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The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and
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The SIU Network Engineering Team is currently building a wireless network that they hope will give as many laptop computers as possible Internet access, without all of the pesky cables.
"SIU is wanting to go wireless in as many buildings as cost will allow," said Jeff Duke, assistant director of the Student Center.
According to Scott Smith, network engineer IV at SIU, while Lesar Law and Rehn Hall were the original pilot projects on campus for wireless networking in 2001, the following buildings now have almost 100-percent coverage: the Student Center, Lentz, Pulliam, Anthony, Lesar, Rehn and Wham.
Additionally, Quigley and Davies have about 50-percent coverage inside.
Smith said that the Engineering Team is currently designing wireless networks for Life Science II, Parkinson, Neckers, Life Science III, Lindegren and Communications.
"These buildings are on our list for design work," Smith said. "The funding for these locations will have to be approved before any installation work can begin. It is impossible to estimate a completion date, because I do not know which, if any, of the above listed locations will be funded."
Smith also said that the exact costs of the upgrading on campus are not readily available.
Duke said that anyone with a Wi-Fi Certified network card in their laptops can take advantage of the new, convenient wireless network. Those interested in purchasing a Wi-Fi card can find them at local stores such as Best Buy and from online vendors.
The alternative, as always, is for those with ethernet cards to plug laptops into network connectivity data jacks in the Student Center lounge - on the second floor - and in the south end of the Student Center on the second floor. The Recreation Center has network connectivity data jacks available in the natatorium observation area as well.
There is also a way for students to take advantage of the wireless networking in the Student Center even if they don't have a laptop.
At the Information Station, located on the first floor inside the main entrance of the Student Center, there are six standard laptops and six wireless laptops readily available for checkout by students, free of charge.
"They're very popular, actually," said Lisa Lambus, retail services supervisor of the Information Station.
The laptops can be checked out for two-hour periods and can be renewed once each day.
To check out a laptop, you must be enrolled at SIU for the current semester, and you must register with the Information Station and set up an account.
The laptops feature Microsoft Office software, Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer and other various free web plug-ins and are checked out on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Lambus said that 400 to 500 students per semester check out the laptops.
"I'm very pleased with the demands for the computers," she said, "and I'm very happy that the students are utilizing the service."
