Michael Keehan
Staff Writer
Are you a human living in the year 2024? If so, there is a high likelihood, especially in the U.S., that you frequently use the internet. As much as older folks complain about how kids are always on “those darn phones,” it’s undeniable personal technology is a necessity these days. Despite that, it still seems like many public areas are slow to adopt dependable Wi-Fi, and Millersville is no exception.
Millersville sort of has campus-wide Wi-Fi, but it’s very complicated. There are not one, not three, but six separate Wi-Fi networks. The first is Marauder Guest, which is, as it says, for guests on campus. Then there is Marauder BYOD and Marauder, which are for student-bought and on-campus devices respectively. Finally, the most complicated of all is the three different My Res-Net networks. These are intended to be used at the dorms. First is a “Start Here” network, which is necessary to log into the other networks, the My Res-Net 2G and 5G networks. With that, I have to ask, does anybody use the 2G network?
I get that security is important, and you need certain networks to cater to convenience while others can be stable for long-term devices. But I highly doubt it requires that much time both to explain the Wi-Fi here and connect all your devices to it. And it’s not just the initial connection that is the problem. For dorm residents, walking around campus while staying connected is way more of a mess than it has any right to be. For example, if you’re like me and like listening to music while you walk or run, then you’ll know that once you leave your dorm, you lose connection with the Res-Net network and don’t automatically connect with Marauder Guest or BYOD. And even once you’re connected, you’re likely to disconnect and either switch to data, which may do the same thing, or fiddle around with the Wi-Fi to get it back.
Now, to be fair, I am a new student. It’s almost certain that new students have some issues adjusting to campus, and perhaps my troubles with the Wi-Fi are just a growing pain of adjusting. I’m also sure that the Wi-Fi ten or so years ago was an absolute mess, and what we know is likely much better. Still not dependable, but it’s a relatively new technology for an institution older than electricity. It likely took a while for Millersville and other institutions to adjust, which will almost certainly be the same Wi-Fi. So I hope in the coming years, Millersville will make Wi-Fi convenient, secure, and usable for all students wherever and whenever they’re using it.