By MEGAN SMITH

Staff Writer

Everything is going wireless, and Tech is no exception.

Bogard Hall is now a testing ground for this new technology.

"We installed the cables [Jan. 15] and the equipment should be put in at the end of this week," Bill Jones, network administrator for the College of Engineering and Science, said.

Chris Henderson, director of technical services, said he also looks forward to the advantages of the university going mobile.

"If we were to make the system wireless, this would minimize cables and would also be more cost efficient," Henderson said.

The student technology fee funds this project, and the goal is to set up a good majority of the top 10 high volume areas of campus by the middle of spring quarter, Dr. Chris Walmack, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, said.

Henderson said it is important to stay current on changing technology.

"Technology is always changing, and we have to keep up with [it]," Henderson said. "We can't let [technology] get stale. We have to keep learning."

Since the increase in mobility, including cell phones, computers and DVD players to name a few, the university has taken up on the trend.

Henderson said the new system was installed in Bogard on Jan. 14, and if all goes well, this would be expanded to other departments.

Jones said Bogard was chosen as the testing site because of the difficulties they might run into while running it from there.

"Bogard is probably the most difficult building to put the wireless system in because of its age, size and set up," Jones said. "If we can get wireless to work in Bogard, we can get it to run anywhere."

Jones said the wireless technology will be a convenience for the students.

"Wireless is the current technology," Jones said.

"Students and faculty want to stay up with the latest technology.

"We can offer to students sitting in the Quad the ability to check their e-mail and they don't have to plug up."

Henderson said they will use different equipment to see which one is the best.

"[Independent contractors] are wanting to run a lot of tests with different configurations to find out how to get the best coverage, Henderson said.

"Based on the results of this test, we will know if an outside contractor can do the project and what the projected cost might be."

How long the project will take is dependent upon the test and how well they work, Henderson said.

"That will also let us know what the timetable for the rest of the campus will be," Henderson said.

Bogard is not the first building on or off campus to go wireless, however.

Other smaller sections have begun to use this method, Henderson said.

Walmack said they have narrowed it down to three vendors and the next step is to test them.

"One of the vendors is being tested in Bogard, next we will test a vendor in Woodard [Hall] and the last test site has not been decided as yet," Walmack said.

The Ruston Regional Airport has recently been connected to the university through wireless connections. Henderson said this connection is important to the aviation department and their communications with the airport.

The Student Government Association also acquired two laptops with wireless capabilities for its office.

George T. Madison Hall and the Wyly Tower of Learning Auditorium also have some wireless connections already set up.

Jones said these areas are high-volume areas that are expected to be hooked up if all goes well in Bogard.

"The library, GTM and the Student Center are areas that we have plans for because they are heavily served by the students," Jones said.

Jones said the new system will not completely replace the system Tech has in place now.

"This is not to replace the current system, but as a supplement to help provide access in places that we previously couldn't," Jones said.

Henderson said the wireless connections are important for everyone.

"I think it will be the way to get more students, faculty and staff connected with the best us of our resources," he said.

"Right now almost all the PC's on campus are tethered to a network wire," Henderson said.

"If someone wants to move their PC, they must always consider whether the 'blue cable' will reach to the new location. With wireless that is not a concern.

"Wireless computing is very similar to the cell phone technology in that the wireless access points are similar to cell towers and the PC's to phones.

"Just as you move seamlessly, hopefully, from cell to cell as you travel down the road, PC users can move at will anywhere on campus and stay connected."