
What's Next?
While we are quite pleased to reach the milestone of service in all undergraduate residences, our work is hardly done. Our focus going forward will be on the graduate residences, filling coverage holes in completed residences, and installing permanent wireless infrastructure in residences that have temporary coverage. Credit is owed to Gene Yep and Drew Norris at Networking Systems, who manage the huge residential network along with Residential Computing staff, and have consistently worked to bring wireless to the residences. See also Stanford Wireless Network: A Status Report in this issue.
