Some students worry about finding the one, but even more worry about finding the WiFi.
Internet connection is one of the most important factors when a deadline is quickly approaching. Poor WiFi can hinder a student’s ability to complete or turn in an assignment, leading them to choose their study spot based on WiFi connectivity.
BYU recognizes that WiFi is less reliable in certain buildings.
According to David Andrus, the Office of Information Technology Product Manager, BYU’s OIT team constantly works to improve the wireless connection.
“We do the best we can to provide the best wireless we can,” Andrus said.
If students experience a poor WiFi connection, Andrus asks that the students notify the OIT service desk.
“We design the wireless network as best as we can based off what we think usage is going to be like in an area, but when you actually fill up a room with bodies and devices, it might turn out that we were wrong. We’d love to go back and fix that,” Andrus said.
The “Next Generation Standard Project” is BYU’s project of upgrading wireless connections throughout campus. Most of the main academic buildings are already complete. The Lee Library is scheduled for next year, and other buildings will receive the upgraded wireless once funding allows.
The majority of buildings’ wireless services on the BYU campus have already improved. Formerly spotty locations, like the Joseph Fielding Smith Building basement, now provide faster Internet connections.
The busiest places do not always provide the best WiFi. Many students avoid crowded places during their busy hours, like the library or the Wilkinson Student Center, to find a better connection. Students know about the worst WiFi spots, but do they know about the best?
Morgan Linford, a 20-year-old sophomore, goes straight to the Maeser Building on the south end of campus when she needs reliable wireless connection. Linford said, “Everyone forgets that building exists. When you say the Maeser, no one even knows what or where that building is.”
The Smith Fieldhouse is the best place to go, according to Brock Handley, a 24-year-old junior. Handley said WiFi is faster there because “no one really uses it, and it’s kind of the last place people think to study at.”
The MOA Cafe offers the most reliable WiFi for Rachael Riner, a 21-year-old senior. “When I’m hungry and I need to get stuff done, I go to the MOA. I know they have good food and their WiFi is reliable, so I kill two birds with one stone,” she said.
