University of Memphis students should notice a difference in their wireless internet on campus this semester. Information Technology Services (ITS) updated the Wi-Fi system over the summer to improve data speed and internet security around campus.
Associate Chief Information Officer Robert Johnson was involved in the process of upgrading the Wi-Fi. He said there was a need for users to stay connected in multiple places on campus.
“The purpose for the Wi-Fi is to enable ambiguous computing so that people can use their phone, laptops or other devices while moving,” Johnson said.
The Wi-Fi upgrade will allow devices such as computers, smartphones and tablets to connect faster with better security through the new login method.
“We updated the Wi-Fi because it was an older set of equipment and needed be moved to something more modern, something easier to support and keep secure,” Johnson said.
The ITS also has a call center with workers around the clock who assist students with issues involving their devices on campus.
According to Johnson, the Wi-Fi system is updated every seven years. Since the upgrade, Johnson noticed “the speed, manageability, security and all those aspects have improved.”
U of M students must sign in with their U of M username and password to access the Wi-Fi. There is also a guest network for non-students to use wireless internet while on campus.
The updated Wi-Fi system will allow users to download or upload documents faster than ever. Some students and faculty members seem split on whether the update is more effective than the old system.
U of M student Tyese Madison, a pre-nursing major, was aware of how the speed on her device moved quicker than it did before the upgrade.
“I can tell how my phone uploads any picture fast,” Madison said. “For non-students that be on campus, I’ve heard that it is much slower than accessing the normal student Wi-Fi.”
Madison also said she thinks the university should update the system year-round in order to keep the Wi-Fi connection strong.
