Wi-Fi: Coming to a dorm near you

Tired of tripping over those nagging cords in your dorm? Well, soon you'll be able to surf the Internet wirelessly.

According to Tom Ellett, associate vice president for student affairs, the university plans to install wireless Internet access in all but one residence hall. The 13th Street dorm will be the only one not to receive the upgrade, because NYU's lease for the building expires in a year and a half, Ellett said.

Marilyn McMillan, vice president of Information Technology Services at NYU, said over the next few years the university plans to extend wireless access across the campus.

"ITS does have plans to expand the availability of NYURoam wireless access to more spaces on campus, including the student residences and lounges in them, as well as academic buildings that also have student lounges," McMillan said.

ITS is working with student senators to identify additional locations outside of the existing wireless locations. With the extended wireless access, students will be able to access print services and NYU-licensed software from their own computers.

"The goal is improved service and convenience," McMillan said. "We want to provide more spaces where students with their own computers can come together, do collaborative and individual work and access a wide array of network-based resources."

Gallatin freshman Michael Youhana, who frequently uses the Third North computer lab, was disappointed with the change.

"I think eventually getting rid of the computers is a bad idea, because I use them to print all the time," he said. "It was really convenient."

Yet Tisch freshman and Third North resident Michael Chiboucas thinks the change is a good thing.

"I don't hear about people using the computers since most people have their own," he said.

The university began adding wireless hot spots, or CoLabs, around campus in September 2009. CoLabs are the wireless lounges located on the fourth floor of the Silver Center and the lower level of Third North. McMillan said the few computers that remain in the CoLabs will be phased out as they age.