By MICHAEL FOREMAN
An Auckland college which installed a wireless internet connection has achieved more than four times the performance, with a significant cost-saving, over its previous system.
Senior College technical director Ben Statham said the $1400 per month flat rate Walker Wireless system, supplied by E Surf wireless, was delivering 4sfr1/2 times the bandwidth of its previous Basic Rate 128K ISDN service at a saving of up to $600 a month.
"What it means is that [online] teaching classes can continue to function while free web access is provided to the rest of the school. Previously, the teaching classes would grind to a halt when too many students came online. Now we can have 150 machines online all day, every day."
As well as being used for educational purposes, the fast connection is helping students keep in touch with relatives overseas.
Mr Statham said the wireless system enabled large file download speeds of up to 45Kb/s but a more important advantage was that it enabled simultaneous uploads with no adverse effect on performance.
This meant the school could offer distance learning facilities. It also meant that facilities such as online enrolment worked smoothly, even during heavy internal demands on access.
The system took two months to install, but Mr Statham said this was due to the special requirements of the school.
These included the need for a static or permanent internet protocol address, involving a three-week wait for a Class C licence, and some modifications.
Wireless system boosts college
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