San Jose State students struggling to 'connect'

SAN JOSE, Calif.

Students at there are candid about the university's wireless internet system. "Unreliable," one student described it.

"It's got its good moments and its bad moments," said another.

"Terrible," was all another student had to say about it.

Despite being located in the Silicon Valley, San Jose State admits it doesn't have enough wireless access points around campus. "I have to move, like around campus, saying alright does this work? Does this work? It's annoying. Especially in the library," student Jessica Guenette told ABC7 News.

The library is especially challenging. It's used by both college students and the general public, and there are plenty of laptops and smartphones in constant use. "I have an online class, and it wouldn't even load the page," student Alex Brown said.

When ABC7 News gave it a try, the wireless signal was dodgy and took several hits. The university says there are 2,000 more students this year compared to last year and the number of wireless devices more than doubled in one year.

"We have found that each person is carrying two or more wireless devices and often using both or all of those devices to try to connect to our wireless system," San Jose State spokesperson Patricia Lopes Harris said.

The dorms are equipped with Ethernet cables but until now, didn't have a wireless router. They are also being installed. "Now, they're trying to get all wireless now and install it everywhere like the lounges on every floor. So, there about to make it so much better," student Matthew Choy said.

The university says it never anticipated this kind of demand. The college now promises to triple the wireless access points throughout campus by the end of the school year.

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