Campus technology officials say there’s only one surefire way to stop students from creating their own wireless internet connections in dormitories, thereby creating a security risk for computer users: provide reliable wireless access across campus.

Unauthorized, or “rogue,” wireless networks cropped up on college campuses of every size in the mid-2000s, IT chiefs say, as students became impatient with little or no wireless connection in their dorms.

Many campuses only had wireless connections in libraries, leaving students to plug into the internet when studying in dormitories.

Student-run networks posed a security threat for unsuspecting students who would unknowingly access their neighbor’s web connection. The student’s computer instantly became vulnerable to viruses and malware, because most dorm networks lacked basic security safeguards.

But campus decision makers agreed that a strong wireless signal is the key to ridding colleges of rogue networks…

To read the full story, go to eCampus News.