| 1. |
How
do I connect to wireless?
You must register
your MAC address and enter the encryption key
to access WCU Wireless.
|
| 2. |
Why
would I want to connect to the wireless network?
Prowl gives you the freedom to move around campus
while maintaining an active Internet connection.
You can do research, download your homework, and
check your e-mail whenever you're near the wireless
network.
|
| 3. |
Can my wireless card only be used
at Western?
WCU utilizes the 802.11b standard, meaning the
card can be used on other wireless networks. Many
home routers (used with cable modems) are shipping
with wireless capability. Other universities are
starting to implement wireless networks as well.
|
| 4. |
How much does it cost?
Wireless is a free service to all Western students,
faculty, and staff.
|
| 5. |
Why did the
division of IT choose the IEEE 802.11b standard
for wireless, rather than any of the other competing
wireless technologies?
802.11b is a proven, award-winning technology that
is widely available on the market today. While other
wireless standards promise superior performance
in comparison, many of these are either still in
development or are just entering production, and
so are not yet suitable for deployment on the sort
of scale that WCU requires. As wireless networking
technology continues to advance, the division of
IT will of course look for ways to improve performance and usability. Because of the popularity
of 802.11b wireless networking, developers of other
technologies are making every effort to ensure backwards
compatibility or dual-mode interoperability between
802.11b devices and their own. Therefore, when Prowl
is upgraded to a next-generation wireless technology
base, the network will remain accessible to users
with 802.11b-compatible devices, allowing them to
migrate to the newer technology at their own pace.
|
| 6. |
Will the signal travel through walls?
Yes. wireless uses radio waves, which can pass through
glass and standard walls. It can also travel around
corners, so you can still receive a signal on the
other side of a more solid barrier (metal and cement
are harder for the 2.4GHz signal to penetrate).
|
| 7. |
How fast is the wireless network?
Prowl operates at 11Mbps signaling rate. Actual
throughput will be less, just like 10Mbps Ethernet
throughput is less than 10 Mbps. Actual speeds will
vary, based on the size and source of the file,
network traffic, and your proximity to the access
point.
|
| 8. |
How does the wireless Ethernet card
affect my laptop's battery.
Like any electronic component, the Ethernet card
will drain power from your battery. They should
have less than a 10% impact on battery life. The
average current required to be able to receive packets
using PSP (Power Save Protocol) is less than 60
mA (about 25% of the power consumption of a 10/100
PC Card).
|
| 9. |
Does WCU wireless use Bluetooth?
No. Bluetooth is a 1Mbps (Megabits per second) standard
for connecting small devices in close proximity,
like connecting a palmtop computer to a cell phone.
WCU uses IEEE 802.11b, or Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity)
as it is also called, which connects users to Ethernet
compatible computer networks at 11Mbps.
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