Students in the College of Business Administration have been able to take advantage of wireless Internet technology since last August, but the technology will soon spread to every building on both the main and Broadway campuses, said Bret Jacobs, director of Information Technology.Brandon Thibodeaux, president of the business school, said the technology has been in the building, but no students have used it yet. Thibodeaux said he has tested the connections himself. “The business school was our pilot,” Jacobs said. Jacobs said the system operates through a series of transmitters and receivers.It allows any student with a laptop and a wireless Ethernet card to access Web sites and, in some cases, send documents to computer lab printers. “It is merely an extension of the existing network,” Jacobs said.The speed at which students can connect depends on the proximity between the laptop and the access point. This speed averages about eleven megabites, which is slightly slower than speeds on the regular network. “You can use it anywhere inside of Miller. You can use it within about seven feet of the exterior of the building, as well as in the courtyard area,” Thibedeaux said.Thibedeaux said the network can accommodate 15 to 20 people comfortably, but he’s not sure what would not sure what would happen if 700 people used it at the same time. He said the network is similar to that of cell phones, with performance slowing down when more users are on the system. “In the fall we will be able to support everyone. The College of Business will be ready,” he said.Ideally, each building would contain a large number of access points to ensure optimum operating speed.The problem with the system, according to Paul Hicky, instructional resources coordinator, is cost.Construction on the law library’s network could begin this summer and could be ready for student use in the fall semester, Hickey said. The Law School could spend about $35,000 to install the technology in the library alone, said James Klebba, dean of the law school. Jacobs said the price will be less than this amount, however. Wireless cards retail at $100 to $250. Although the bookstore does not stock the cards now, students can special-order them from the store for $140 to $160. “From all the tests we’ve run, I would say it doesn’t matter which card you use,” Thibodeaux said.One potential problem with using a wireless network is security, according to Paul Granen of A Plus Communications in Uptown.Granen said that he often tries to dissuade customers from going wireless because of potential security problems. “It’s a lot easier to defeat the network,” he said. Jacobs also said security could become a problem but added that because Loyola uses a secured network, the chance is diminished.The IT staff is in the process of finishing its report on building layouts and structures. The next step in the wireless network process will involve installation. Some students are a little sceptical of the technological changes. “At this point, it’s more of a novelty than a necessity,” Becky Brignac, second year law student, said. Others however, think the move is a necessary one. Thibodeaux said the change will improve life for students and teachers. Using wires is “becoming outdated,”he said.