Students across campus have found themselves struggling with campus-wide Wi-Fi issues. Marshall University’s Information Technology Services has made attempts to mitigate the issue by installing additional routers in residence hall rooms.

“Cisco, the company we purchased the software and network gear from, has been working with our IT staff to correct flaws in their product,” executive director of Technology Services Jody Perry said. “Unfortunately, that has resulted in some recent Wi-Fi outages – the two recent, longer outages have been necessary to get the system repaired and to alleviate the ongoing problem of the occasional brief outages experienced earlier in the term.” 

The IT Services said a “bug” in the new wireless system has caused the frequent drops in wireless connection on campus. Connection through the wired internet on campus has not been facing the same issues.

“I’d like to clarify – there haven’t been problems with the internet, just the Wi-Fi,” Perry said. “The wired network has remained up and active throughout the semester. I think it’s important we make that distinction.”

Marshall IT Services has sent emails to all students and staff to continuously update them on the changes being made to the Wi-Fi on campus.

Sophomore biology major Jentre Hyde said even though Marshall IT has made updates, she believes it has only been made worse.

“They say they’re updating and trying to make it better, but to me it just disconnects more often,” Hyde said. “Even though it says you have a strong signal, it’s still really slow.”

Living directly on campus means the only free Wi-Fi available to students is Marshall Wi-Fi.  Justine Jagga, a sophomore who lives in Marshall Commons, said she thinks the recent updates have improved the Wi-Fi across campus.

“I think, overall, throughout the campus it’s pretty good,” Jagga said. “Lately there have been a few issues where it’ll come on and off. It hasn’t been so great over the past few weeks, but I feel definitely this semester’s been better than before.”

In the midst of midterms, students are constantly in need of strong Wi-Fi. Hyde said it’s difficult to live in the residence halls and get work done on Marshall Wi-Fi

“It’s rough because there’s so many people on the Wi-Fi that it makes it really slow and even though it says you have a signal you actually don’t,” Hyde said.

According to a series of emails sent to all students and staff from Marshall IT Department, “approximately 10 percent of Wi-Fi access points on campus were not functioning as of late Sunday evening.”

Hyde also said being on slow Wi-Fi will sometimes prevent her from finishing her assignments.

“I’ll be in the middle of an assignment and I’ll lose connection, and then I’ll lose my work and I’ll have to start all over again because of it,” Hyde said

Kyra Biscarner can be contacted at [email protected]