WIRELESS NETWORKING HAS ARRIVED AT WTAMU

West Texas A&M University is pleased to provide students, faculty, staff and guests wireless technology to access Internet resources and services, and not be constrained by physical network connectivity.

The Division of Information Technology (IT), a service organization, strives to consistently promote, support and facilitate the university's mission, and the offering of wireless capabilities on campus is just another example of our commitment to provide the university community Reliable, Available and Secure access to technology resources and services.

Wireless access is currently available in the First United Bank Center (FUBC), the Jack B. Kelley Student Center (JBK), the Hastings Electronic Learning Center (HELC), and the Cornette Library. In the immediate future, our new Fine Arts building, as well as the Pedestrian Mall areas will have wireless connectivity. All future areas of wireless access will be identified and prioritized by university administration, taking under their consideration recommendations from the standing IT Committee.

The wireless network may be accessed by three (3) types of accounts: Guest, Student, and Faculty/Staff each with different levels of access to campus resources, and heightened levels of security. A Guest account provides Internet only access with limited security; a Student account provides students Internet, as well as authenticated and encrypted access to university online resources; and a Faculty/Staff account allows Faculty/Staff Internet along with authenticated and encrypted access to campus network drives (G:\ and U:\), as well as other campus resources.

The initial wireless deployment was designed to get the university into wireless technology, and there will be further expansion of services and resources in the future. As our community starts using the wireless network, modifications are sure to be needed to insure the functionality and usability of the network. Usage reports and end-user feedback will be very instrumental to the overall successes of this endeavor as the university matures in wireless technology.

Access to the wireless network cannot be guaranteed to every wireless device or peripheral, but to that end IT has tested ten (10) wireless card/adaptors, and developed instructions for our community to configure devices to gain access to the wireless network for each account type in order to enhance their wireless experience.

Further wireless information, FAQs, configuration instructions, and a list of tested devices, along with other essential utilities, can be found on this website at the links provided. Additionally, configuration instructions are located at the FUBC, JBK, HELC, and the Cornette Library.