Residence Hall Wireless Network Implementation
Grady Richartz
Director of Student Life Services Technology
University of Wisconsin - Stout
1110 South Broadway
Room 110
Menomonie, WI 54751
(715) 232-2117
richartzg@uwstout.edu
Abstract
University of Wisconsin-Stout fosters learning in a digital environment. When an
undergraduate steps on campus, he or she is handed a laptop computer, which will be replaced
after every two years. The laptop will become a key tool in their educational experience.
University of Wisconsin-Stout has wireless access all over campus, and our classrooms are
equipped with modern technology and media capabilities allowing our professors integrate
technology in the way they teach.
In 2008, a series of focus groups were conducted to better understand Information
Technology concerns. Participants responded that they expect wireless access in their residence
hall rooms and the most common complaint in this theme was that they did not have this wireless
access. They feel that Stout is known as a wireless campus and that meant that they would have
wireless access everywhere.
The methodology used to develop this best practice initiative involved extensive
information gathering, analysis of the existing technology infrastructure in each of the residence
hall buildings, development of wireless coverage maps for each of the buildings, and the
implementation of a pilot program. A detailed, written implementation plan was prepared at the
end of this process and was used to guide the wireless implementation. Open and honest dialog
were essential to all phases of this planning and implementation process.
Active engagement in the residence hall wireless project started in 2008. We finally came
up with a plan which was approved in 2010 and fully implemented in 2011. The implementation
consisted of three major phases: hardware purchases, General Services work, and hardware
installation. This implementation required 21 Cisco Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switches, 490
wireless access points (WAPs) and 490 access point enclosures totaling over $600,000. General
Services work required electricians to core drill through floors, drill through concrete walls,
install thousands of feet of conduit, install floor boxes and mount the access point enclosures.
The hardware installation phase included pulling data cables to each location, installing wireless
access points, and coordinated with Learning & Information Technology to bring the location
“live”.
The campus has realized many benefits as a result of implementing this best practice. We
met students’ expectations of the campus wireless network. The University provided seamless
wireless network coverage throughout the residence hall. University Housing increased the
number of locations for student group meetings. This initiative utilized Telecommunications &
Networking’s (T&N) central management of the wireless network on campus. Student Life
Services Technology and University Housing improved support for an increasing number of enduser wireless-enabled devices in the residence halls.
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Introduction of the Organization
University of Wisconsin-Stout was founded as a manual school in 1891 by James Huff
Stout (1848-1910), a distinguished Wisconsin businessman and State Senator. University of
Wisconsin-Stout is a comprehensive, career-focused polytechnic university where students,
faculty and staff use applied learning, scientific theory and research to solve real-world
problems, grow the state economy and serve society.
University of Wisconsin-Stout has a long and rich history of providing a distinctive array
of programs that produce graduates who are prized in the marketplace. Year in and year out,
well over 90 percent of our students are employed a year after graduation, and most of them
work in their field of study.
All students benefit from our active, innovative and technology-rich environment. Our
applied learning approach combines theory and practice to fully engage students in learning, and
we constantly adapt to the new demands of business, industry and society to ensure that our
graduates are ready for the marketplace.
Many students come for a particular program that isn’t available anywhere else in the
University of Wisconsin System. More than half of the current programs at University of
Wisconsin-Stout are only offered here. We have developed world-class programs in many areas
and are attracting top-notch professors to teach in those areas.
University of Wisconsin-Stout fosters learning in a digital environment. When an
undergraduate steps on campus, he or she is handed a laptop computer, which will be replaced
after every two years. The laptop will become a key tool in their educational experience.
University of Wisconsin-Stout has wireless access all over campus, and our classrooms are
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equipped with modern technology and media capabilities allowing our professors integrate
technology in the way they teach.
University of Wisconsin-Stout has progressive leadership that keeps the University on the
cutting edge of educational advances. In 2001, UW-Stout was the first university to win the
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. On March 9, 2007, the University of Wisconsin
Board of Regents unanimously approved a resolution designating UW-Stout as "Wisconsin's
Polytechnic University".
University of Wisconsin-Stout has 1,375 employees, with a student body comprised of
9,356 students in fall 2011 from 48 states and 35 countries. Located in Menomonie, the
University serves the community and beyond through a multitude of programs, services and
partnerships including collaborations with other colleges nationally and internationally. The
University has a significant economic impact on the state and regional community,
approximately $347 million annually. In recent years, the campus community helped create more
than 7,000 jobs and generated $18.3 million in tax revenue.
Statement of the Problem/Initiative
University of Wisconsin-Stout implemented the e-Scholar program in 2003. The eScholar program provides each degree-seeking student with a laptop, software, support and oncampus connectivity. As part of this initiative, wireless connectivity was implemented in all
academic spaces on campus and in floor study lounges of the residence hall building. In 2008, a
