Sac State “unplugged”

In years past, the way to go wireless at campus was to lug around a brick sized cell phone. Thankfully, the campus has evolved, and communication has become more convenient and efficient with Wireless Fidelity zones, or Wi-Fi zones. These areas enable users and their laptops to access email, the web and other online data without plugging into a phone or data port.

Wi-Fi is standard networking technology made available to mobile devices such as laptops, hand-held PDAs, and certain cellular phones. Sacramento State provides wireless networking to students, faculty and staff members through the University-based SacLink network. Anyone with a laptop computer, the right software and an account on the system can access an Internet connection from dozens of locations on campus.

Wireless zones on campus have been expanding with the ever-growing scope of technology and have grown to encompass several large areas, providing an easier and quicker connection. As many as 24 buildings on campus, as well as large outdoor areas in the Library Quad and the seating area in front of the River Front Center, have limited to full access to the Wi-Fi zones. A complete list of accessible locations can be found at www.csus.edu/wireless/locations.stm.

Currently the campus residence halls are connected to the ResLink network. However those student structures will soon be added to the long list of points for wireless access. The University is currently launching a Wi-Fi system for the halls and by the start of the spring 2006 semester, the University plans to have the conference and study areas in five of the six residence halls wired as well as the dining commons and the adjacent quad area up and running on the network.

The Sacramento State network operates on the 802.11B wireless networking standard. In order to access the network, a laptop needs to have a card that is compatible. The majority of newer wireless laptops come with a built-in 802.11B card. The cards can also be found at the Hornet Bookstore. For information about accessing the wireless network, log on to www.csus.edu/perfigo.

For more information about the wireless zones at Sacramento State contact the University Help Desk at (916) 278-7337 or log on to www.csus.edu/wireless/.

— Josh Huggett