It's just like a nomad to pack up and leave.  UT's wireless Internet network, Nomad, has done just that.  On Feb. 3, UT pulled the plug on the Nomad network in response to student requests.

Why the switch?  "The old Nomad access points (radios) were at end of life and were approximately eight years old and did not support the new 802.11n wireless spectrum," said Scott Studham, UT's chief information officer.   

The new network allows us to be at the leading edge of wireless technology; other universities are either moving to this technology or in the planning stages.
Scott Studham, chief information officer

Nomad, which has been around since 2001, was an undivided entity.  In other words, every packet of information sent across the network was seen by all.  With the amount of people using the network, performance suffered.

Nomad only had 4,500 IP addresses while the new replacement, ut-open, has more than 8,000.  This will allow for faster speeds for students.

Students must now choose from one of the four remaining networks: ut-wpa2, ut-open, ut-visitor or eduroam (which is designed for roaming to other universities). 

Besides eduroam, there is not much of a difference between the available networks.  Ut-wpa is secured, and therefore preferred for students; ut-open and ut-visitor can both be accessed by students and are both unsecured. 

"The new network allows us to be at the leading edge of wireless technology, other universities are either moving to this technology or in the planning stages," Studham said. 

UTK has always been a leader in wireless Internet technology. In 2001, UT was the first campus-wide Wi-FI in the world with the 802.11b wireless technology.  In 2004, it was one of the first with 802.11b/g, and in 2009 with 802.11n. These technologies make everything much faster for those accessing the network. 

The upgrade was funded with the technology fee students pay each semester.