- Kent School District
- Hotspots & Home Internet Access
Hotspots & Home Internet Access
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Free Internet for the 2020-2021 School Year
Eligible students from low-income families who complete the registration process will receive free internet at home for the rest of the 2020-2021 school year through the Washington Office of Superintendent of Instruction (OSPI) K-12 Internet Access Program.
Eligibility Requirements
Your family can participate in this program if you are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
Register by March 31, 2021
If your family is eligible, please complete the OSPI K-12 Internet Access Program form before March 31, 2021, to register.
If you have questions about this program, please email InternetAccess@kent.k12.wa.us.
Pick Up a Free Hotspot from KSD
Kent School District (KSD) distributes free Wi-Fi hotspots for our students and families in need at select locations on Wednesdays while supplies last.
Service times and locations are subject to change. Please refer to this webpage before you visit.
KSD Hotspot Distribution Events
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March 3 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
- Cedar Heights Middle School: 19640 SE 272nd Street, Covington
- Kent-Meridian High School: 10020 SE 256th Street, Kent
- Kentridge High School: 12430 SE 208th Street, Kent
- Neely-O'Brien Elementary: 6300 S 236th Street, Kent
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March 10 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
- Cedar Heights Middle School: 19640 SE 272nd Street, Covington
- Kent Elementary: 24700 64th Avenue S, Kent
- Kent-Meridian High School: 10020 SE 256th Street, Kent
- Kentridge High School: 12430 SE 208th Street, Kent
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March 17 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
- Cedar Heights Middle School: 19640 SE 272nd Street, Covington
- Kent-Meridian High School: 10020 SE 256th Street, Kent
- Kentridge High School: 12430 SE 208th Street, Kent
- Neely-O'Brien Elementary: 6300 S 236th Street, Kent
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March 24 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
- Cedar Heights Middle School: 19640 SE 272nd Street, Covington
- Kent Elementary: 24700 64th Avenue S, Kent
- Kent-Meridian High School: 10020 SE 256th Street, Kent
- Kentridge High School: 12430 SE 208th Street, Kent
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March 31 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.
- Cedar Heights Middle School: 19640 SE 272nd Street, Covington
- Kent-Meridian High School: 10020 SE 256th Street, Kent
- Kentridge High School: 12430 SE 208th Street, Kent
- Neely-O'Brien Elementary: 6300 S 236th Street, Kent
Frequently Asked Hotspot Questions
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How do I find the Wi-Fi name and password for my hotspot?
The Wi-Fi name and password is available on the Kajeet SmartSpot using the following steps.
- Press the power button to turn on the Kajeet Smartspot. Allow 20 seconds for it to power up.
- With the display on, push the power/menu button twice to see the Wi-Fi name.
- Push the power/menu button again to see the Wi-Fi password.
- To return to the home screen, press the power/menu button two more times.
More information is available from Kajeet.
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How do I connect my KSD laptop or another device to my hotspot?
You will need the Wi-Fi name and password from the Kajeet SmartSpot. If you do not have it already, please see the step-by-step instructions under “How do I find the Wi-Fi name and password?”
KSD Laptop
- Make sure the Kajeet SmartSpot is turned on.
- Turn on your KSD laptop.
- Do not log in yet. Click on the wireless icon on the bottom right of the screen.
- Select the Kajeet SmartSpot Wi-Fi network name from the list of available wireless networks.
- Enter the Kajeet SmartSpot Wi-Fi password.
- Once it is connected, restart the laptop.
- Your device is now connected to the internet. You will not have to go through these steps again.
Other Device
- Make sure the Kajeet SmartSpot is turned on.
- Make sure your computer, tablet, mobile phone, or other Wi-Fi enabled device is on.
- Find the wireless icon or settings for your device.
- Select the Kajeet SmartSpot Wi-Fi network name from the list of available wireless networks.
- Enter the Kajeet SmartSpot Wi-Fi password.
- Your device is now connected to the internet.
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How do I get support for my Kajeet SmartSpot?
Contact the KSD Customer Support Center:
- CustomerSupportCenter@kent.k12.wa.us
- (253) 373-7030
- KSD Support Center on Microsoft Teams
Find more information and resources from Kajeet SmartSpot support.
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Does my hotspot have a data limit?
Yes. A hotspot is a cellular device similar to a mobile phone. Like mobile phones, the Kajeet SmartSpots operate under a data plan that is offered by a service provider (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.).
Depending on the service provider enterprise data plan, the amount of data that is allocated is usually limited due to the extra services provided. In our case, the additional filtering that is necessary to protect students while using the hotspots and the data is also pooled to allow us to adjust bandwidth based on need for each hotspot.
