Fresno State introduced and launched eduroam [education roaming], a global wireless connectivity server, on campus on Jan. 14. ­

According to eduroam’s website, “eduroam allows students, researchers and staff from participating institutions to obtain Internet connectivity across campus and when visiting other participating institutions by simply opening their laptop.”

Eduroam is provided on more than three hundred institutions around the U.S. which include state colleges, universities, community colleges and more.

“At Fresno State, eduroam is a new wireless network that you can connect with to use a secure wireless Internet connection,” chief information officer Orlando Leon said.

For example, when at another institution that provides eduroam, Fresno State students, faculty and staff will be able to connect to its wireless network.

Additionally, this system allows users to have security and mobility while also providing easy access to it.

“Once connected to eduroam,” Leon said, “you can use free, secure wireless Internet anywhere it is supported.”

In order to use eduroam while at another institution or on campus, users can use their Fresno State login information such as their email and password to access the Internet connection.

Leon says by providing this server to students, faculty and staff, it will expand their opportunities for collaborations as well as improve services at Fresno State.

“I think it’s beneficial,” liberal studies major Allison Longville said, “but at the same time, I’m not sure how many students are actually going to go to other campuses.”

Longville says expanding the use of eduroam to more community colleges would be ideal for her.

“It will be good if you can use it at a city college because I know that some people take classes at [Fresno City College] and here,” she said.

Although eduroam connects with other institutions, Fresno State’s students, faculty and staff can still use it on campus.

Fresno State currently provides three wireless networks for users — ‘bulldogs,’ ‘fresnostate’ and ‘eduroam.’

“Using the ‘eduroam’ and ‘fresnostate’ will result in the same end-user experience, such as with speed and security of the wireless connectivity,” Leon said.

Since the launch, “the help desk has been receiving a high volume of calls requesting support in accessing the ‘eduroam’ wireless network,” Leon said.

He says users have also been having a difficult time accessing additional wireless networks such as ‘bulldogs’ and ‘fresnostate.’

“We are assessing the advantages and disadvantages of keeping the ‘fresnostate’ wireless connection,” Leon said.