Contents Computing at Cornell Home Page Site Index Search
Contents About: Services Policies Security News Help For: Students Faculty Staff Technical Support Providers CIT Contact List 		 

Computing at Cornell RedRover



Frequently Asked Questions

red bullet Where on campus can I connect to RedRover?
red bullet Can I connect to RedRover on the campus at Weill Medical College?
red bullet Do I need to pay for RedRover Wi-Fi access?
red bullet What billing changes went into effect for students on June 1, 2008?
red bullet What kind of Wi-Fi card do I need for my laptop?
red bullet What is Wi-Fi?
red bullet How does Wi-Fi work?
red bullet What platforms is CIT supporting with RedRover?
red bullet Can I use Net-Print while I'm on RedRover?
red bullet What connection speed will I get?
red bullet My connection speed says 11 or 54 Mbps; why is my data transfer rate slower?
red bullet Will RedRover drain my laptop battery?
red bullet Can I use Wi-Fi for my desktop computer?
red bullet Can I use my PDA (personal digital assistant), such as a Palm Pilot or Visor, with RedRover?
red bullet How do I connect to a Microsoft server from RedRover?
red bullet Can my guest use Wi-Fi here at Cornell?
red bullet Can other devices affect my connection?
red bullet How can my department or college become part of RedRover?
red bullet Which channels/frequencies does RedRover use?

red line

red bullet Where on campus can I connect to RedRover?

Check the RedRover map to find out where you can connect. These locations are called access points or hot spots.

red bullet Can I connect to RedRover on the campus at Weill Medical College?

Information about RedRover and Weill Medical College is available in the RedRover/Weill FAQ.

red bullet Do I need to pay for RedRover Wi-Fi access?

No. RedRover access is free. All traffic to or from on-campus sites is also free.

For students, beginning June 1, 2008, Internet usage to or from off-campus sites via RedRover is included in the network usage-based billing (NUBB). NUBB already includes this type of usage on the wired networks. Use of Cornell's web sites and services is not counted, and will not be counted, as a result of this change. For information about additional NUBB billing changes for students, see What billing changes for students went into effect June 1, 2008.

For faculty and staff, internet usage via RedRover is not included in the network usage-based billing.

red bullet What billing changes went into effect for students on June 1, 2008?

Starting June 1, 2008, Cornell's network usage-based billing (NUBB) changed in these ways for all students:

(1) For students, Internet usage to or from off-campus sites via Cornell's Wi- Fi (RedRover) networks is included. NUBB already included this type of usage on the wired networks. Use of Cornell's web sites and services is not counted, and will not be counted, as a result of this change.

(2) Students have 10 GB (gigabytes) per month instead of the previous 5 GB per month for Internet usage to or from off-campus sites.

(3) For students, only usage above 10 GB per month is billed, at the same rate as previous, which is $0.0015 per additional MB (megabyte).

(4) Usage is tracked by student NetID, instead of by IP address.

None of the changes listed above apply to faculty and staff.

red bullet What kind of Wi-Fi card do I need for my laptop?

You need a Wi-Fi certified Wi-Fi card or internal Wi-Fi support in your laptop. For RedRover-Secure, you will need a Wi-Fi card that can use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security.

red bullet What is Wi-Fi?

"Wireless" is often used to refer to everything from cell phones to Palm Pilots, but it simply describes a process in which data is transmitted over electromagnetic waves.

So what's the difference between RedRover and your cell phone service? Each device conveys information in a different format or protocol; for example, a cellular phone uses the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) and RedRover uses the 802.11a/b/g protocol. Although both protocols provide you with mobility, using your laptop allows you greater flexibility because of the laptop's larger screen and keyboard and ability to run a wide range of applications and perform complex functions.

red bullet How does Wi-Fi work?

Devices called access points are connected to the regular wired network on campus. Access points broadcast a radio signal that is picked up by the Wi-Fi card in your laptop. Your laptop communicates with the access point and the data is conveyed to the network. Check the RedRover map to find out where you can connect.

red bullet What platforms is CIT supporting with RedRover?

CIT supports Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Macintosh OS 9.0 and OS X.

red bullet Can I use Net-Print while I'm on RedRover?

Yes, thousands of Net-Print documents have been printed successfully from computers using RedRover.

red bullet What connection speed will I get?

In general, your RedRover connection speed will be faster than a dial-up modem but slower than wired Ethernet (such as ResNet). You should not use RedRover as your main network connection.

The connection speed may be as high as 54 Mbps (megabits per second); however, there are several factors that can affect the actual speed.

red bullet My connection speed says 11 or 54 Mbps; why is my data transfer rate slower?

