[152] in resnet
MITnet Now Available in Undergraduate Dormitories
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dennis Baron)
Wed Jan 26 10:09:35 1994
To: resnet-status@MIT.EDU, netusers@MIT.EDU
From: dbaron@MIT.EDU (Dennis Baron)
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 94 10:08:02 EST
MITNET NOW AVAILABLE IN UNDERGRADUATE DORMITORIES
In a major move to extend the campus computer network (MITnet) to
residential users, Ethernet connections have recently been installed
in all undergraduate dormitory rooms. The new network services result
from a collaboration between Information Systems and Housing and Food
Services. Undergraduate students now have full MITnet connections and
limited access to Athena and related services from their dorm rooms.
MITnet service has been available in independent living groups (ILGs)
since September.
Last spring Provost Mark S. Wrighton and Senior Vice President William
R. Dickson approved the extension of MITnet into all undergraduate
living groups. In the first phase of this project, MITnet was
extended to off-campus fraternities and other independent living
groups using Frame Relay service from NYNEX. While off-campus ILGs
were provided with a 56kbps link back to campus, on-campus ILGs
received a 10mbps connection over existing fiber optic lines. Each
ILG is responsible for extending the network within its building to
student computers. Many students in ILGs have connected Macintosh,
DOS/Windows, and various Unix computers to MITnet. Others are in the
process of rewiring their houses to provide Ethernet connections.
MITnet was also extended to the temporary dorm at 620 Huntington
Avenue this fall, where a small cluster of Athena workstations was
also installed.
This summer Information Systems (IS), working in conjunction with
Housing and Food Services, began the installation of Ethernet
connections to over 2300 undergraduate dorm rooms. While
Telecommunications Systems and Housing were installing equipment and
cabling, various other groups in IS were setting in place the
additional support necessary for networked student owned computers.
Computing Support Services expanded consulting services and stocked up
on Ethernet hardware for sale at the MIT Computer Connection.
Distributed Computing and Network Services hired and trained student
Residential Computing Consultants to help dorm students connect to
MITnet. Academic Computer Services is investigating the feasibility
of making educational software for Macintosh and Windows computers
available over the network. According to Vice President for
Information Systems James D. Bruce, "The extension of the campus
network to the dorms and ILGs is a major milestone towards our goal of
universal network connectivity for MIT students, faculty, and staff."
MITnet service to the undergraduate dorms was activated on January
18th. In the first week almost 200 students have connected computers
to the network. The new high-speed network provides the necessary
connectivity to allow students have Athena workstations in their rooms
for the first time. Many basic Athena services such as electronic
mail, Zephyr, Discuss, and Techinfo are also available for Macintosh
computers. Some of these are also available for DOS/Windows
computers, and work on the others is continuing with release targeted
for the 1994-95 academic year. This networking software is provided
at no charge to students along with publicly available software
providing access to the worldwide Internet via Telnet, FTP, and
UseNet. Macintosh users can also communicate on MITnet using the
AppleTalk network protocol.
Provost Wrighton said, at the project's inception, that "The extension
of MITnet to dormitories and other living groups and of selected
network services to personal computers maintains MIT's leadership
position in distributed educational computing. It will particularly
maintain MIT's reputation for delivering reliable, low-cost common
services to thousands of diverse computers through the Athena
client-server architecture." According to Gregory A. Jackson,
Director of Academic Computing, "Completion of the extension of MITnet
into dorms and ILGs will enhance undergraduate education by improving
communication between faculty and students. The availability of
limited access to Athena services on student-owned machines should
relieve some of the demand for seats in Athena's busy public
clusters."
In addition to the academic benefits, Lawrence E. Maguire, Director of
Housing and Food Services, commented that, "networking the dorms opens
exciting possibilities for improving student customer service and
satisfaction regarding the whole housing process, and brings all of us
involved closer by making communication open and easy." Information
Systems is also investigating extending MITnet to the graduate dorms
and providing network access to off-campus residents via modem, ISDN
or Cable TV links. These projects are in the early planning stages
and necessary technical and funding issues need to be resolved.
Additional information on the project is available in the
Computing/Resnet section in Techinfo. Questions on residential
networking can be sent via electronic mail to resnet-help@MIT.EDU.
January 26, 1994 Dennis Baron
