Lack of wireless Internet poses problem in Clemson fraternity housing

[moe.ron]

Lack of wireless Internet poses problem in Clemson fraternity housing

Posted Thursday, September 11, 2003 - 7:05 pm

By Anna Simon
CLEMSON BUREAU
asimon@greenvillenews.com


CLEMSON — Add three Clemson University students plus three laptop computers and divide by one apartment and one phone line.
No new math is needed to see it's not a pretty picture for about 270 Clemson University students in new off-campus fraternity housing where a promised wireless Internet connection isn't delivering.

"We've been getting an off and on signal," said Richard Hartke, a Sigma Chi who lives in Tiger Towne Village, a duplex apartment complex that the university has leased for two years while on-campus fraternity housing is being renovated.

"We can't download e-mail very well or any other things we have to do," said Hartke, who is in the Student Senate and other campus groups and uses e-mail to stay in touch with these groups, his professors and to download assignments.

Students are resorting to slow dial-up connections that are "pretty difficult to get adjusted to" when all three roommates want to be on line at the same time and keep the phone line open for incoming calls, Hartke said.

The problem is that the special lines that the wireless Internet provider Clear Sky ordered in March and expected in June didn't arrive until Aug. 22, said David Lasier, Clear Sky president.

The problem also affects Clemson students living at several other large apartment complexes that Clear Sky also serves, Lasier said.

At the same time that Lasier was trying to get the system up and working, the Blaster and So Big computer viruses hit, further complicating matters, Lasier said.

Lasier said the wireless system should be working properly today.

Robbie Newton, developer of Tiger Towne Village, said he is exploring other options.

"My concern is to get the students Internet as soon as possible – today or tomorrow," said Newton, who added that Lasier is doing a good job to resolve the problem.

Being connected to the Internet is part of life at Clemson, where students in four of the five colleges are required to have laptops and much of the campus has wireless Internet.

Greg Padgett, of university housing, said Clemson's contract with Newton included wireless Internet and that portion of the rent would be withheld "until it's right."

Students are "absolutely elated" with everything else about the fraternity housing arrangement, Padgett said.

"Robbie Newton has done everything totally to our satisfaction other than this one contract that hasn't worked out," Padgett said.

[Kevlar281]

Sigh we had problems with our internet the first few weeks as well.

[PurdueGirlie]

We're still having problems with ours. I haven't had internet access in over three weeks!!

(In case you're wondering how I am posting, luckily Purdue has tons of computer labs!)

[DeltaSigStan]

We all get T1, from the dorms to the university apartments to frat row. Sometimes they'll go off for an hour or so, but most of the time it's great.

For 15 bucks a month, I don't complain

[Tom Earp]

Damn, Life is a Bitch when you cant get on the internet espc. to get to GC!

There is a thing called Books and TV!

Okay, That Is The Last Resort!

[AOIIalum]

We want to have wireless internet installed in the chapter house within the next 3-24 months. Lousy timeframe, huh? We're stuck waiting until the fiber optics are installed in that area, as it seems that Greek Housing does not fall under the University's internet network right now. It'll be much more cost effective to wait for the University service, rather than contract for commercial internet through the local providers.

To make things worse, with the renewed emphasis on fire safety at this school, we've had to remove all existing external networking lines in the house to be in compliance. That wasn't a problem, but we don't know how the girls will react when they move back in tomorrow. We've never offered internet as part of room and board, so once we get it in it'll be a big positive. It's the waiting part that just reams!

[Tom Earp]

We are in the process of trying to build a new house!

One thing is to put enuff internet connections, phone line, and plug ins so that all will be availabel to each room and the PC room, if we have one!

To put in after the fact is tuffer.!

Oh, yes, and have a good internet conector! !

[DeltAlum]

At some schools, that is a real consideration when deciding to move out of university owned housing.

Our son moved into an apartment this year and he and his apartment mate didn't really realize how much high speed internet costs. After being used to the T-1 speeds in the dorms, dial-up is just painfully slow -- and if they go with that, only one can be online at a time in their complex.

This is also a problem for some Greek housing at some campuses who don't have wiring in all the rooms or high speed service.