Students gather outside cafeteria, unaware they could be surfing Internet over lunch.

Best kept secret:

LAHC goes wireless

By: Juan Dorado

Posted: 11/8/06

Brett Weir stepped into the cafeteria to meet some classmates when he discovered one of Los Angeles Harbor College's best kept secrets. The cafeteria is connected to a wireless hub connection that enables laptops to get internet access. Administration has yet to publicize it and few students know about it.

Weir, a student at Harbor Teacher Prep Academy said he went to the cafeteria in between classes to meet with friends. "I was fumbling around with my computer when I detected the wireless access," he said.

The wireless hub has been up since the beginning of the falls semester. The cafeteria is busy with college students working on their classroom requirements, but you don't seem many people working on laptops. When students were told there was a wireless hub in the cafeteria they seemed amazed.

"If I knew about the wireless hub in the cafeteria, I would use it because it's better than having to go to the computer lab," student Steve Carrillo said.

The hub went up with very little difficulties, despite a couple of routing problems with all the campus construction but besides that everything seem to work out, according to Ivan Clarke, manager of the campus Computer Information System.

The wireless hub was first implemented in the science building but was carried over to the cafeteria. The connection stretches from inside of the cafeteria to the outside benches. Clarke said he hopes that the entire school will have access to a wireless connection soon. He expressed dismay because no one seems to know that the cafeteria is wired.

"We definitely need to focus on getting the information out to the students," he said.

Using the hub is very simple. All students need to have is a Harbor College student I.D. number. Clarke said administrators are planning on installing a counter to make it comfortable for people as well as allow easy access to electricity.

Unlike the library, where quiet rules apply, the cafeteria has an open atmosphere where you can interact with others around you.