In the 802.11a/b/g protocol, the connection speed rate encompasses all data transfer, including necessary administrative exchanges that take place between the Wi-Fi card and the access point. This slightly lowers your actual data transfer speed ("actual" data refers to the visible data, for example, actual data might be the e-mail message you are sending or the web page you're viewing).

Several other factors can affect the actual speed :

  • The power consumption mode of your Wi-Fi card.

  • The number of RedRover users connected to each access point. As more users connect to an access point, the speed decreases.

  • The kind of activities that RedRover users connected to the same access point are engaged in. For example, if one user is transferring large audio or image files, the speed for all users will decrease, even for simple network tasks such as checking e-mail.

  • Other devices such as cordless phones or microwaves causing interference

red bullet Will RedRover drain my laptop battery?

Depending on the power setting of your Wi-Fi card, you may get fewer hours of use from your laptop battery.

Wireless cards have two power consumption modes: Constantly Awake Mode (CAM) and Power Save Polling (PSP).

  • Constantly Awake Mode provides the best performance, giving you a strong connection between your card and the access point; however, it also rapidly drains your battery, resulting in shorter battery life.
  • Power Save Polling causes the card to "sleep" on a periodic basis, turning its radio signal off. This is separate from the laptop's sleep mode and occurs while the card is in use; as a result, it uses less battery power, permitting a longer battery life.

To extend your battery life, use the Power Save Polling (PSP) mode. Consult the manufacturer's manual to set up this mode.

red bullet Can I use Wi-Fi for my desktop computer?

CIT recommends that you use the wired network for your desktop computer because your connection will be faster and more secure. On the wired network, you could achieve a connection speed of up to 100 Mbps.

On RedRover's Wi-Fi network, the top connection speed will be significantly lower and is affected by several factors, including the number of people connected to the same access point. You should not use RedRover as your main network connection.

red bullet Can I use my PDA (personal digital assistant), such as a Palm Pilot or Visor, with RedRover?

Yes. You'll need to register your PDA first.

red bullet How do I connect to a Microsoft server from RedRover?

If the server administrator permits connections from RedRover, you can connect by mapping a network drive. For step-by-step instructions on how to map a network drive, see the map a drive page.

red bullet Can my guest use Wi-Fi here at Cornell?

Yes. Your guest can use the university's guest Wi-Fi network, available everywhere the standard RedRover service is. This limited Wi-Fi network does not require a username or password. Your guest will be able to access the Internet, but not secured Cornell services.

red bullet Can other devices affect my connection?

Yes. This might be happening to you if you frequently lose your RedRover connection or get an unusally slow connection speed. Some of the more commonly found items that will interfere with your Wi-Fi signal include:

  • Microwave ovens
  • Wireless cameras
  • Wireless video/audio transmissions; for example, video transceivers
  • 2.4 Ghz cordless telephones
  • Other, non-RedRover 802.11 activity using the same (or a nearby) channel

This list is not exhaustive; other devices may also interfere with your connection. For help locating the source of your poor or erratic Wi-Fi connection, follow the guidelines in the RedRover Troubleshooting section.

red bullet How can my department or college become part of RedRover?

To learn about the costs associated with RedRover, see Cornell Wireless Customer Information (Adobe Acrobat Reader required). For more information, e-mail helpdesk@cornell.edu.

red bullet Which channels/frequencies does RedRover use?

RedRover provides WiFi service for IEEE 802.11b/g devices utilizing channels 1-11 radio frequencies 2.412GHz to 2.462GHz in the 2.4GHz Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) band.

RedRover also provides WiFi service for IEEE 802.11a devices utilizing channels 36, 40, 44, 48, 56, 60, 64 frequencies 5.15GHz to 5.35 GHz and channels 149,153,157,161,165 frequencies 5.725GHz to 5.825GHz in the Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (UNII) Bands.

The UNII bands are under utilized on RedRover and it is recommended when purchasing WiFi devices for use with RedRover to look for WiFi approved devices that support WiFi Protected Access (WPA) and will connect on all three IEEE 802.11 specifications a/b/g; sometimes this type of equipment is referred to as a dual-band WiFi interface. This type of interface will provide flexibility when connecting to other WiFi networks that may support a limited set of these standards.

If you have additional questions about this please contact your network administrator or local IT support provider.


RedRover Home| Register to use RedRover | Where is RedRover?
Troubleshooting| Frequently Asked Questions

Need help? Ask the CIT Contact Center (HelpDesk)
Send comments to the webmaster with our Feedback Form
Last modified: July 10, 2008