North Campus has been connected to UCInet via a new 100 megabit/second (Mbps) laser link connection. The TereScope 3000, from Optical Access, provides a full-duplex connection at more than sixty-five times the bandwidth of the previous 1.5 Mbps microwave connection. In addition to the higher bandwidth laser link, a backup 11 Mbps network connection has been installed using 802.11b wireless Ethernet. (The laser can suffer degradation in extremely foggy conditions.)

The new link improves the transfer of data between the two sites to keep up with increasing demand as well as to address the problem of legacy equipment no longer supported by the manufacturer. The laser solution was chosen over trenching cable to North Campus which would have entailed three times the cost. The laser employs an “eye safe” beam which will not harm creatures straying into its path.

This upgrade improves the networking capabilities of the Air Pollution Labs, Facilities Management, the Arboretum, the College of Medicine’s Child Development Center, and other North Campus organizations.