UC Davis Gets Wireless Data Service

By Bethany Faith Daniels

 
Mobile computer users throughout the country routinely use Palm® devices for email and scheduling. Police officers use laptops and other specialized devices to transmit and retrieve information instantly. Researchers access live Web pages while on trains. How? Through wireless Internet access. This service (a.k.a. Wireless IP or Wireless Mobile Data) is now available to UC Davis affiliates along with other voice and data services offered through IT-Communications Resources.

How does this service work? When you sign up for this service (offered at UC Davis via AT&T), your wireless modem is assigned an IP address. (IP addresses are a series of numbers assigned by the National Information Center that uniquely identify computers on the Internet.) It is through this IP address that the wireless network recognizes you as authorized user. The Internet connection is instantaneous: no need to plug in, find a phone jack, or change your IP address to access the campus network. All it takes is firing up the "IP Stack" software that comes with the wireless modem. However, be aware that Wireless IP does not work at the speeds to which we have grown accustomed (typically 28 to 56 kilobits per second over a modem line). This network transmits data at a speed of up to 19.2 kilobits per second.

Needless to say, this service emphasizes convenience over speed. For those who like to surf the Internet, this will not be the connection of choice. But, for those who need to check email frequently and have no easy access to the network, this could be a good option. There is a limitation, however. Wireless mobile data customers can receive email from any domain name but are limited to sending email ONLY to "@ucdavis.edu" addresses. All emails sent to other domain names, while using the AT&T mobile data service will be seen by the UC Davis campus network as "spam" and will, therefore, be rejected. This limitation does not affect those wireless mobile data customers who use Pine or Web-based email programs.

Some mobile computer users will soon have an even faster wireless connection, provided through the UC Davis wireless network access ITF project slated for completion this Fall. (See "More Options for Mobile Computing Users" in this issue.) When fully implemented, this service will enable wireless users to connect to the UC Davis network from selected locations on campus at speeds much closer to what on-campus users experience when plugged into the campus network from their desks or general access ports.

There are four basic differences between the two wireless services:

• Coverage
  AT&T Wireless: Various locations nationwide (see http://cr.ucdavis.edu/commsrv/wireless/wiredata.html)
  UC Davis ITF Wireless Pilot: Selected areas of campus

• Speed
  AT&T Wireless: Up to ~19.2 kbps
  UC Davis ITF Wireless Pilot: ~2 mbps (~2,000 kbps)

• Availability
  AT&T Wireless: Now
  UC Davis ITF Wireless Pilot: Fall 2000, to limited number of users participating in the pilot

• Cost
  AT&T Wireless: Set up and service fees
  UC Davis ITF Wireless Pilot: free to UC Davis affiliates.
  A wireless modem is required for both services.

For more information about the AT&T Wireless IP network and how to sign up for this service, visit the IT-Communications Resources Web site at http://cr.ucdavis.edu/commsrv/wireless/wiredata.html.