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University Bans Wireless Access Points
Slayk writes "The University of Texas at Dallas has adopted a policy of disallowing the use of 802.11b/g access points outside of those used for the campus-wide wireless network. While they have an understandable concern with ensuring the accessability of the school network, the rights of the students to use the unlicensed 2.4GHz spectrum in the privacy of their own apartment are obviously being regulated by a body that is not the FCC. Students have until the 15th of September to comply with the policy, disable their wireless equipment, and string cat5 over the floor, or be subject to 'disciplinary action.'"
i) Sign up at school
ii) Fail to follow school rules
iii) Bannination occurs.
iv) Obtain job at favourite fast food outlet
Where's the problem here?
Their rooms, their rules.
Duh.
Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
The university I attend and work for has this exact same policy. The issue is not FCC regulation, but you being a student at the university and having to live under their rules that you agreed to live under when enrolling as a student. Stop whining and just use their wireless network. There are far too few 802.11* channels for students, faculty, and staff to have their own rogue WAPs in the same vicinity as official university ones.
Beware, Nugget is watching... See?
It's funny how most techie people agree that the FCC sucks and needs to be eliminated, yet when people on more local scales attempt to regulate themselves, they cry over the fact that the regulation *isn't* coming from the infamous FCC. Fuck the FCC.
-bugg
"if I were a student that was affected by this... I would comply"
What a pathetic clone you are. Go jump off a cliff. (Oh, wait, I didn't mean that - you sound like the type that might just do that.)
People like you make me sick, sold out from day one.
...does not mean it's not funny!
Meanwhile, those four little words pretty much describe the entire situation.
University rolls out major wireless network for students.
Univesity places some restrictions on what type of services may utilize the wireless network (I'm guessing this is why certain students chose to subscribe to a commercial cable/DSL package).
"Information Wants To Be Free" chanting students begin providing "unofficial" wireless access points.
Uninformed, thoughtless students providing unofficial access begin to disrupt normal usage.
University says stop it.
Uninformed, thoughtless "Information Wants To Be Free" chanting studetns cry that their rights have been soiled.
Sure, there are ways around this... to a degree. Require authorization before accessing unauthorized network, etc... But really, doesn't that just create more work for the university? They are, after all, there to provide an environment for education... and should not be forced to watch dog students 733t off-campus activities.
If you want to use an outside service... make sure it doesn't effect those who are happily using the service provided by the institution -- regardless of your post-teen angst driven need to rebel.
#SickNotWeak
One of the reasons why wi-fi is being banned it is because it creates a lot of hassles on the university network. Understandable, now if you have an access point and it creates a private LAN no problem. There is nothing like having your DHCP server being replaced by a nice little Apple Airport. Secondly is because Wi-fi will increase the average weight of the college student. We all know that Texas is the heaviest state in America. There are tons of overweight and fat people there. If they have wi-fi they will plop down eating and use their computer. But if they can be stopped via walking and ploping down to use there wi-fi connection then the best thing they can do is just have to walk around to find food and then walk all the way back to the computer. Thus giving these people enough excerise to fight obesity off. I can be totally wrong about this. But kid's in college should party, experiment with substances and discuss politics and start a revolution. Wi-fi will not help either their weight loss or there intellectual stimulation.
This is less about spectrun and more about rules by which you agreed to live by. In our resident halls, you are not allowed to have a pet (except fish). This is the exact same thing. It is merely a rule you must follow when living in University-provided housing when you agreed to live by such rules. They can ask you not to run a business from your room. They can ask you not to do scientific research on Slashdot kiddies to find out why they're so stupid in your room. They can ask you not to have wireless access points in your room.
Beware, Nugget is watching... See?