Guidelines Regarding Use of the 2.4 and 5.2 GHz Radio Frequencies

Scope

CIT has been given primary responsibility for the design, installation, and operation of the wireless network environment on the SUNY Geneseo campus. This system will allow campus users to access all campus information technology resources from mobile or portable computers. However, in order to achieve a robust and stable wireless infrastructure and prevent unintended interference to FCC licensed services, CIT must maintain administrative control of the radio frequency spectrum that wireless devices utilize as their base transport mechanism.

Policy

802.11b/g wireless local area networking uses the FCC unlicensed 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) band. 802.11a wireless uses the FCC unlicensed 5.2 GHz National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) band. Certain other "wireless" devices exist in the market place that also employ the same 2.4 or 5.2 GHz frequency band and can cause interference to users of the wireless service. These devices include, but are not limited to other wireless LAN devices, cordless telephones, cameras, and audio speakers.

In order to assure the highest level of service to the users of wireless network, CIT needs help from all members of the campus community in minimizing the potential interference from those devices. CIT requests that use of all other 2.4 and 5.2 GHz devices be discontinued in university-owned buildings. In cases where the device is being used for a specific teaching or research application, CIT requests that the college, department, researcher or faculty member work with CIT to determine the priority and whether there are circumstances under which use of the device may still be accommodated without causing interference to the installed wireless community. Through channel frequency coordination with CIT, it is possible that most devices operating in the same frequency ranges can be accommodated on campus in fixed locations. Where interference issues cannot be resolved working with CIT, the college and Provost offices will determine the priority. CIT's role is to assist those involved by providing the options available for resolution of the interference issues in such cases.  CIT supports 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac devices. We do not support devices which require the 802.11b protocol.  802.11b slows the entire campus wireless network down. 

CIT will approach the shared use of the 2.4 and 5.2 GHz radio frequency in the same way that it manages the shared use of the wired network. While it will not actively monitor use of the airspace for potential interfering devices, we will seek out the user of a specific device should we find it causing harmful interference to the campus network or other FCC licensed service. In these cases, CIT reserves the right to restrict the use of all FCC licensed Part 15 ISM and U-NII devices in university-owned buildings and all outdoor spaces on the Geneseo Campus. See the campus computing policies, including those related to responsible use of shared resources, such as the campus airspace, for more details.

If you think you have an existing system that may use 2.4 GHz radios for transmission or you are planning to purchase a wireless system and you are uncertain if it employs 2.4 GHz radios, please contact the CIT HelpDesk at x5588 or send email to helpdesk@geneseo.edu. The HelpDesk can assist in determining if such devices will cause interference to the wireless network.