Concordia University rolls out 802.11n network with full array of services (1)
Roberto Rocha reports at the Gazette about Concordia University’s new wifi network, making them the first Canadian University to implement a 802.11n system.
This is not a simple technical update. Of course, they get now more coverage thanks to longer range, better throughput, and also better data rate, but what was interesting is that the new network comes with a whole range of services. The university is planning to offer outdoor Internet access through a subscription of 9$/month. The service would be accessible to the general public, making them an Internet provider company. Also, Concordia will offer students the option to offload calls from their mobile provider’s network and use instead the Wifi network to receive AND make telephone calls, making the university a VOIP and telecom company. This is done seamlessly, with devices switching to “traditional” telecommunication infrastructure when outside Concordia’s range.
The initiative is significant, as they cater to a 40.000+ population, and have 2 campuses in Montreal. It also gives a glimpse on the future, where we wouldn’t have any distinction between IP and PSTN networks. If universities, companies, and public organizations follow the lead, it would be possible in theory to have a city-wide 802.11n network in Montreal, and citizens could then have ubiquitous Internet and voip access.
After I wrote that article a Concordia journalism student wrote in the following criticism of the network, which I’d like to share with you:
This year, instead of sticking with the tried, tested and true system of entering a username and password when trying to connect, Concordia made us all download SecureW2 to handle the encryption and our info.
Unfortunately, you can’t store your username or password so you have to re-enter it every time.
Let me take you through the steps.
Hopefully, you’re located somewhere where there is a decent wireless signal. You attempt to connect, and if there isn’t a “problem” and the server is “available” then you get prompted to enter your credentials.
Which pops up the SecureW2 dialog box. You enter the username and password and press Ok.
Either Concordia refuses to connect, or even better, it prompts you for credentials. Again. As soon as you press okay.
This can happen 3-4 times in a row. The wireless also boots you off the internet, although you’re usually still connected locally. This happens periodically, for no reason. It can be 2 minutes after you’ve connected, or 30.
Sometimes, it just can’t reconnect, even though it clearly shows a strong wireless signal. Why? Don’t ask me!
Anyway, I am a bit bitter, especially since once you are (finally) connected, your bandwidth is limited. No YouTube or updates. Which is ridiculous since our TV shows are posted on YouTube. And teachers ask us to look stuff up on YouTube. As for updates, the journalism department needs to update some of its computers in the lab, and it would supposedly take 45 minutes just to download the file, which is ridiculous.
I’m not the only one having this problem, other students using different OS have it too… And while the journalism building is pretty bad (one of the worst, I’ve heard), the rest of the school isn’t much better.
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