Wireless Internet Access Helps Dominican Sisters Serve
Widespread Congregations

The Dominican Order has been renowned for centuries for its commitment to education and communication, so it comes as no surprise that the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, despite being members of one of the oldest Roman Catholic orders, would so readily embrace information-age technology.

In 1995, the nuns at Mission San Jose joined the information age and created their own Web site, adding e-mail capability at Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent in Fremont, California and other outlying convents. The sisters' plan was to bring the Internet to all parts of the Mission.

But there were problems with installing some of the modern technology, according to Sister Deborah Marie Butcher, who has become the de facto information services expert for the Order.

"We initially approached the diocese about wiring our buildings, but they said it would not be feasible here," says Sister Deborah. The convent's buildings are scattered across the campus, making wiring between them difficult. Running wires along the thick convent walls wasn't an acceptable option either, she adds. "We all agreed that these impediments made wiring cost-prohibitive." And as the project was being funded through a grant, spending a lot of money wasn't an option.

So in 1999, Sister Deborah Marie went looking for a solution. She approached Jim Bradfield, chief technologist of Network Access Solutions (NAS), a wireless network integrator, and asked for his help.

After conducting a thorough survey of the Mission's grounds and buildings, Bradfield recommended the Cisco Aironet® 340 Series wireless network system.

According to Bradfield, the system had several advantages that made it superior to other options. "I suggested the Cisco Aironet 340 Series because of the industry-leading speed and throughput, the ease of remote management, the integration and communication between bridges and access points, and the overall cost savings versus other wireless solutions," he says.

The combination of flexibility and cost-effectiveness also put the Cisco Aironet products above any other wireless solution, says Bradfield. "The Cisco Aironet system allows users to access the network via PCI cards in workstations or PCMCIA cards in laptops, and for existing LANs, the workgroup bridge allows up to eight wired workstations to maintain wireless LAN access."

Wireless Provides Mobility

At Mission San Jose, the sisters move around the campus often, so having a system that can move with them is important. "Our wireless network allows the sisters to wander freely throughout the grounds," Sister Deborah Marie says. "Recently, I wanted to go to the conference room on the second floor for a presentation on videoconferencing, but we don't have a separate PC there," says Sister Deborah Marie. Thanks to the Cisco Aironet 340 Series, "all I had to do was take a wireless-enabled desktop PC from the library on a rolling computer desk."

Today, the Mission has equipped approximately 50 personal computer stations with Cisco Aironet 340 Series wireless PCI client adapter cards and 12 laptops with Cisco Aironet 340 Series wireless client adapter cards.

The PC cards communicate to the network via Cisco Aironet 340 Series access points, allowing users of portable equipment to access the network from anywhere at the Mission. Four Cisco Aironet 340 Series wireless access points and three Cisco Aironet 340 Series wireless bridges extend the network across the campus—even outside.

"Our antennae are set up so that laptops can be used on our patios," says Sister Deborah Marie. "It would not be uncommon to find one of our sisters outdoors meditating while another is going online nearby."

Cisco Aironet 340 Series access points can serve as a transceiver between a wired and wireless network or as the hub of a stand-alone wireless network, as at Mission San Jose. Using direct sequence spread spectrum technology, the Cisco Aironet 340 Series bridges provide 11 Mbps data rates at up to a 15-miles line-of-sight. Wireless bridges connect discrete sites into a single LAN. The compact bridges are easy to install, requiring no FCC license, and they can be quickly redeployed as the user's needs change.

Cisco Aironet 340 Series access points, bridges, and client adapters feature up to 128-bit IEEE 802.11b-compliant wired-equivalent-privacy (WEP) encryption that delivers enterprise-level security. The Series also provides 802.1x-based Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) services to provide centralized, user-based authentication integrated with network log on for simplified security administration.

Keeping in Touch—Mission Work and E-Mail

The wireless system is used in many ways at Mission San Jose, according to Sister Deborah Marie. The sisters correspond by wireless e-mail with friends and relatives, as well as with congregational members and convents in other parts of California and in Oregon, Arizona, Germany, and Mexico. Before traveling, the sisters often use the system to log onto the Internet to confirm street addresses or get directions to their destinations.

The Mission's treasurer checks the organization's portfolio online, and many at the convent tap into electronic libraries at Stanford University, the University of California, at Berkeley; the University of Santa Clara; California State University at Hayward; and other local schools to conduct biblical or genealogical research or access the Vatican's Web site for information and updates.

Serving Young and Old

The wireless system has become especially important to some of the older sisters. "We had to set up computers for the elderly sisters first, because they really use them. One older sister regularly checks the news for the community she came from," said Sister Deborah Marie.

The Mission also includes a center for the care of elderly sisters, and nurses use the wireless network to look up medical and pharmaceutical information. Soon, the doctors will be able to access the Internet right at their patient's bedside, using the wireless system and a laptop. "The laptop is ready now. We are simply waiting for a medical program we have contracted with to officially take over our care center. Then, when we are able to determine what their needs are, we will install more access points so they can do bedside applications," Sister Deborah Marie explains.

Even the children at the Mission's Dominican Kindergarten are now connected. "They have all kinds of sessions and learning projects through the Internet, with the kindergarten teacher guiding them," she says. "I have even chatted with the children via Instant Messenger."

Wireless at St. Ignatius School

The wireless solution is working just as well at other Mission San Jose locations, such as St. Ignatius School in Highland Park, California.

"Wireless was the only option at St. Ignatius. First, the buildings are too old and sturdy to permit a wired system. Second, the success we've experienced in Fremont was a strong selling point," said Sister Deborah Marie. "And finally, hard wire would take hours and hours, possibly weeks and months, to install. We wanted a solution much sooner than that."

Today, St. Ignatius has close to 50 PCs linked with Cisco Aironet 340 Series adapter cards, access points and workgroup bridges. Priests are using wireless computers at the rectory, sisters go on line in the convent, and school children are getting computer training on the wireless system in the school's computer lab.

Everyone at Mission San Jose has been very happy with the new wireless system, according to Sister Deborah Marie. "Wireless was a more affordable and logical solution, and it has provided unanticipated benefits."

"I suggested the Cisco Aironet 340 Series because of the industry-leading speed and throughput, the ease of remote management, the integration and communication between bridges and access points, and the overall cost savings versus other wireless solutions,."

—Jim Bradfield
Chief Technologist, Network Access Solutions