NEW ORLEANS (April 16, 2021) – The ITT department at DU has received fewer than 20 complaints about Wi-Fi issues in Gentilly Gardens apartments this semester, according to one official there, who asked all students to report their connectivity problems to his office.
Even so, Terry Simon, director of telecommunications services, ITT is working to solve connectivity issues and a “process to solve the Gentilly problem issue is in the works.” One problem, he noted, is that the main router in Rosenwald Hall does not connect to the Gardens.
Simon added, “We have bidders, [but] this costs money.” He did not provide a time frame for addressing Wi-Fi issues on campus nor the estimated amount it would take.
While Simon said his office isn’t getting notified, students are expressed concerns on social media the entire school year about connectivity problems when they use the “DU students” Wi-Fi tag name on campus.
Bailey Patterson, a sophomore Gentilly Gardens resident, said she has been experiencing Wi-Fi issues since fall 2020, and the problem becomes “especially bad” in the Gardens around 5 p.m.
Simon said students in Williams Hall appeared to be experiencing the most issues at first, but the problem with interconnectivity in Williams was resolved over the break between fall and this semester.
He said some schools, such as LSU, have a two-device limit for students, meaning each student may connect only two devices at a time. Conversely, he said, Dillard does not have a maximum.
Short-term solutions to Wi-Fi connectivity are mobile hotspots, and Simon admitted not enough of these exist to accommodate all students in the Gardens. Another option would be to disconnect the devices you aren’t using from the Wi-Fi to open up better service.
In the meantime, students are asked to report Wi-Fi issues to [email protected] so the office can collect data to further drive solution options.
And when all else fails, until a permanent solution is made, students can walk over to the Alexander Library, which has expanded its hours this semester.