Ai tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini are becoming a regular part of how students do their work, but some Fanshawe College students say they are having trouble accessing them on residence Wi-fi.
A spokesperson for Fanshawe, Kyle Rooks, commented on the issues saying, “I can confirm that Fanshawe does not proactively block ChatGPT or any LLM’s.”
Since the college denies restricting access, experts say there are a number of other factors that could explain why students are experiencing these issues.
Technology Analyst Carmi Levy says problems can easily happen when using a big network, like residence, who has hundreds of people who are connected at once.
He shares, “Most people just turn on their devices and expect them to work, but in large networks, certain security settings or firewalls can misidentify unusual traffic and block it. It doesn’t necessarily mean anyone is trying to restrict access, sometimes the system is just reacting to what it sees as a potential threat.”
He adds networks made to support a lot of users often make security and stability the main focus, which can lead to restrictions on certain websites depending on the device and how it is used by the student.
Despite the issues, Ai continues to play a growing role in education.
Journalism Program Co-ordinator at Fanshawe, Jennifer O’Brien says students need to understand how to use AI as a tool.
“They are having AI do all their assignments for them, and not doing themselves any favours, those critical thinking skills are so important,” says O’Brien.
Levy says students experiencing restriction with AI or on any websites can try other things like private browsers, VPN’s or browser extensions.
A laptop shows an error message while using ChatGPT on the Fanshawe College residence network in London, ON, on March 28, 2026. (Georgia Chambers/XFM News)
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