Campus Network Update & Increased Wi-Fi Support

To our campus community,

As we begin the academic year, we want to provide you with an update on our network and Wi-Fi. We are thrilled that, as of July 1, we are now fully funded to continue this critical work. However, we are playing catch-up after years of underfunding. While the work to fully optimize our network will take time, we want to make the return to campus as smooth as possible. To help in this effort, we have increased our support for the fall.

If you have network or Wi-Fi issues at the start of the semester:

• Call the help desk; or 
• Visit one of the drop-in locations listed below.

These two options are the fastest way to get help.

Increased Wi-Fi Support for Fall Start

For the first few weeks of the fall semester starting Aug. 22, we will be offering several options for getting technical support if you encounter connectivity issues:

Hotspots to Support Teaching & Learning

Instructors experiencing connectivity issues in classrooms may call the hotline at 510-664-9000 (option 9) to obtain a hotspot. Alternately, instructors who have Berkeley-issued cellular phones can request hotspot service be added to their devices. Please plan ahead as this process can take up to one week; follow the instructions to upgrade your phone hereStudents with financial need can request a hotspot through STEP

Getting to an optimized network infrastructure will not happen overnight. It will take one to two years to fully implement – we have a great deal of work ahead of us to achieve the network stability and experience we want to deliver. We want you to know that we are doing everything in our power to ensure a better network experience for everyone for this fall and beyond. 

Current Improvement Efforts

We already have significant work in progress that will help improve the Wi-Fi experience and stabilize the network in the coming months. Here are some of the key projects we have underway:

• Wi-Fi infrastructure expansion and modernization to improve signal coverage. The majority of locations on campus now enjoy modern 802.11ac Wi-Fi service. Over the last year, we replaced over 600 obsolete access points that do not support modern services in multiple buildings on campus. This work is being finalized in September. View the updated map of coverage here | compare to Wi-Fi map from last year

• Improved Wi-Fi keys portal for a better user experience. In the coming months, we will roll out a simplified interface for Wi-Fi password (key) management to improve accessibility and usability for all campus users.

• Support for IOT / consumer device Wi-Fi. Our existing Wi-Fi services do not adequately support Internet of Things (IoT) devices or the needs of students to connect their devices in our residence halls. In September, we will pilot and roll out a new Wi-Fi service which will improve connectivity for these devices.

• CalVisitor changes are in the works to improve guest access to Wi-Fi. This will improve user connectivity, reduce confusion between Wi-Fi options, and improve campus network security.

• Enhanced connectivity for international students. Remote connectivity will be increased later this year for international students in China to ensure they have access to course materials.

For detailed information about all the projects we have underway, please visit the Network User Experience Improvements website

We appreciate your understanding and continued patience as our teams work diligently now and well into the future toward a stable network and better user experience for all. 

Regards,

Jenn Stringer, Associate Vice Chancellor for IT and Chief Information Officer

Related Links: Wi-Fi Upgrade Details | Access Wi-Fi | Get IT Help | System Status | Sign-up for System Alerts

This message was sent campus-wide to all students, faculty, and staff. If you are a manager who supervises UC Berkeley employees without email access, please circulate this information to all.