MizzouWireless experiencing technical difficulties

Students having trouble with the new server should contact ResTech.

By Angela Case

Published Jan. 30, 2009

The campus-wide switch from wireless server TigerNet to MizzouWireless went into effect Jan. 7, but many students are still experiencing technical difficulties with the transition.

Division of Information Technology Director Terry Robb said in the past seven days, 13 students have contacted his division with complaints about MizzouWireless connectivity.

Among the students with complaints was sophomore Katy Benedict, who said she uses the wireless network "every once in a while, when it works."

She said the network does not work in some of her classrooms, including one in the Physics Building.

Robb acknowledged there have been some issues with the system in the past few weeks, but he said as of Thursday the network technicians have cleared some of the problems.

"They're working with the vendor to assess why this is happening," he said. "The staff temporarily shut off the MU Info network, which solved the outage problem."

Robb said that the division is currently working with the MizzouWireless vendor to figure out a permanent solution to the problem.

Benedict, like many students, has faced problems with the system from the beginning. On the second day of the semester, she took her MacBook to TigerTech to have the wireless configured.

"It took them forever to figure it out," Benedict said.

Some students opted to make the switch on their own.

"I set mine up when I got the e-mail (that instructed students to switch their networks)," freshman Libby Overcash said. "It was really easy to follow, so I just did it."

Overcash found MizzouWireless to be an improvement over TigerNet.

"TigerNet would crash a lot in my dorm, but MizzouWireless doesn't," she said.

While the help stations are no longer available, students can still go to TigerTech, located in the basement of the new student center, to receive assistance with their wireless issues.

Freshman Ben Wagner said TigerTech solved his MacBook Pro configuration problem quickly.

"In the beginning, I had some problems, but then I took it to TigerTech and they fixed it right away," he said.

Students can also call the IT Help Desk, or visit one of the ResTech offices available at many residence halls, or find step-by-step instructions at the DoIT Web site.

As for the service problems that students are experiencing, Robb said they should be cleared up soon. In the meantime, students who experience issues with wireless connectivity in specific locations on campus should notify the Help Desk, he said.