September 2005 — Applications
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Big Dreams, Small Budget
Charleston Southern cuts its cords and costs by moving to a campuswide wireless solution.
Many colleges and universities are
“cutting the cord” — implementing
wireless networks that
allow students and faculty to knock down
traditional classroom walls and access the
Internet from classrooms, libraries,
eateries, and living areas. But is wireless an
option for small schools with small
budgets? Absolutely.
Charleston Southern University (SC), a four-year liberal arts school and one of South Carolina’s largest accredited universities, worked with technology partner CDW Government Inc. (CDW-G; www.cdwg.com) to select technology products that would make the university’s wireless dream a reality.
In spring 2000, CSU’s Management Information Systems (MIS) team considered upgrading its dial-up network to improve connectivity campwide. More than 1,000 residential students attending CSU often encountered busy signals and slow connections when trying to access the network. Wishing to keep pace with rapidly evolving network technology and offer improved Internet access, CSU initiated a project that would provide a more productive learning environment.
Expanding CSU’s dial-up system would cost more than $80,000 and would provide only temporary relief. Another option—even more costly at over $500,000—was to re-cable the building using Category 5 cable, but this would require pulling Ethernet cables into every residence hall room. Ultimately, CSU was determined that a wireless network would be more cost-effective and could offer the speed and scalability required to serve the needs of students and faculty.
Unveiling the Improved Network
CSU and CDW-G worked together to select the best technologies for a pilot program, and by the summer of 2000, the technology team installed the first Proxim (www.proxim.com) access point in a residence hall. The equipment needed to test the new technology cost only $2,000. For several months, 10 trial students reported on connectivity,uptime, and speed. The trial was successful, and demand from the general university population grew. CSU’s cabinet then approved a $220,000 program to equip all residence halls with wireless technology.
“This was an investment in the university’s future at a cost savings of over $250,000,” reports Tony Boone, a wireless administrator at CSU.
CDW-G provided products and technology expertise, helping to develop a functioning network. CSU’s MIS team selected Proxim Wi-Fi access points, 3Com (www.3com.com) network switches, and more than 350 client cards for students. As student demand grew, CSU secured 1,000 more cards. The team also hired a full-time technician to maintain the system and provide student support. The new network kept phone lines free, provided much higher connection speeds, and linked all residence hall students to the Net simultaneously.
