ANU Wireless Enhancement

The ANU Wireless Enhancement project will provide enhanced wireless network coverage and a more reliable wireless service to staff and students at ANU campuses.

Overview

What is the ANU Wireless Enhancement Project?

The ANU Wireless Enhancement Project will provide enhanced wireless network coverage and a more reliable wireless service to staff and students at ANU campuses.

The enhancement of the wireless network will include provisioning additional communication cabling and outlets to areas of need, identified through collation of feedback and performance testing of the network.  Several Wireless Access Points (WAPs) will be mounted to fixed outlets in both interior and exterior locations to improve the wireless coverage in areas of need.

The current ANU wireless infrastructure was implemented a number of years ago, and although a number of small incremental enhancements have been performed, no major investment has been made since the initial rollout.

Why are we doing the ANU Wireless Enhancement project?

In recent years, there has been a large increase in the number of portable devices capable of accessing wireless infrastructure, with the average user often having a laptop, a tablet/iPad, and a smart phone.  This has put increasing pressure on the existing ANU wireless infrastructure both in terms of coverage and bandwidth saturation.  This project will help to address the demands of the growing mobile user base through the identification and documentation of high traffic areas, black spots and areas of limited-no coverage.

Outcomes

Requirements Gathering

The requirements gathering process was completed in mid-August.  This involved obtaining feedback about wireless coverage from a number of key contacts across the ANU colleges, libraries, student administration and student services.

Heat Mapping: performance testing the wireless signal

The Networks and Communications team are undergoing a heat-mapping process (process of testing the strength of wireless signal) through the targeted areas identified as a result of the requirements gathering process.  Heat-mapping for targeted outdoor areas has been completed.  Outdoor areas in which enhanced wireless coverage will be provided include:

• Union court
• Balcony areas surrounding Union building
• Copland quadrangle
• Grass courtyard area of ANU College of Law
• Grass area outside Chifley Library
• Outside Crawford Building
• Outdoor area between Hancock Library and science colleges

Communication Cabling: provisioning data outlets for outdoor areas

Communication cabling work has commenced in the surrounding buildings of the above mentioned outdoor areas to provision data outlets for where wireless access points will be installed.