Where on campus can I connect to Wi-Fi?
See the map to find out where you can connect.
Can I connect to RedRover on the campus at Weill Medical College?
Information about RedRover and Weill Medical College is available on the RedRover-Secure at Weill/WMC Secure in Ithaca page.
What connection speed will I get?
In general, your Wi-Fi connection speed will be faster than a cellular data connection but slower than wired Ethernet. The connection speed may be as high as 300 Mbps (megabits per second); however, there are several factors that can affect the actual speed.
My connection speed says 54 Mbps; why is my data transfer rate slower?
In the 802.11a/b/g/n protocol, the connection rate encompasses all data transfer, including necessary administrative exchanges that take place between the Wi-Fi card and the access point. This slightly lowers your actual data transfer speed and wireless communication occurs at half-duplex. ("Actual" data refers to the visible data, for example, actual data might be the e-mail message you are sending or the web page you're viewing.)
Several other factors can affect the actual speed :
Can the RedRover Wi-Fi signal be blocked in my classroom?
The subject of activation/deactivations of RedRover Wi-Fi has come up and been discussed by policy administrators in the past. It was determined the effective method for sequestering communication access is by utilizing a software package on the client computer in the classroom.
This is because other Wi-Fi services of both infrastructure and ad-hoc types exist, along with cellular carrier service providing both data and voice, which are controlled and operated by third parties that continue to operate and be accessible from the classrooms even if the RedRover service is off. This availability generally defeats the purpose of having RedRover turned off in the classroom.
The access to third-party connection also needs to be sequestered for a classroom policy to be effective. Because of these points and others, our administration has decided not to provide this service.
Can other devices affect my connection?
Yes. This might be happening to you if you frequently lose your connection or get a slow connection speed. Some of the more commonly found items that will interfere with your Wi-Fi signal include:
This list is not exhaustive; other devices may also interfere with your connection. For help locating the source of your poor or erratic Wi-Fi connection, follow the guidelines in the Troubleshooting section.
Do I need to pay for Wi-Fi access?
No. Access is free. All traffic to or from on-campus sites is also free.
For students, Internet usage to or from off-campus sites via Wi-Fi is included in the network usage-based billing (NUBB). NUBB already includes this type of usage on the wired networks. Use of Cornell's web sites and services is not counted, and will not be counted, as a result of this change.
For faculty and staff, internet usage via Wi-Fi is not included in the network usage-based billing.
What kind of Wi-Fi card do I need?
You need a Wi-Fi certified wireless card or internal wireless support in your computer or handheld device. For eduroam and RedRover-Secure, you need a Wi-Fi card that can use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security, preferably WPA2.
The primary supported operating systems are Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Macintosh OS X. Other devices and operating systems with Wi-Fi capability will work with eduroam and RedRover.
Will Wi-Fi drain my laptop battery?
Depending on the power setting of your Wi-Fi card, you may get fewer hours of use from your laptop battery.
Wireless cards have two power consumption modes: Constantly Awake Mode (CAM) and Power Save Polling (PSP).
To extend your battery life, use the Power Save Polling (PSP) mode. Consult the manufacturer's manual to set up this mode.
Can I use Wi-Fi for my desktop computer?
Yes. However, CIT recommends that you use the wired network for your desktop computer because your connection will be faster and more secure.
On the Wi-Fi network, the top connection speed will be significantly lower than the wired network and is affected by several factors, including the number of people connected to the same access point.
Can I use a device without a browser?
Yes. You'll need to register your device first.
How can my department or college request Wi-Fi access?
To learn about the costs associated with Wi-Fi, see Installation Information.
Which channels/frequencies does Wi-Fi and RedRover Wi-Fi use?
Wi-Fi service is provided for IEEE 802.11b/g devices utilizing channels 1-11 radio frequencies 2.412GHz to 2.462GHz in the 2.4GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band.
Wi-Fi services is also provided for IEEE 802.11a/n devices utilizing channels 36, 40, 44, 48, 56, 60, 64 frequencies 5.15GHz to 5.35 GHz and channels 149,153,157,161,165 frequencies 5.725GHz to 5.825GHz in the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (UNII) Bands.
It is recommended when purchasing Wi-Fi devices to look for Wi-Fi approved devices that support Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and will connect on all four IEEE 802.11 specifications a/b/g/n; sometimes this type of equipment is referred to as a dual-band Wi-Fi interface. This type of interface will provide flexibility when connecting to Wi-Fi networks that may support a limited set of these standards.
Can I use Net-Print while I'm on Wi-Fi?
Yes.
No. Campus Televideo's DirecTV service for Cornell is not available on Wi-Fi.
How do I connect to a Microsoft server from RedRover?
If the server administrator permits connections from RedRover, you can connect by mapping a network drive. For step-by-step instructions on how to map a network drive, see the map a drive page.
Eduroam is a secure, world-wide roaming access service for the research and education community. It allows students, researchers, faculty and staff from participating institutions to obtain Internet connectivity at their home institution, or when visiting other participating institutions.
At Cornell, eduroam is available everywhere RedRover is available on the Ithaca and Geneva campuses. See the RedRover coverage map for details.
You can see where eduroam is available at other participating institutions at http://www.eduroam.org/.
Eduroam requires the user to log in. Cornell users log in to Eduroam with their NetID@cornell.edu and their NetID password. Use this same procedure to log in to eduroam at Cornell or at another participating institution.
Visitors to Cornell from other participating institutions use their credentials from their home institution. They do not need to either register as a guest or obtain any Cornell credentials to use Eduroam.
Who should I contact if I need help?
If Cornell is your home institution, contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@cornell.edu or via telephone at 607-255-8990.
If you are from another eduroam-participating institution, contact your home institution support.
Is eduroam faster than Cornell's other Wi-Fi services?
No. Eduroam offers the same available bandwidth and connection speed as RedRover, RedRover-Secure, and WMC Secure.
Yes. When you log in on Cornell's campus, eduroam offers security equivalent to RedRover-Secure.
Note: If you log in to eduroam at another participating institution, the local campus policies will apply.
Is eduroam usage tracked in NUBB?
Yes. Eduroam usage is subject to the same network usage-based billing as Cornell's other Wi-Fi services. For more information, see the NUBB page.
Note: If you log in to eduroam at another participating institution, your network traffic does not go across the Cornell network so it is not counted in your usage-based billing.
Where can I find out more about eduroam?
See the eduroam site at http://www.eduroam.org.
