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Modem Pool

Lifeline Modem Pool Update

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NACS has offered dial-in access to UCInet for Faculty, Staff and Students for many years. In 1999, the service was substantially upgraded in response to recommendations from the Faculty Senate Computer Policy Committee, and the “Lifeline Modem Service” was born.

The Lifeline service is offered at no cost, but it comes with noteworthy restrictions, and does not substitute for a commercial Internet Service Provider such as ZOTnet (http://www.zotnet.net/). For more information on current Lifeline Modem Pool policies, refer to 
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/communication/modems/lifeline-modem-policy.html.

Recently, the modem pool firmware was upgraded both to comply with vendor requirements for support, and to improve reliability. With the support of the NACS Faculty Advisory Committee, and following a review of modem pool capacity and usage, Prime Time Usage was expanded from 7 hours to 10 hours a week.

More information on the modem pool is available from
http://www.nacs.uci.edu/communication/modems/

ZOTnet Dial-up Internet Service

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Need more than 7 hours of Prime Time per week? For those people needing more time online than is available through the UCI Lifeline Modem Pool, a good alternative is ZOTnet Internet Service. ZOTnet is an advantageous dial-up Internet provider for UCI faculty, staff, and students. For $14.95 per month the following features are included:

  • Unlimited Hours
  • Direct Connection to UCI’s network
  • Unrestricted access to UCI online resources, such as Medline
  • Local phone numbers throughout California
  • Personal Use Email
  • 10 MB of Personal Use Web Space

To sign up,

  • Online: www.zotnet.net
  • In Person: Network & Academic Computing Services, EG2130, or UCI Computer Store
  • By Telephone: 1-888-438-2963

Optional ZOTnet Software CD-ROMs are available at NACS’ Help Desk and the UCI Computer Store for $4.95.

Internet Application CDs

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Note: NACS no longer sells the Internet Application CD. You can still download current software from the Macintosh and PC archives.

For users of UCI network resources from off campus, NACS has developed the UCI Internet Applications CD. A successor to the former Anteater Access Toolkits (MAAT and WAAT), this CD collects into one place “the usual suspects” of Internet client applications, both free and those site-licensed for UC Irvine.

Instead of burning up their online time, slowly downloading internet utility software, UCI faculty, staff, and students can use this CD to install everything they need. While users of UCI’s Lifeline Modem Service will find this CD particularly useful, the programs on it are of value to anyone in the UCI community who uses the Internet.

The CD is available from NACS’ Response Center and the UCI Bookstore, for $10.00 each. Please beware, some of the software included is licensed for use by UCI faculty, staff and students only. Also, new versions of some of this software are released frequently. Users who want the very latest versions are advised to download copies.

For a full listing of included software and a FAQ, please see: http://www.nacs.uci.edu/computing/softwarecd.html

New UCI LifeLine Modem Service

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At the end of January 1999, NACS will be replacing the current 824-9000 and 824-8960 modem pools with a new, higher-quality, limited-access, modem service. The new service is the result of campus input and the recommendations of the Academic Senate Computer Policy Committee. It will utilize current-technology, V.90 56 Kbps equipment and support about 280 simultaneous connections.

The new “LifeLine Remote Access Service” has a goal of providing basic, limited, modem service to everyone at UCI who needs it. The new modem pool does not represent a complete Internet Service Provider (ISP) service; people with more than modest remote access needs should still use ISPs.

Each UCI faculty, staff and student will be limited to 7 hours of connect time during peak “Prime-time” usage periods each week. The 7 hour limit will be reduced as necessary to ensure equitable access with a minimum of busy signals. Each individual modem session will be limited to 1 hour in length during Prime-time, and 4 hours in length at other times.

For complete information on the new Lifeline modem service, please see:http://www.nacs.uci.edu/network/lifeline-modem-policy.html. NACS is also working with a local ISP who will be providing a service tailored to UCI’s needs; watch NACS-News for future announcements

Update on Modem Pool Timeouts

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Early reports indicate the new two hour timeout on UCI’s 824-9000 modem pool has made a noticeable improvement in the availability of free modems during evening hours. Preliminary telephone company data indicates modem-users are encountering approximately 40% fewer busy signals since the timeouts were put in place. NACS will continue to monitor the situation during the 3 month timeout trial period.

Please note that it is not possible to provide a warning when the two hour timeout is reached while dialed up to UCInet using PPP or SLIP. You must keep track of how long you have been connected on your own. Note also that after your two hours is up, you may attempt to dial-up and access the modem pool for additional two hour sessions.