Student internet application procedure
PJUSD has the ability to offer internet connectivity at no cost to students at home that are in need of an internet connection for their education. The district can provide, based on location, two options of internet connectivity, a mobile hotspot or a connection to our district network, called the Edunet. Only district provided student chromebooks will be allowed to connect to the Edunet, or a mobile hotspot. These devices are allowed to be used for educational purposes only.
What is the Edunet?
The Edunet is a safe and secure internet connection, connected directly to the PJUSD’s network. Students will be using the same secure connection and web filtering as being used in the classroom. The Edunet uses a wireless signal with a tower and antennas located at the District, and antennas at the home to connect to this wireless signal. The Edunet’s signal currently can reach up to about 3-4 miles from the location of the district antenna located at Pierce High School. Based on the location within this range, the Edunet can either be set up at home with an internal device or with an additional external antenna. An external antenna will need to be used if the signal strength of an internal device is not sufficient. Besides distance, the signal strength of the antenna can also be influenced by any obstructions such as large buildings and trees. There is no data limit on using an Edunet device.
What is a Mobile Hotspot?
A mobile hotspot is a device that has an internet connection provided by a telecom company such as Verizon or T-Mobile. PJUSD has standardized on mobile hotspots that use T-Mobile as a Telecom provider. Mobile hotspots will also be using the same web filtering as being used in the classroom, but are not directly connected to the district’s network. T-Mobile hotspots offered by PJUSD have a data limit of 100 Gigabyte per year. This is sufficient for school work throughout the year.
Selection Internet device and procedure
The selection of what internet device your student will be receiving from the district is based on the distance from your home to the District’s Edunet equipment. The district will give priority to providing an Edunet Device first. If an Edunet device is not an option because you live outside the range of the Edunet antenna or the Edunet solution does not work at your home, you will be assigned a mobile hotspot if a T-Mobile signal is available at your home. Locations such as Dunnigan and Grimes currently do not have any Edunet signal available.
If an Edunet device is a valid option, a mobile hotspot will NOT be provided.
Procedure internet application
If your student is in need of an internet connection at home you will need to go to the PJUSD IT Center (located between Pierce High School and the Johnson Junior High) to fill out and sign the ‘Edunet Internet Installation’ form. Once you have filled out the form we will determine based on distance if your home qualifies for an Edunet connection.
Edunet option
If your home qualifies for an Edunet connection the following processes will have to be completed to setup a Edunet connection
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PJUSD will perform an off site performance test at the home first to determine if a good working connection with the Edunet radio can be established. Based on the connection results you will qualify for an internal Edunet device or an additional external Edunet antenna.
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You will be informed of the results
2.1 If you qualify for an internal Edunet device we will have you come to the IT department, hand you the internal device, and go over how the steps to connect and set up the device at your home.
2.2 If you qualify for an additional external Edunet antenna we will have to schedule an appointment with you to do a walkthrough of your home to determine the best location of the external antenna.
2.3 At a follow-up appointment a PJUSD technician will install the external antenna and indoor edunet device, connect the equipment and test that a good working connection has been established.
2.4 A PJUSD technician will train you how to connect your student’s chromebook to the Edunet equipment.
Please be aware that the external antenna will have to be mounted to the exterior of your home and a cable will have to be brought in from the antenna to the internal device that your student’s chromebook connects to.
Mobile Hotspot option
If your home does not qualify for an Edunet connection, we offer a Mobile Hotspot as an alternative, if a T-Mobile signal is available at your home. Each student at the home that needs an internet connection, will need their own mobile hotspot assigned as the hotspot will only be linked to the chromebook of the specific student. The following processes will have to be completed to receive a Mobile hotspot:
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Bring your student’s chromebook to the PJUSD IT department
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A PJUSD technician will assign and connect your student’s chromebook to the Mobile Hotspot