Campus & Community

‘Hot Spots’ Have a Chilling Effect on Campus Wi-Fi

Monday, February 21, 2022, By Eric Ferguson
phone resting on a tablet resting on a computer laptop

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Information Technology Services (ITS) network administrators continue to detect wireless access points or “hot spots” coming from personal devices across campus. Hot spots can disrupt the normal use of University-provided wireless access (Wi-Fi).

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Faculty and staff also can begin their in-person meetings and classes by asking everyone to check their devices before they get started, similar to setting a phone to “airplane mode” before a flight.

To connect a computer or iOS device to AirOrangeX:

  1. Choose AirOrangeHelp from your device’s list of available wireless networks.
  2. Navigate to aoh.syr.edu and follow the instructions.
  3. If your computer is not automatically connected, choose AirOrangeX from the list of networks.

To connect an Android device to AirOrangeX, navigate to answers.syr.edu/aox and follow the instructions for your respective operating system from the list provided.

WiFi is broadcast over radio frequencies. When someone uses a hot spot on campus, their signal competes with the existing AirOrangeX wireless network.

The use of hot spots has increased in recent years, with many people using their hot spots elsewhere and forgetting to turn them off when they arrive on campus. ITS recommends only using a hot spot at home or while traveling.

Connecting to the AirOrangeX network instead of a personal hot spot is a great way to improve the campus computing experience for everyone.