"I expected that some students would not take time to complete the necessary steps [for configuration]," Archambeault said.
Dartmouth Public is slower, more insecure and does not allow the use of GreenPrint or the College's electronic resources, and Dartmouth will soon undertake actions to discourage students from using it, Archambeault said. For instance, Computing Services may set up a portal page that would require students to log in with their user name and password every time they connect through Dartmouth Public. Other users will be issued a user name and password that will allow them to connect.
Despite the drawbacks, many students interviewed by The Dartmouth continue to use Dartmouth Public.
"It works fine," Oghenetega Ogban '11 said. "If I want to print anything, I can just use my ethernet cord and print papers, and if I want to access database, I can use the library's network, so I'm cool."
Technological difficulties prevented other students from completing the switch.
Cody Lavender '10, who could not complete the switch due to a network configuration error, said that the process is complicated.
"Seriously, you have to have multiple windows open to set [Dartmouth Secure] up," he said.
Some students who were persistent enough to set up Dartmouth Secure on their computers complained about the speed of the connection.
"It's ridiculously slow," Jamal Brown '08 said. "Every time I attempt to sign on to Blitz or navigate to a website, Dartmouth Secure begins scanning for the authenticity of the network and takes forever just to load the application."
Very few students have reported problems with Dartmouth Secure to Network Services, according to Archambeault.
The switch from Kiewit Wireless to Dartmouth Secure was the second campus-wide technological modernization this year. In addition to the network switch, DarTV replaced the traditional cable television in all campus housing on Jan. 15.
The television signal is now distributed through ethernet cables and allows users to view 62 channels. Students can either display the signal on their computers or watch the cable on televisions using converter boxes distributed by Dartmouth Computing Services.
Students can rent the converter boxes for $10 a month, or purchase them for $250.
Computing Services has rented or sold between 400 and 500 boxes so far, according to Archambeault. The switch gone more smoothly than the network modernization, he added.
Although the switch to DarTV generated less tension than the deactivation of Kiewitt Wirless, many students are unhappy about the additional money they had to spend on the new converter boxes.
"I let my roommate take care of it," Dan Volgenau '10 said. "He was pretty bummed that he had to buy another box."
A majority of the students decided to avoid the additional cost and watch TV on their computers.
"I don't watch that much TV, so it's convenient for me to launch it on my computer," Jason Laster '11 said. "It would be better if I could use my wireless to do that."
Computing Services is currently working to extend the cable service to wireless networks.
"We're concerned that launching DarTV through wireless can overload the network," Archambeault said. "When we figure that out, we will certainly consider streaming the signal through wireless."