series of focus groups were conducted to better understand Information Technology concerns.
Participants responded that they expect wireless access in their residence hall rooms and the most
common complaint in this theme was that they did not have this wireless access. They feel that
Stout is known as a wireless campus and that meant that they would have wireless access
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everywhere. As a result the Chancellor tasked University Housing to expand the wireless
connectivity from just covering the floor study lounges to covering the entire residence hall
including the student rooms.
Design
The methodology used to develop this best practice initiative involved extensive
information gathering, analysis of the existing technology infrastructure in each of the residence
hall buildings, development of wireless coverage maps for each of the buildings, and the
implementation of a pilot program. A detailed, written implementation plan was prepared at the
end of this process and was used to guide the wireless implementation. Open and honest dialog
were essential to all phases of this planning and implementation process.
We focused on three areas during the information gathering phase. First, we needed to
understand University Housing’s project needs, budget and desired timeline. This was
accomplished through a series of meetings between University Housing staff and Student Life
Services Technology. Second, we needed to better understand how wireless connectivity was
implemented in Stout’s academic spaces to see if we could utilize this implementation in the
residence halls. After meetings between Student Life Services Technology staff and
Telecommunications & Networking staff, it was determined that the spaces were too different in
size, layout and needs to re-use the plans. Third, we gathered information from other UW
schools on any completed wireless implementations or plans of future wireless implementations.
We found that there was not a consensus from other the UW campuses on the future of providing
wireless network coverage in student rooms of residence halls: four campuses were not planning
to provide wireless in student rooms, one campus was unsure of their plans, and five campuses
were planning to provide or already provided wireless network coverage in student rooms. Of the
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five campuses only two currently provided a campus-owned wireless network access solution for
wireless access in all student rooms. However, the densities of wireless access point (WAP)
deployment on these campuses appeared limited and would not meet Stout’s needs.
Student Life Services Technology analyzed the existing technology infrastructure in the
each residence hall building to see if the existing infrastructure could handle the wireless
project’s needs. During our analysis we quickly found that each residence hall had its own set of
technology infrastructure challenges. Even buildings that had identical floor plans had different
technology infrastructure challenges. Our initial idea of creating a single plan and applying it to
every residence hall could not be implemented. Student Life Services Technology ended up
creating a unique implementation plan for each of our residence hall buildings. The list of
improvements to the residence hall’s existing technology infrastructure included core drilling
between floors, installing new conduit and even asbestos abatement.
Next, Telecommunications & Networking (T&N) was tasked with creating wireless
coverage maps using Cisco’s Wireless Control System (WCS) mapping tool. As parameters,
T&N used the Cisco recommendations that normal capacity for a single WAP device be limited
fifteen (15) data clients. In total 46 maps were created, one for each floor of each residence hall.
Finally, Student Life Services Technology and University Housing chose to implement
Hovlid Hall as a pilot. Hovlid Hall was planned to be renovated in early 2010 and reopened for
the fall 2010 semester. Part of the pilot plan was for Telecommunications & Networking and
Student Life Services Technology to complete performance testing on two implementation
designs being considered; the “every floor” design and the “alternate floor” design. The
“alternate floor” design has wireless access points deployed on the basement, 2nd and 4th floors.
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A decision was made that the “every floor” design would be implemented after the performance
testing was completed during the fall 2010 semester.
Implementation
Active engagement in the residence hall wireless project started in 2008. We made a
number of attempts at estimating the cost of what it would take to put wireless in the residence
halls and if it could be financially feasible. After a number of times going back to the drawing
board, we finally came up with a plan which was approved in 2010 and fully implemented in
2011. The completion of this project was two to three years in the making.
The implementation consisted of three major phases: hardware purchases, General
Services work, and hardware installation. The first phase of implementation was purchasing the
hardware. Purchasing sounds simple enough. However, when working in large quantities our
suppliers needed additional lead time to deliver the hardware. This implementation required 21
Cisco Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) switches, 490 wireless access points (WAPs) and 490 access
point enclosures totaling over $600,000. The next phase focused on General Services work. This
implementation required electricians to core drill through floors, drill through concrete walls,
install thousands of feet of conduit, install floor boxes and mount the access point enclosures.
The planning and coordination of this work was accomplished with a series of meetings between
the Student Life Services Technology Director and Craft Workers Supervisor. The final phase
was to install the wireless hardware. After the electricians finished their work in a cube or
building, the Student Life Services Technology workers began their work. They pulled data
cables to each of the WAP locations, installed the WAPs, and coordinated with Learning &
Information Technology to bring the WAP location “live”.
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The timeline for the implementation of the wireless project was as follows:

