Wireless network ensures internet access on campus

Charles Sturt University, one of Australia’s largest regional universities, is rolling out a $2 million Motorola wireless network to ensure blanket access to the internet and online university resources for more than 11,000 staff and students at its campuses and student residences.

The network was designed by Motorola in conjunction with Cirrus Communications, and combines 802.11n indoor, outdoor and mesh technology, along with Motorola’s AirDefense security, to give the university the capacity, speed, range and security it needs to give its students anytime, anywhere online connectivity, regardless of the access device. It also includes technology that accounts for high wireless access density - in crowded lecture halls.

Phillip Roy, Director Operations, Division of Information Technology, CSU, says that without a new network, the university would not be able to take full advantage of next-generation mobile digital learning applications that form the foundation of learning resources, both on and off campus.

“Our experience of wireless networking in the past could be summed up as ad hoc, meaning access was limited to certain hotspots and varied depending on the campus - even the location within individual campuses.

“This new network will give us blanket wireless coverage, not only across all the campuses, but both indoors and outdoors, and extend to adjoining student residences as well. It will also significantly increase the speed and reliability of wireless access on campus.”

Roy says CSU wanted to cater for the large number of different devices that students use to consume and share online content, including smartphones, mobiles, laptops, tablets and more.

“Not only did we want the network to be fast and easily accessible, it also had to be versatile enough to deliver high-speed services irrespective of the access device.

“I’m happy to say that Motorola and Cirrus pleasantly surprised us with the maturity of the final design.”

Cirrus Communications’ Chief Executive Officer, Dr Eric Heyde, says CSU’s geography presented specific challenges for the design team.

“Because the university is so spread out, we had to plan for different access densities to ensure consistent performance in all areas,” says Heyde.

“While density is typically not an issue in light traffic areas, the high number of concurrent devices that would connect to the network in, say, a crowded lecture hall, needed to be accounted for and managed.

“High density can often result in bottlenecks for wireless networks. Motorola’s technology ensures that won’t happen in CSU’s lecture halls,” said Heyde.