Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Leads the Way in Wireless Technology

Contact: Kathy Moore of The Johns Hopkins School of
Public Health, 410-955-6878

BALTIMORE, Nov. 4 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health is proud to announce that it is one the first universities in the country to install a large-scale wireless laptop network, enabling students, faculty, and staff members to access the School's computer network without being restricted to overcrowded computer labs.

Ross McKenzie, director, Information Systems, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, says, "The overhaul of the campus' networking infrastructure was necessary because the students needed more access to computers. But with room for only 75 personal computers in the School's three computer labs, students weren't given much opportunity to take advantage of that system. Mobilizing the student body with laptop computers seemed to be the best answer."

The vision was to arm every student in every classroom with a laptop for note taking, collaborative education, and project research. In 1997, McKenzie and his team proposed a pilot project using BayStack 600 Series Wireless LAN products from Nortel Networks, a system that would allow up to 40 students laptop access by using wireless PC cards. Using this system, students are able to surf the Internet, send and receive email, and print documents over the school's network. Today, the wireless network has more than 500 users among students, faculty, and staff.

The pilot program was such a success that McKenzie has now equipped 40 classrooms, two cafeterias, two libraries, three student lounges, six conference rooms, and two auditoriums with the wireless system. McKenzie adds, Our goal for next year is to saturate the entire campus, including the Montgomery County and Washington, D.C., part-time campus locations. Nowhere on the School of Public Health property will our wireless network be inaccessible.

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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
11/04 14:56

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