Facebook has probably had a few less 100 visitors the past week, as many USI students are complaining about failing internet connection at USI.
“Half the time, the wifi isn’t even working. I can’t get my phone to work on the wifi or … my computer,” said USI student Sophomore Psychology Major Audrey Maxwell. “My roommate and I had resorted to using our phones for hotspots, which we have to pay extra for, just so I can download important classroom work.”
Maxwell is one of many students who have been experiencing internet problems this week, but Information Technologies Executive Director Richard Toeniskoetter said the problem is solved.
“Many problems are coming up on the housing side,” he said. “It boils down to registration process, and we had so many devices come to campus over the last week, we ran out of address space and overloaded the system.”
He said because everyone had been using the wireless internet instead of the wire connection, it basically oversaturated the system.
He said the problem was addressed Monday night, but he can’t guarantee that all of the problems are fixed.
“We recognize that wifi is a priority for students, and we are making a large push to make sure that it works better,” he said.
He said students are also complaining that the internet is running slow, so the IT department plans on increasing the speed of carrying capacity over the next few months. He said the IT department also plans on consolidating the apartment wifi and the campus wifi so people can stay connected while moving around the campus. He said these plans are expected to be made in the next 60 days.
USI Junior Theatre Major Eric McCandless said he has had internet issues as well.
“By the time my page is almost done loading, the internet cuts out again,” he said. “So, I spend twenty minutes refreshing one page when I could’ve had the whole assignment done my then.”
He said because of the switch to online homework, and having to constantly check emails and submit assignments, students should just go back to the “put it in the tray on my desk” system.
“Internet is practically required for students, but somehow it isn’t required to work for us? So, I’ve just decided not even bother lugging my laptop around anymore,” he said.