Why is the Internet Slow January 30, 2008
Posted by Alex in : Internet , add a comment
When I came to Collegiate in 2001, we had a T1 Connection to the Internet. That’s 1.54 Mbps. 1,540,000 Million Bits per second. Lots has changed since then. The Internet started as text based pages, then added images and now video is the norm. In the fall of 2005 we moved to a 10 Mbps Metro LAN connection.
So with a 10 megabit per second connection, why do we experience slow downs?
We have a network with 275 machines, any of which can be streaming audio, downloading video or large pictures, or just browsing the web. If a few community members start downloading videos or large files from any number of video sites at the same time, this overtaxes our Internet connection, causing everyone else to slow down. You can see an example on the graph below between 11 and 12am:
What is the Technology Department doing?
We closely monitor our Internet connection as you can see by the graph above. Last year, we added a proxy server which increases Internet performance by storing frequently used web sites on a local server.
Yesterday, we changed two things:
- We gave higher priority to Collegiate Connect traffic
- We also reconfigured our proxy server to enable balancing of Internet video traffic by using a function called delay pools.
From a few anecdotal comments today, web sites do appear to be loading faster.
What can you do?
First of all, please be aware of your Internet use. Internet video and downloading large files tax our Internet connection the most. If you are browsing a video site or downloading large files and they are not related to your work, please do this outside of the school day.
If you notice Internet slow downs, please send me (aragone [at]collegiateschool.org) an e-mail. Here are our criteria for a slow down:
- You go to a site and you get a Page Not Displayed or a Page Timed Out message and when you refresh, you receive this again (or you receive multiple Page Not Displayed or a Page Timed Out during a given work day)
- Your page takes longer than 10 seconds to load.
Please provide us with the following information:
- The Address or URL of the site you are trying to view
- The time you were viewing it
- The criteria: #1 or #2 above.
Thanks so much for your patience and feedback as we attempt to provide you with better service.
To Install a Printer on Your Computer at Collegiate January 11, 2008
Posted by Alex in : Software, Windows XP , add a commentTo Install a Printer on Your Computer at Collegiate:
- Double click on the Printers folder that is on your computer desktop
- Right click on the network copy machine where you would like to print (see list of network copy machines below)
- Select Connect
To make this new network copier your default printer:
- Select Start -> Printers and Faxes
- Right click on the copy machine and select Set as Default
To change to single sided printing:
- From the program where you are printing (i.e Word, Excel) select File -> Print
- Select the Sharp Network Copier and select Preferences
- Under Document Style, select 1-Sided and click ok
- Click OK to print
If you don’t have a printers folder on your desktop, do the following:
- Click on on Start ->
- Printers and Faxes ->
- Add a Printer -> Next
- Select “A Network Printer, or a Printer attached to another computer” and click Next
- Click Next to find a printer in the directory
- To view all printers available for installation, click Find Now. For a specific printer, put the first few letters in the name box and then select Find Now.
- Select the Printer from the list and press OK
- Select whether you want this printer to be the default printer on your computer and click Next
- Click Finish to complete the installation.
Photo Credit: http://flickr.com/photos/ezra/640931/
Looking for an Online Community of Practice? January 11, 2008
Posted by Alex in : Social Networking , add a commentThis is an amazing list of networks for/by educators who are collaborating in communities of practice:
Social Networking in Education by Steve Hargadon
If you need a little primer on the power of social networks, here’s a quick youtube video:
Do you think that this could help your practice as a teacher? Comment below?
2007-2008 Acceptable Use Policy January 9, 2008
Posted by Alex in : 2007-2008 School Year, Policies , add a commentACCEPTABLE USE POLICY: Computer Resources and the Internet
2007-2008 School Year
INTRODUCTION
The Collegiate School offers its students, faculty, and administration access to its computer network and the Internet. In providing network and Internet service throughout the School, the goal is to facilitate access to resources, improve communication and encourage innovation. The School regards this access as a privilege, not a right. Account holders are expected to act in a responsible, ethical manner, and to abide by local, state, and federal law.
Every student, faculty, and staff member of Collegiate School is assigned a Collegiate network, e-mail, and Collegiate Connect account. Access to computer systems and networks owned by Collegiate imposes certain responsibilities and obligations on all who use them. Infractions of Collegiate’s Acceptable Use Policy will result in curtailing access to network and/or computer lab facilities and referral to appropriate supervisor or Division Head for disciplinary action.
Where possible, Collegiate takes precautions to restrict access to objectionable material but it is not possible to have full control over access to resources and materials on the Internet. Collegiate reserves the right to block content that negatively impacts that academic performance of its students or the productivity of its faculty and staff. Nevertheless, Collegiate firmly believes that the development of skills for online research is an essential component of the educational process. Moreover, the benefits of information and worldwide interactive communication far outweigh the possibility of exposure to material that is not consistent with the school’s educational goals.
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ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
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Collegiate community members are expected to act with honesty, integrity, and respect for others. Each computer user has the responsibility to respect and protect the rights of every other person in our community and on the Internet.
I understand the following:
- I continuously represent Collegiate whenever and wherever I use e-mail and the Internet.
- I will follow the posted and/or handbook rules regarding games use, food and drink, or other site specific injunctions.
- I understand that Collegiate has the right to look at any data, electronic mail or files that exist on the network or on individual computers without the prior consent of system users. In addition, Collegiate reserves the right to read or remove any files on the network or on individual computers without prior notice to system users.
- If I violate any of these rules or knowingly enable others to violate these rules, I may be subject to disciplinary actions beyond the loss of access to Collegiate technology including expulsion or termination of employment.
My Use of School Technology Resources
- I will not attempt to discover or use another user’s login name or password, nor will I share my passwords. If I become aware of another individual’s password, I will inform that person or a member of the technology staff.
- I will respect the work and privacy of others throughout the Collegiate Network.
- I will use my applications, e-mail accounts, and Collegiate Network space for school-related activities.
- I will not use Collegiate School technology resources for commercial activity or to seek monetary gain.
- I will not vandalize or tamper with any Collegiate technology equipment.
- I will not deliberately perform any act which will negatively impact the operation of computers, printers or networks. I will make an effort to keep my home computer free from viruses and other destructive materials. If my computer is accidentally infected, I will seek help from a professional or a member of the Technology Department.
- I will not assume any fictitious or anonymous identity in any activity that uses Collegiate technology resources or refers to Collegiate.
- I will sign all Internet communications that uses Collegiate technology resources or refer to Collegiate.
- I will not use my e-mail account to send out mass unsolicited messages.
- I will not access, download, store, or print obscene or pornographic material.
- I will not store or transfer software used primarily for hacking, eavesdropping, or network administration.
- I will not represent Collegiate in any political arena.
- I will not forward chain letters, joke collections, Internet urban legends, and other objectionable materials.
My Fair Use of Virtual Materials
- I will not copy or transfer any software under copyright to or from computers on the Collegiate Network without the permission of the Technology Department.
- I will properly cite any Internet resources that I use in my work.
- I will not distribute the e-mail addresses of others without their express permission.
Whenever I am online at school or away from school:
- I will not annoy, hinder, or harass others with offensive, obscene, abusive, or threatening language in any electronic communication.