The Arrival of Wireless-N
Wireless networks continue to grow in popularity as more and more users take advantage of the freedom of working on anything anywhere that they have a wireless signal. Still, as many of you have found, there are limitations to that “anything- anywhere” statement. There are limitations to streaming video, voice-over IP technologies that allow you to do live voice and video chat, and the limitation that very rarely do you ever see the 54MBit/sec. (mega-bits per second) that a lot of hot-spots promise. None of these things have really hindered you from setting up at your favorite coffee shop or local bakery to knock out a term paper, do some research, or just relax and surf the web. However, wouldn’t it be nice if you could do everything that you would like to do on a wireless network?
The current wireless network standard, 802.11G, has served the technology community well. It has grown interest in wireless usage and shown computer users the value of not being bound by a network cable to an old-fashioned desk. As technology tends to do, the wireless experience is once again changing with the introduction of 802.11N. Wireless-N is the newest upgrade in wireless technology and is showing great potential to vastly improve the wireless experience.
What does this mean for you?
802.11N offers faster download speeds and a connection that keeps up with your streaming videos and live voice/video calls back home. Wireless-N uses a more advanced method of sending and receiving data through the use of multiple antennas. Most G-Wireless networks that advertise speeds of 54Mbit/sec. actually only achieve speeds around 24Mbit/sec. Those speeds continue to drop as more users access the same access point. So far, Wireless-N has been tested in real-world environments with speeds around the 100-140Mbit/sec. range. Along with the better connection speeds, Wireless-N also offers a larger broadcast range which translates to better wireless coverage than the current G-Wireless networks.
Liberty University is in the process of upgrading our wireless network to support Wireless-N. Towards the beginning of the Spring 2009 semester, a new wireless network will be visible to you when you are connecting to the Liberty Network. This network will be available to all users who have wireless network cards that are N-Compatible. The introduction of Wireless-N to Liberty’s campus will start in the dorms first, but Information Services will be upgrading the wireless access points all across campus in the coming months.
Do I have to have Wireless-N?
Wireless- N is not a requirement to work on Liberty’s network. Liberty’s new Wireless-N access points will be backwards compatible to support 802.11B/G wireless cards, which is the standard that most computers currently have. With that said, you will need a Wireless-N network card to be able to access the Wireless-N connection. If you don’t have a Wireless-N network card, you can buy one at most tech-stores like Best Buy, Staples, Circuit City, etc.
More to Come
The move to Wireless-N will greatly improve your wireless experience and will hopefully provide you what you need to earn your degree. Information Services is constantly working to improve your experience on the network and will continue to look for new and better ways for you to access the resources you need. Stay tuned as we will be making this change in the coming weeks and months.
