routers are not allowed on the network

[blinc001]

if you read the terms of use when you first connected you aggreed to this.

What is Resnet's router policy? Why?
-Resnet's policy on routers at this moment is that they are not allowed at all. Period. This is for a few reasons:
1.Control: If Resnet had an open wireless router policy, anyone could broadcast the ID as anything (potentially negative or hateful things). Resnet would have no immediate recourse, and additionally, would have very little power to get it changed. Additionally, some users that install wireless routers do not know how to properly secure them (IP control, or encryption). This then, could potentially have severe consequences for those running the router. Any user could connect to it, and do pretty much anything without the Owner/Administrator of the router knowing anything about it. The owner would be responsible for anything that happened on their connection. In addition, a wireless AP could potentially mean that hall mates could leech off the wireless causing the owner to go over the bandwidth limit.
2.Troubleshooting: If routers are allowed, it would make the steps to troubleshooting a connectivity problem that much harder. There are a plethora of different router brands, and learning the settings and intricacies of each is simply not possible.

[blinc001]

in addition

[dlee019]

This also means we do not allow residents to host games on internet (for example, Battle.Net)
_________________
I am a former RTC

[pngo002]

May we use a non-wireless router? My friend wants to bring her laptop over so she can connect to the internet as well.

[dlee019]

NO. Our policy also applies for non-wireless routers. Basically if you plugin a router to our network, it can actually send wrong signals to other people, therefore messing up their settings. So, I will say this one more time... NO You are not allowed to use any types of routers.
_________________
I am a former RTC

[rcris001]

can you give an example of how a Non-wireless router can mess things up?

[michaelk]

People plug in their router (wireless or not) incorrectly and end up acting as a DHCP server which serves up everyone in their hall with a non routable IP address and they can't get their YouTube videos or check MySpace and start complaining to us.

The other possibility is someone could connect two wall jacks in their room to the router and create a loop on the network which ends up sending the data in one side and out the other and in one side and out the other and... that traffic builds and builds until the hall goes down because the switch cant handle the load.

-Resnet management

[rcris001]

OH.... i understand. That is a problem.

[ksit001]

http://www.dlink.com/products/?sec=0&pid=479
cause this isnt exactly in the "routers" section. i dont know if this is allowed or not.

[abeck002]

Yes, that should be allowed because it's just a switch. Just make sure you're configuring everything correctly. They only disallow routers because people configure them improperly and screw up the network. They also won't know you're using a router unless you improperly configure it, so you're really fine getting a router as long as you actually know what you're doing.
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Andrew Becker

[rkim027]

[dlee019]

I remember last year, one part of the building (don't remember where it was... perhaps in Pentland Hills) couldn't connect to Internet. Later I found out that those computers which couldn't connect to Internet were trying to connect to "rougue" router that was set up by some random resident. That rogue router had DHCP set up.

It's straight forward.
_________________
I am a former RTC

[michaelk]

[tlam007]

Actually, I learned in a CISCO class, they are essentially the same for people who don't know how to use them. Cell phones are a perfect example. If someone doesn't know how to use one, they won't know how to set up their voice-mail, block/receive calls option, their waiting/forwarding/etc. But they do know, that when their phone goes off, they should pick it up.

Now compare that to someone who does know how to use a phone. Realistically, the point is the same, you pick up your phone when you need to. With or without knowing how to change settings.

A true idiot would be one who plugs in a router/hub/switch and tries to edit the settings at a school hosted ISP xD, ignorance is truly bliss.

The main difference between a switch and a router is that a router is the "smartest". With a switch, you can make a simple LAN, but with a router, you can configure it and add restrictions, open ports, all that good stuff. Switches automatically configure themselves by "learning", if computer A wants to send something to computer B then it'll eventually open the ports automatically.

[lchan027]

You guys should totally allow us to host on B.Net. Sucks not being able to host and having all my friends join other peep's games.