Over the 2015 spring break, Arcadia’s Information Technology (IT) staff worked to increase WiFi connectivity on campus, ensuring more connection points and, possibly, fewer excuses for late homework assignments.

IT created a coverage map for residence halls and Grey Towers Castle in January, determining where more wireless access points were needed. A staged deployment began last month, starting with the addition of 46 access points in Kistler Hall that raised the building’s total count to 66.

“Although wireless coverage has been added to most campus locations over the past few years, performance can be affected by the number of people connecting to the network, the type of downloads being performed (video, music, animation, photos, etc.), and the construction of the buildings,” explains Chief Information Officer Jerry Waldron.

This summer, more than 200 access points will be added throughout Dilworth Hall, Thomas Hall, Heinz Hall, Knight Hall, and the Castle, which presents special challenges due to its heavy construction and historic aesthetics. By the start of the fall semester, access point counts are expected to double and even triple in some areas around campus, further increasing network stability and Internet access.