IU, Purdue to have seamless wireless connectivity

As use of computer technology increases into a daily necessity, trips between campuses for IU and Purdue University students and faculty will be much brighter due to a laptop's new home away from home.\nIU and Purdue announced Wednesday that the two universities will come together to establish a mutual connection of wireless technology enabling students and staff from IU-Bloomington, Purdue-West Lafayette and IU-Purdue University at Indianapolis campuses to access the Internet while visiting.\n"Up to now, visitors to the opposite university's campus would have to go through administrative procedures to secure accounts for access to that campus's wireless network," said Mark Bruhn, vice president of IU telecommunications. "Visitors can worry about the business for which they are on that campus, instead of having to worry about having to go through these steps (to access the Internet)."\nThe agreement -- which is a continuation of I-Light, a fiber optic network connecting IU-Bloomington, IUPUI and Purdue's West Lafayette campus -- will pave the way for easier business meetings as well an adjustment for commuting students and faculty members free of problems. This means that any IU, Purdue or IUPUI student or faculty member is able to walk onto one of the three campuses and connect wirelessly to the Internet with ease. The service is expected to be up and running by early 2006.\nThe new wireless connection will also dramatically affect research efforts between the two universities. \nNationally, the project will affect the University's effort to collaborate on research projects. People will see what IU is capable of doing in terms of research and realize that by wirelessly connecting to other campuses our research capabilities will become more advanced, said Dave Jent, IU group manager for data network services.\nPresented at this year's I-Light convention, a conference featuring some of the country's best networking, computing, visualization and collaboration efforts and technology co-hosted by IU and Purdue, the project maintains IU's reputation as one of the most technologically advanced campuses in the nation.\n"We are the first two non-affiliated campuses (in the country) to wirelessly connect," Jent said.\nIn fact, IU has been a trendsetter for campuses around the country for years, he said. \n"Since the I-Light project began, a lot of states have followed IU's lead," Jent said. "It doesn't take long for people to pick up on an idea."\nJent said he believes this idea will be no different. \n"IU is the number one network center in the country, and we constantly have a huge demand throughout the world for our specialists to lead classes on technology," he said. "There are few institutions that have the drive of IU."\nAnd the drive will not end there. IU's plans to bring the latest technology to campus are continuous, Bruhn said.\n"Indiana University is committed to the continued development and delivery of IT services and support that will further enhance research and teaching and learning"