Now Penn students can access PennNet, Penn's wireless Web service, on College Green. Over spring break, the University implemented a new set of access points that link pre-existing areas of wireless Internet across campus.
College Green, Van Pelt Library, Houston Hall, Wynn Commons and University Square are now joined together in a seamless connection accessible to anyone with a PennKey.
"The majority of the Green is covered," said Reni Roberts, an information technology project leader who works for Penn's Office of Information Systems and Computing.
Roberts said that since the system is still relatively new, it is subject to certain problems.
"Some places will get a better signal than others, but the stairs near the peace sign sculpture and the library stairs, where students spend a lot of time, will be fine."
Wireless is also available in the second floor cafe area of the Penn Bookstore and has been expanded in Van Pelt Library to include all public study areas in the building.
Maps of wireless service areas are available on both the Penn Library and ISC Web sites.
The addition of wireless to College Green is part of the ISC program to make wireless Internet access more consistent and more available campuswide. The department is working now to make log-ins uniform around campus.
The process of converting existing wireless regions is twofold.
"We work on converting log-in to PennKey and also securing seamless roaming -- that is, going from one wireless zone to another without losing your signal," Roberts said.
There is no charge for logging on to PennNet. Most wireless zones require only a PennKey and a wireless card. All students with the requisite technology will be able to use the expanded wireless network.
Directions for configuring a student's wireless card to Penn's service can be found at the ISC Web site.
Wireless Internet access is sometimes criticized for providing a slower connection, and experts caution against trying to send and receive large files.
Roberts has advocated using the system primarily for research and e-mail.
