Andre RobersonDespite efforts to upgrade N.C. Central University’s Wi-Fi service after a cyberattack in 2023, students and staff say they are suffering from slow speeds, intermittent drops and poor signal quality.
Problems stem from the EAGLE-SOAR Wi-Fi network, which was introduced in summer 2024 to improve security after a cyberattack in 2023, and on the EAGLES-GUEST Wi-Fi network, which is less secure.
“I’ve been having issues since I arrived at campus,” Samone Dobson, a freshman political science student, said. “It’s pretty much all the time.”
Some students said that poor connection affects their ability to do classwork and leisure activities.
“It is typical to see a short spike in the number of requests for network assistance at the beginning of the academic year,” Joel Faison, NCCU’s Chief Information Officer, said. “Thousands of new students come to campus for the first time.”
“On a typical weekday, NCCU’s network has more than 11,000 devices connected to the internet,” Faison said.
He said that ITS staff are constantly taking advice and are working towards providing a better experience. The number of open help requests regarding connection has sharply declined Faison said.
“ITS is planning a campus-wide overhaul of the Wi-Fi network to upgrade the performance,” Faison said.
However, some students question whether improvements are really coming.
“I really don’t have a lot of hope,” Dobson said. “Maybe if enough students complain, they will fix it.”
“Our team has a commitment to providing reliable technology services, innovative solutions, and strategic collaborations across the university,” Faison said.
NCCU’s Information Technology Services has seen a 15.6% decrease in filled positions since last year, leaving 54 staff members.
ITS began working EAGLE-SOAR Wi-Fi in January 2024 following NCCU’s cyberattack to offer a more secure network. It was introduced last summer.
But students and staff say that problems remain.
Dobson said that no matter where she is, the internet is constantly dropping, and everything on her phone or computer loads slowly.
“I would say it’s worse in my dorm than other public spaces, especially in times of high traffic,” Dobson said, who lives in Alston Avenue Apartments.