2008 through 2009 – Creating and revising a design plan that was financially
feasible.

Spring 2010 – Planning for the Hovlid Hall wireless project begins. Student
Life Services Technology staff participated in the renovation meetings as
technical consultants.

April 2010 – Purchase all necessary equipment for the Hovlid Hall
implementation including Power-over-Ethernet switch and wireless access
points.

Summer 2010 – Wireless networking equipment was installed in Hovlid Hall.

Fall 2010 – Performance testing completed in Hovlid Hall. The “every floor”
implementation design was chosen.

December 2010 – Purchase all necessary equipment for the Hansen Hall
implemenation including Power-over-Ethernet switch and wireless access
points.

January 2011 – Hansen Hall wireless implementation completed over
Winterm.

Spring 2011 – Preparation for wireless implementation in eight additional
residence halls takes place.

April 2011 – Purchase all necessary equipment for the eight resident hall
implementations including Power-over-Ethernet switch and wireless access
points.
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
Summer 2011 – General Services, Student Life Services Technology and
Learning & Information Technology implement wireless in eight additional
residence halls.

October 2011 – Residence Hall wireless project complete.
Benefits
The campus has realized many benefits as a result of implementing this best practice.
First, we met students’ expectations of the campus wireless network. Stout is a laptop campus
and students expected to be able to use their laptops wirelessly anywhere on campus. University
Housing asked students “How satisfied are you with internet connectivity in your room?” on the
2011 Educational Benchmarking, Inc. (EBI) Survey. A semester after wireless connectivity was
implemented in Hovlid Hall, students living in Hovlid Hall rated this question 5.96 out of 7.0
which was an increase of 1.43 over the previous year’s survey.
Second, the University provided seamless wireless network coverage throughout the
residence hall. Students who are connected to the wireless network are be able to move
throughout the residence hall freely without needing to logoff, find wired connection, or find
new wireless network and acquire address.
Third, University Housing increased the number of locations for student group meetings.
Currently, most if not all, study rooms, lounges, common areas and basements have wireless to
accommodate group meetings. Adding more WAPs allowed students to use the wireless network
for meetings in their rooms and not be tied to a network cable.
Fourth, this initiative utilized Telecommunications & Networking’s (T&N) central
management of the wireless network on campus. T&N’s software package manages the wireless
access points (WAPs) and the number of connections to each WAP. Should a WAP get
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“overloaded” with connections, the software will decrease the signal strength of the
“overloaded” WAP and increase the signal strength of nearby WAPs thus balancing the
workload between WAPs.
Finally, Student Life Services Technology and University Housing improved support for
an increasing number of end-user wireless-enabled devices in the residence halls. Students are
bringing more wireless-enabled devices to school and the campus wireless network needs to
keep pace. Wireless-enabled devices include laptops, netbooks, iPhones, PDA’s, other cell
phones with WiFi and game consoles (Wii, Xbox, Nintendo, etc.).
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