University opens AirOrange wireless ‘hotspots’ to campus visitors

University opens AirOrange wireless ‘hotspots’ to campus visitorsOctober 05, 2005Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

Visitors to the Syracuse University campus can now use their laptop computers, PDAs and other wireless devices to check e-mail and surf the Internet free of charge, using the University’s redesigned AirOrange wireless network. Previously, the wireless network was open only to members of the University community.

AirOrange “hotspots” are located throughout the University’s academic buildings, libraries, the Schine and Goldstein Student Centers and in public areas in the residence halls. AirOrange hotspots will also be available in The Warehouse, located near Syracuse’s Armory Square, when renovations to the building’s public spaces are completed next spring.

“AirOrange is a fast and convenient way in which parents, alumni and other campus visitors can connect to information and resources they use on a daily basis,” says Paul Gandel, SU’s chief information officer and vice president for information technology and services. “Opening AirOrange hotspots is one way to use technology to further the Chancellor’s goal of bringing the University and greater Syracuse communities closer together through sharing resources, information and knowledge.”

To accommodate campus visitors, the AirOrange network was redesigned to incorporate three types of services-full access for members of the University community, an AirOrange Guest option and a more limited AirOrange Visitor option. Details about the available options can be seen by visitinghttp://airorange.syr.edu. This page is also the “gateway” for accessing the AirOrange network.

Members of the University community will continue to have the same wireless services to which they were previously accustomed and will continue to log onto the network with their University NetID and password, either through the redesigned AirOrange gateway or through the University’s more secure Virtual Private Network (VPN), which is the preferred method. Information about the University’s VPN service for students, faculty and staff is available on the Webat http://cms.syr.edu/connecting/vpn.

The AirOrange Guest option enables students, faculty and staff to register their guests on the wireless network. AirOrange guests have access to many of the same network features as members of the University community. The AirOrange Visitor option enables anyone within range of an AirOrange hotspot to surf the Internet, access Web-based e-mail systems or connect to off-campus VPNs by simply clicking the Visitor button.

“Regardless of the option used to access the AirOrange network, people should understand that connecting to any wireless hotspot-University or commercial-is not inherently secure,” says Lee Badman, SU information technology analyst. “Wireless sniffing devices can be used to intercept the information you are sending through the airwaves to a site on the Internet, including such personal information as user names, passwords and credit card numbers. Wireless hotspots are convenient, useful ways for people to stay connected, but wireless networks should be used cautiously.”