Gerald Patriarca Freshman Joe Seisa logs on to SPU-Wireless at Otto Miller Hall, one of the many wireless access points offered around campus.

Wireless Internet access is spreading throughout the campus, helping students finish tasks on laptops and other portable computers, while keeping them free from a desk.

Not very many students know where wireless access is available around campus. Mike Dunphy from Computer and Information Systems (CIS) said only about 10 wireless devices are logged onto the network at a time.

Dunphy said wireless Internet, also known as hotspots, is for access without using hard wires. It transfers data over radio waves and routes the data from your wireless card to the access point, which is connected to the Internet. "It's like a wired point, but over the air," Dunphy said.

According to the CIS website, wireless access is currently available at Otto Miller Hall, the SUB, the Science Building, Weter, the library, and most recently, Peterson Hall. Assistant director of CIS Gerard Duguay said Martin Square is also a hotspot.

SPU's wireless network is tri-mode said Duguay. That means it works with 802.11a, b and g wireless cards. Both Windows XP and Macintosh OSX are supported.

If you choose to go wireless, Dunphy said there are no specific cards which are recommended. However, if you decide to go wireless and your laptop isn't equipped internally, Dunphy recommends sticking with name brands such as Linksys and Netgear to ensure compatibility.

Duguay backs Dunphy's advice. Duguay recommends cards in the $70 range. He said you can get something real cheap, but you would spend more time with the help desk, since "the quality of the antenna is real big." Duguay added, "I think you get what you pay for."

Instructions for wireless internet users: -Connect to the 'SPU-Wireless access point; -Log in with your SPU network username (e-mail) and password) -Follow the detailed instructions for downloading, installing and configuring the "Perfigo Client" IPSec software. Duguay said there is a way to check if your computer has wireless. Windows XP users should right-click 'My Computer' on the 'Start' Menu, click 'Manage,' select 'Device Manager' and expand 'Network Adapters'. If your computer is equipped with a wireless adapter, it should appear in the drop-down menu. Macintosh users should look in the Network Control Panel. From blue posters at hotspots

Duguay said wireless cards are available at local retailers such as Best Buy and Fry's. He recommends tri-mode cards to ensure compatibility with all current wireless networks.

Although the CIS website claims 802.11b will be eliminated by next year, Duguay and Dunphy said presently, there are no plans to remove it.

Freshman Joe Seisa said he just started using wireless access to conduct research. He said accessing the Internet is easy after downloading the program required to access SPU-Wireless, Perfigo.

Dunphy said Perfigo is used to encrypt the network, ensuring the safety of the users who are logged on.

Dunphy mentioned SPU has never had an incident where security was compromised. A virtual private network (VPN) provides a line of defense against would-be hackers, supplying 128 bits of encryption to the Perfigo user.

Duguay backed up Dunphy's safety claim. Thanks to Perfigo, Duguay said the wireless connection offered at SPU is more secure than the wired equivalent.

Despite the greater security Perfigo delivers at SPU, many still connect using an Ethernet cable, but consider using wireless access for the convenience.

Freshman Kristin Nygaard said she doesn't have wireless access on her laptop, but thinks about getting one of the three cards because of the convenience it offers. "I don't like to stay in my room to type papers," Nygaard said.

Several students said, despite the lack of advertising for SPU-Wireless, they would like to see it in more generalized and common locations.

Most would like to have wireless access in residence hall commons. Seisa is one of those students. Seisa said Ashton Hall offers laptop computer space, but lacks wireless access. He added wireless would be more convenient in dorms, because some places can get rather noisy.

Katie Takahashi, freshman, would also like to see wireless Internet available in the study areas of the dorms. "I would support it just because it would make [accessing the Internet] so much easier."

"Take, for example, if your roommate was taking a nap and you needed to get on the Internet," Takahashi said. "You could just take it to the lounge and log on." She added that, currently, to get online without wireless access at other locations, "I always have to bring my little cable with me."

Gwinn Commons is another place many students would like to see a hotspot.

Nygaard said she would enjoy a more relaxed place to study. "Gwinn would be cool, because I really like casual settings to do homework," she said.

Seisa agrees. "It'd be sweet to have a hotspot in Gwinn."

Takahashi thinks adding a hotspot in Gwinn isn't enough. Takahashi said, "I think that the whole campus should have wireless Internet." Takahashi thinks tuition is high enough and added, "I think us students [should be] entitled to any convenience we want."

Wireless Internet access at SPU is slowly evolving, with more hotspots on the way. Duguay said Gwinn will become a hotspot in the near future.

Residence halls will also turn into hotspots, but will be limited to commons areas. "Since each student has access [in their room], there's no need for wireless," Dunphy said.

Many students have personal access points in their dorms to take advantage of wireless access. According to Dunphy, since these access points don't use Perfigo, "we request that everyone have some sort of encryption enabled."

In addition to encryption, Dunphy recommends students use a firewall. He suggests the firewall Microsoft includes with Windows XP, however, third party firewalls work as well.

The convenience of wireless Internet access comes with a price.

Duguay said he was recently in Peterson Hall when his connection was disconnected due to a microwave oven. 802.11b uses 2.4 GHz technology, which it shares with microwaves and cordless telephones he said. 802.11a and g are on the 5 GHz frequency, which isn't as commonly used by today's cordless devices.

Seisa said that, despite the fact he's keeping Windows updated regularly, he has his doubts about security at wireless access in places other than SPU.

Dunphy said in unsecured locations outside of campus, wireless Internet does compromise security.