CSULB
testing ground for thought of CSU system
By Brian Brannon
On-line Forty-Niner
Someday,
every campus in the California State University
system will allow students to attend classes
on a laptop while sitting under a tree.
Currently, Cal State Long Beach is the testing
ground to prove that a wireless campus is
feasible.
“Basically, we’re like the model CSU system
to implement this,” said Liem Nguyen, equipment
specialist for CSULB academic computer systems.
There are two wireless computer labs now
on campus. Since the access points are located
indoors, the range is only about 50 to 250
feet, which is sufficient for computer lab
use. But when access points are installed
outdoors, the range will increase to 500
to 1,000 feet.
Each access point transmits 1.3 megabytes,
approximately the same amount of data a
floppy disk holds, of bandwidth via radio
waves per second. However, the amount of
bandwidth available to each user decreases
in inverse proportion to the amount of users
logged on at one time. As the number of
access points on campus increase, the available
bandwidth will also increase.
Though utilizing cutting-edge technology,
the wireless labs can actually save the
university money, Nguyen said. Most campus
computer labs have 25 to 30 desktop workstations
for classes that normally have between 15
and 20 students.
“You waste like 10 computers per class,”
said Tom Nguyen, equipment specialist for
CSULB academic computer systems.
The wireless labs allow students to bring
their own laptops or check-out laptops as
needed. The laptops themselves cost approximately
$2,000 each, while the cart used to store
and recharge them costs about $5,000.
As the model system, CSULB is ironing out
the bugs while encouraging faculty to implement
hybrid classrooms which combine traditional
teaching techniques with internet chat rooms.
The goal is to expand the program and add
access points until the entire campus, indoors
and out, is wireless.
“The biggest advantage of this is we’re
going to have wireless throughout the campus,”
Tom Nguyen said. “If you sit down under
a tree, or anywhere else, you’re going to
have wireless.
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