Everyday there are more and more students in the quad, lounges, and cafeteria with laptops. This sort of thing isn’t new. Now, Bucks students can look forward to wireless network availability as early as Fall 2005.

For everyone who is new to wireless technology, it means students and faculty will be able to access the main network, letting them browse the web from remote areas on campus, from areas with wireless access points installed.

“The school will begin looking into and acquiring the pieces required [for a wireless network] sometime in Spring 2004,” said Marlyn Puchalski of the Academic Computing Department.

There are a number of components to be researched for this project, the largest being the authentication device. This device is needed so that only current students and faculty can have access to the main network. All of the logistics for this project are still in the planning stages at this point. There are, however, tentative plans to begin testing sometime this summer.

Currently, to access the campus network a student must be physically plugged into the network. With this new technology the computer, PDA, or wireless notebook will use a radio frequency to connect to a wireless access point.

Puchalski explained that wireless access is similar to cell phone technology. Students and faculty will be able to access the Internet, e-mail, and library resources from the campus network without being “plugged” into a cable or modem.

There is some preliminary testing being conducted right now on campus in the tutoring center and the open access lab located in the Library. The school has set up these areas to determine capacities and any technical problems that need to be addressed.

Once all the components are acquired and the testing is successfully completed, the college will make public notification of the release date and other details on registering for this service.