Wi-Fi Coverage on Campus

Overview

Cedar Crest College provides wireless network access throughout campus to support teaching, learning, and everyday technology needs.

FalconNet is the primary wireless network for Cedar Crest students, faculty, and staff. Wireless access is available in academic buildings, residence halls, and many common areas across campus.

Wireless coverage and connection quality may vary depending on your location, device, and surrounding conditions.

Where Is Wi-Fi Available?

Academic and Administrative Buildings

Wireless access is provided in campus buildings, including classrooms, offices, libraries, and shared spaces.

Coverage is designed to support typical academic and administrative activities, including accessing Canvas, Microsoft 365, and other online resources.

Residence Halls

Wireless access is available in residence halls, including student rooms and common areas.

Some residence hall rooms have wall-mounted wireless access points that provide local coverage and may include wired Ethernet connections.

For assistance with residence hall connections, see:

Troubleshoot Wi-Fi & Wired Internet in Residence Halls

Outdoor Campus Areas

Wireless coverage is available in designated outdoor areas of campus.

Outdoor signal strength and performance may vary depending on your distance from an access point, surrounding buildings, trees, weather conditions, and the number of connected devices.

Important: Wireless coverage is not guaranteed in every outdoor location. A network name appearing on your device does not necessarily mean the connection will be strong enough for reliable internet access.

Campus Wireless Coverage Map

Legend
Green Shading - This public area is capable of up to 1,000 devices connected at once with average performance, or up to 200 devices with high performance given good weather conditions.
Blue Shading - This public area is capable of up to 50 devices connected at once with average performance given good weather conditions and low tree coverage.

The campus wireless coverage map identifies areas where outdoor wireless service is intentionally provided.

Please note:

  • Coverage boundaries are approximate.
  • Signal strength may vary within a marked area.
  • Outdoor coverage can change with environmental conditions.
  • Actual performance depends on network demand and your device.
  • Areas outside designated coverage zones may have limited or unreliable wireless service.

Which Wireless Network Should I Use?

Cedar Crest provides different wireless networks depending on your affiliation and device.

  • FalconNet: The primary wireless network for Cedar Crest students, faculty, and staff using computers, smartphones, and tablets.
  • FalconStream: For compatible smart TVs, gaming consoles, and streaming devices that require device registration.
  • eduroam: For eligible visitors from participating educational institutions.

For device-specific connection instructions, see the related articles below.

What Can Affect Wi-Fi Performance?

Several factors may affect the strength and reliability of your wireless connection.

Distance From an Access Point

Wireless signals generally become weaker as you move farther from an access point.

Walls and Building Materials

Concrete, brick, metal, and other building materials can reduce wireless signal strength.

Number of Connected Devices

Wireless performance may decrease when many devices are actively using the same network area, particularly during large events or periods of heavy usage.

Device Capabilities

Older devices or devices with limited wireless capabilities may experience different performance than newer equipment.

Outdoor Conditions

Trees, foliage, surrounding structures, and weather conditions can affect outdoor wireless coverage.

Troubleshoot Poor Wi-Fi Coverage

If you are experiencing a weak signal, slow connection, or frequent disconnections, try the following steps.

Step 1: Check Your Wireless Connection

  1. Make sure Wi-Fi is enabled on your device.
  2. Confirm that you are connected to the correct campus network.
  3. Disconnect from Wi-Fi and reconnect.
  4. Check whether the connection improves.

Step 2: Try Another Location

Move to another nearby area and check whether your connection improves.

If Wi-Fi works elsewhere but consistently fails in one location, there may be a localized coverage issue.

Step 3: Restart Your Device

Restart your computer, phone, or tablet and reconnect to the wireless network.

Step 4: Check Another Device

If possible, test the connection with another device.

  • If only one device has problems, the issue may be related to that device.
  • If multiple devices experience the same problem in the same location, the issue may be related to wireless coverage or network equipment.

Step 5: Report Persistent Coverage Problems

If your connection continues to be unreliable in a specific campus location, submit an IT Support Request.

Include the exact location and describe whether the problem occurs continuously or only at certain times.

Related Articles

Still Need Help?

If you are experiencing wireless coverage or connectivity problems, submit an IT Support Request.

Include:

  • Location: Building, floor, room number, or specific outdoor area
  • Network: FalconNet, FalconStream, or eduroam
  • Device: Manufacturer, model, and operating system
  • Problem: Weak signal, slow speeds, disconnections, or inability to connect
  • Time: When the issue occurs and whether it is intermittent
  • Other Devices: Whether other devices experience the same problem
  • Screenshots of error messages or network connection status may also be helpful.

For your security, do not include passwords or verification codes in your support request.

Print Article