Troy University’s Information Technology Department will replace more than 600 pieces of hardware in an effort to improve campus Wi-Fi, according to Greg Price, Troy’s chief technology and security officer.
“In the spring of 2014, the IT department noticed an increase in dissatisfaction reports to the online helpdesk system related to poor performance of Wi-Fi at the Troy, Alabama, campus,” Price said.
“I am always getting kicked off and having to log back in,” said sophomore business major Jordan Rich from Harpersville.
Senior social work major Jasmine Bell from Brundidge added, “Sometimes I can’t even log in.”
Troy IT partners with the Student Government Association and a group of leadership scholars to resolve issues that need to be fixed, and the two groups brought up this particular problem in their spring meeting. After exploring the reports of Wi-Fi issues, they found that the issue stemmed from the performance of the wireless access devices, according to Price.
In May 2014, Troy IT had the Wi-Fi equipment manufacturer complete a study of over 600 wireless access devices on campus.
“Their report revealed major issues with speed and stability of connections to the wireless access points,” Price said.
When the manufacturer’s software patches did not correct the problem, Troy IT began looking for other vendors while still working with the current manufacturer. After a two-month evaluation, IT decided to move to a new hardware solution, according to Price.
The new manufacturer for Troy will be Aruba Networks, a leading manufacturer of endpoint access devices.
“We are confident that the adoption of the new hardware will remedy the issues that the students have experienced,” Price said.
“I’m glad that they are doing something about it,” Rich said.
“Troy IT has begun to receive the replacement hardware,” Price said. “High-density areas, such as dormitories, will receive the upgrades first. Over 600 hardware components will have to be physically replaced.”
The IT department is also working with housing to find ways to “enhance broadband communications.”
Testing for the new Internet connections will begin in the coming weeks, and the new providers will be competing for the contract with the Troy residential campus.
Until the Wi-Fi issue is resolved, Price said he encourages students to continue connecting as usual but to report problems as they occur.
“It is just really slow when trying to upload papers or pictures last minute,” said Sarah Hoynes, a sophomore multimedia journalism major from Harpersville, in regard to her problems with the campus Wi-Fi.
“The only alternative is those buildings that still have wired connectivity,” Price said. “However, there are some buildings that are wireless only.”
One of the main Internet connection issues that Troy IT discovered is a constant Wi-Fi connection. To correct this, Price recommends ensuring that devices are staying connected and contacting IT if the issue continues.
If Internet connection problems occur or continue, the IT department can be reached by submitting a Helpdesk Ticket at www.it.troy.edu or by calling 334-670-4357.
“Through rigorous testing, we endeavor to foster a faster and more dynamic network experience for Troy’s students,” Price said.
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