High-tech dorm living

Now students can access the Internet and NU systems without leaving the comfort of home

By Josh Forman
News Correspondent

Students will no longer have to deal with slow phone connections to reach the Internet. The Ethernet is now in the resident halls.

The Ethernet is an international local-area networking standard for the high-speed interconnection of computers and their shared resources within buildings -- for client/server computing.

In other words, dorm dwellers can surf the Internet in their rooms easier and quicker than before with ResNet, the new program.

The pilot program was held over the summer, however, only some of the St. Stephen Street apartments and half of White Hall were connected. Now, all dorms are connected.

It is different than connecting by modem in two ways.

First, it does not use the regular phone lines. In previous years, users hooked their computers to a phone line, and then dialed into the school's modem bank.

The process rendered their phone line useless while they were on-line.

Now, students can be permanently connected to the school without using the phone lines, but the computer requires certain equipment.

This varies from user to user, but generally, the hardware needed is an Ethernet card, transceiver (liaison between card and wire), an RJ45 wire (wider than the regular phone wire) and an RJ45 wall module.

"ResNet finally gives web surfing that feeling of fast access that no modem matches," said Howard White, PC tech co-ordinator for NU.

Trying to download a new version of Netscape Navigator will no longer require a trip downstairs to the candy machine while you are waiting for it to download.

Now it's just a blink of an eye: a 5MB file takes less than two minutes.

ResNet does not allow users to connect to the application servers that computers in Northeastern labs can.

For those who want have their own Internet site, including building their own Web page on their own computer rather than lynx, it is still possible with ResNet.

But keep in mind the IP address, the location assigned to the computer, is not constant. When the computer starts up, it "leases" an IP address. After four hours, the lease expires and the computer looks for the IP address it just had. If it is open, it renews its lease. But if it is taken, it will have to get a new address.

Therefore, people who visit students' Web sites will connect to the old site and may not find the address they are looking for.

To keep this from happening, make sure the computer is not disconnected for more than four hours. With the new Resnet system, being constantly connected is possible.

The cost of getting on-line can vary greatly. If the computer has a built-in Ethernet card, it could cost just $50 for registration and a transceiver. Without the card, set-up could cost hundreds of dollars.

Registration with ResNet Resource Center is required for all users, and is only $10. It includes a software kit and manual.

For more information, visit the ResNet Resource Center in 110 White Hall. This story originally appeared 11/13/96 on page 12.

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