Campus Life

Harrisburg campus extends Wi-Fi outdoors

Credit: Penn State Harrisburg / Penn StateCreative Commons

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — In an effort to enhance the wireless connectivity for the Penn State Harrisburg community, the college’s Information Technology Services (ITS) department collaborated with the University’s Enterprise Network & Communication Services department to update and expand the campus’ external wireless network capability outdoors.

The project, which began in October 2016 and was completed in July 2017, now provides full wireless coverage from the Olmsted Building through the Vartan Plaza and up to the Student Enrichment Center (SEC). This service now allows the college community to stay connected to the wireless network as they travel between buildings or in the courtyard. It also allows faculty to move lectures and events requiring Wi-Fi outdoors.

The new capability of the external wireless expansion provides for the ability of more than 700 connections at one time, providing much needed connectivity when the college conducts events within the courtyard.

This fall, ITS will begin work on a project to expand the external wireless capability to cover the outside area of the campus from the side of the Olmsted building facing the residence halls, as well as the back of the SEC Building facing the Capital Union Building (CUB). There are also plans to expand coverage that will reach to the backside of the CUB and the Educational Activities Building, with the goal of effectively providing outside external wireless coverage over all of the student use areas of the campus.

For more information, contact Gary Barb at 717-948-6184 or gsb14@psu.edu.  

Last Updated August 30, 2017