Contra Costa Community College District is updating its Wi-Fi network for Diablo Valley College, Los Medanos College and Contra Costa College, replacing their wireless networks with a more secure and up to date system.

DVC’s new wireless network for spring 2013, DVC Student, is being beta tested for registered students and staff.

“DVC Student is a secure system, so students and staff have easy access,” said Director of Marketing and Communications, Chrisanne Knox.

In fall 2013, the new network will replace DVC-Connect; staff will receive their own network separate from the students.

Those who do not have a WebAdvisor account cannot access the network, however, the Wi-Fi network is secure for registered students and staff with a WebAdvisor account.

The new Wi-Fi network will cost $13.7 million for the upgrades for all the colleges in the district, and is part of the district’s “Measure A” infrastructure project to update the district’s campuses.

DVC-Connect has been the current Wi-Fi on campus since it first became publicly available in 2007. Back then Wi-Fi was only available for students and staff who had a laptop computer with Wi-Fi capacity, but since the rise of new media devices the current system slowed down.

“The old DVC Connect is not very good”, said Knox. The older Wi-Fi is slower to access in many areas on campus.

“The new Wi-Fi was first installed in the DVC Library and the Student Service Center late in Fall 2012. Since winter break the Wi-Fi network is being installed throughout the college,” said Andy Kivel, DVC Librarian.

“DVC-Connect will go away and DVC Student will become the general available Wi-Fi,” said Kivel.

“Next semester DVC Student will be available throughout the entire campus,” said Knox.

Students or district employees who own AT&T; phones may experience Wi-Fi connection problems on campus, such as the internet or apps not responding in certain locations on campus with the new Wi-Fi signal.

“If students or staff use AT&T; phone services with 3g, 4g and 4g LTE, the Wi-Fi signal may not work,” Know said.

The new network is available at most places on campus, such as the Campus Police Station, the Administration Building, Library, Advanced Technology Center, the Business and Foreign Language building, Family Life Building, Life Health Services, Physical Science Portables, press box and football field, science center offices and Student Service Center for the spring 2013 semester.