Carlson School Wireless Network Updates and Solutions

The University-Networking and Telecommunications Systems (NTS department) currently supports 36 wireless Access Points (APs) at the Carlson School. But NTS also says that some of the large lecture rooms may have only 1 AP, so if those are the areas that students identify as slow then NTS would add other APs to improve things. Please review the information below and work with the Carlson School Help Desk to provide the details requested by NTS so we can verify what areas of the building they need to work on.

1. If you are experiencing problems with the wireless network being slow, please contact the OIT Help Desk (Phone: 612-625-5550 or E-mail: help@csom.umn.edu) with the following information:
   a. Where you were at the time of the slow-down
   b. What time it occurred.
   c. Any additional relevant details e.g. "Several classmates around me are experiencing the same issues." or "The classmates around me do not appear to be having the same difficulties."
   
   This helps identify if there are any equipment issues or time of day issues that need to be passed on to NTS (University-Networking and Telecommunications Systems) which is the group that manages the wireless network. The Help Desk has not recently heard from anyone regarding a slow network, but if they start getting a lot of updates, this will get the attention of NTS as well, so please keep the Help Desk updated with detailed information.
   
   
2. The longer-term plan from NTS is that they have an RFI (Request for Information) out to vendors right now to find a wireless control system so they can better monitor, manage and adapt the wireless network more pro-actively. They hope to choose a vendor and start testing some time this summer. Carlson School has offered to be a pilot for testing that system and we will keep you posted on whether that is possible and what the impact will be. 
   
   
3. We may have a solution for DROPPED wireless connections. NTS says that the default settings for the XP Firewall may keep the central system from pinging the Carlson School laptops and when the central system does not get a response during a 2-hour period, they disconnect. The Carlson School OIT Help Desk has provided the following:
   
   To fix the issue with the Wireless Network disconnecting after 2-hours, change the settings on your laptop by following these instructions:
   
   Click on the Start Menu (in the lower left corner) -> select Run -> copy and paste in the following command:
   
   cmd /k "netsh firewall set icmpsetting 8 ENABLE"
   
   Press the Enter key.
   
   The prompt will read "OK."
   
   Type EXIT and pit the Enter key to close the dialogue box.
   
   If you have any difficulties with the instructions please contact the Carlson School OIT Help Desk.
   
   

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