Kent School District is working to increase the default limits to support full time online learning for all students and especially for hotspots issued to a household with multiple students.
It's going to take some time to reconcile our checkout inventory with the Kajeet configuration.
Until then, families with multiple students using the same hotspot in a household may request more data. Please see the process under “How do I request more data if I have multiple students using the same hotspot?”
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How do I check if my hotspot is at its data limit?
Check the current status of your Kajeet SmartSpot online using Sentinel. Input your Kajeet SmartSpot’s IMEI from the card insert on the Kejeet zipper case to find out if your device is suspended, has hit a data limit, or if your account is out of MBs or points.
Kent School District is constantly working to increase the default limits to support remote learning for all students. More data is available immediately upon request to families with multiple students using one Kajeet SmartSpot in the same household. Please see more information under “How do I request more data if I have multiple students using the same hotspot?”
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How do I request more data if I have multiple students using one hotspot?
If you have multiple students in your household using one Kajeet SmartSpot, please email hotspot@kent.k12.wa.us so we can adjust the data. Please include your Kajeet SmartSpot’s IMEI Number from the card insert on the Kejeet zipper case in your email.
Please note, this support process only applies families with multiple students using one device. Kent School District is constantly working to increase the default limits to support remote learning for all students, including devices issued to one student in a household.
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Is KSD going to increase hotspot data limits for all students?
Kent School District is constantly working to increase the default limits to support remote learning for all students.
More data is available immediately upon request to families with multiple students using one Kajeet SmartSpot in the same household. Please see more information under “How do I request more data if I have multiple students using the same hotspot?”
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What if my hotspot does not have coverage or coverage is poor where I live?
Similar to your cell phone, it is possible for your hotspot to encounter areas where there is no reception (dead-zones). To protect against this, KSD partners with multiple service providers through Kajeet.
If the hotspot that you have is for a provider that has poor support in your area, please email hotspot@kent.k12.wa.us and we will exchange it for one that is supported in your are while supplies last.
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I get good cellular reception, but the hotspot works poorly in my home. Why is that?
There are several reasons why this may be the case.
Different Cell Phone & Hotspot Service Providers
Your cell phone service provider (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc.) may not be the same cell provider as the hotspot. If this is the case, depending on the cell coverage by the hotspot's service provider, there would be a difference in coverage.
Housing Materials
What a residence is made of impacts the way a hotspot functions. Aluminum siding and other building materials impact the cell coverage that a hotspot relies on.
Signal Interference
Hotspots connect to the service provider network using cellular service. Laptops and other devices connect to the hotspot using Wi-fi. It is always best to be as close to the hotspot as possible. If there are other devices in your residence using Wi-fi, or other radio signals, the interference can have negative consequences on your connectivity.
Additionally, other wireless networks in your home, your neighbor's wireless, Bluetooth devices, metal, and floor heating and aquariums can also impact in-home wireless reception.
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Do the hotspots filter websites and content?
Basic filtering for the Kajeet hotspots is based on Child Internet Protection CIPA (CIPA) requirements for students accessing the internet on school district provided internet connectivity. Filtering for Kajeet hotspots includes media streaming (Hulu, Netflix, Spotify, etc.) and other social media platforms. Automated blocking has been known to produce false positives. There are over 1.5 billion websites so finding new and everchanging sites is constant and takes time even for computers.
False positives in filtering can happen both ways meaning there could be an inappropriate site that is inadvertently allowed. If you encounter this, please email hotspot@kent.k12.wa.us identifying the site that was not blocked on the Kajeet.
KSD can and does modify filters, but please be patient. As you know, this level of online learning is new to students, staff, and support. We are working as hard and smart as possible to work out all of the kinks.
Other Home Internet Access Options
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Access Free Out-of-Home Xfinity WiFi Hotspots
Everyone can now access out-of-home Xfinity WiFi hotspots normally located in business areas, retail locations, and transit areas for free. Enter your zip code to find the location nearest you and follow the instructions to join the hotspot.
Apply for the Low-Cost Comcast Internet Essentials Plan
Comcast is offering their internet essentials plan free (normally $9.95) for 60 days to new, qualified subscribers in response to the Coronavirus emergency. You may qualify if you are eligible for public assistance programs such as the National School Lunch Program, Housing Assistance, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, and others.
Connect A KSD Laptop to WiFi
Once you have internet access, follow a few simple steps to connect a KSD laptop to a new WiFi network.