Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) will be available in all of Bollinger Memorial Student Union, the Quadrangle and select sections of Ellender Memorial Library and the Betsy Cheramie-Ayo Hall by late October according to Tom Bonvillain, director of academic computing. Bonvillain said for the past three years, Nicholls has had Wi-Fi on selected areas of campus. The service is limited to Powell-White, Polk and Peltier halls. The University received money from the state to activate and operate Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi is a system that allows a laptop (with a wireless card) to pick up Internet signals without the hassle of wires.
Bonvillain said, “(Students) are more familiar with their own computers. The information follows them around.”
As of now, students must register their computer to the Wi-Fi system by filling out a form at the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) lab in the Ellender Memorial Library or the Cenac lab in 109 Powell Hall. Wireless Internet is free of charge but will not work unless the student completes this process. So far this semester about 75 students have registered.
“When the Wi-Fi signals actually work, they pick up well,” John Cornes, a freshman from Thibodaux, said. He feels he will benefit from Wi-Fi being more accessible. Students with wireless Internet on their laptops can view student e-mail and Blackboard, a forum for educators to communicate with students about upcoming assignments. Students can also do online research and save information on their computer rather than having to save it to a floppy disk in an on-campus computer lab.
The Coffee Table, a coffeehouse located near campus at 1129 Audubon Ave., also offers free Wi-Fi. Gordon Whyte, owner and adjunct professor of marketing at Nicholls, said the service helps his business. He also noted that many students and professors use Wi-Fi there to access E-mail and websites for academic purposes.
Wi-Fi is not currently available in residence halls. Every dorm is equipped with dial-up, and students can pay extra per month for high-speed connection.
For more information about using wireless Internet access, contact the WAC lab at 448-4765.
