FAQ about the network

Maybe you wonder why there are such limitations on our network..But have been to scared/busy to ask. The following are some real life questions and the IT department's responses to them.

Q. Why is YouTube blocked? Isn't it educational?
A. While we realize that there are a lot of good things on YouTube, we also know that there are bad things as well. But the main reason that YouTube is blocked is because we have so little bandwith here. Without students watching videos but just simply browsing the web, we have lots of issues already with a slow network, so YouTube has been banned to keep the internet somewhat usable here at Ouachita HIlls.

Q. Why does iPrism block so many "good sites" while allowing some bad ones?
A. We have discovered some "good sites" that iPrism blocks, but they are few and far between. iPrism simply references a categorized list of sites to decide if it fits into one of the generic categories. The IT department does not hand pick every site that is blocked, they merely select categories of websites to block. If you really must get something from a site, they can do an override for you temporarily or even recategorize the site and allow it.

Q. How long will it take before I get my computer set up on the network?
A. It could take anywhere between a couple of days to a week. Remember your IT staff has a life too, and they will try to take care of you as soon as possible. You will be notified when your machine should be functional. Thank you so much for your patience.

Q. Why is the internet so slow?
A.


 * 1) Our internet service is only 3 Megabits per second download and upload speed, which is shared by all the staff and students. Just to load the average page uses about 1/2 a megabyte. So imagine 100 people sharing that 3 Mbps and you'll understand why!
 * 2) Someone is downloading a big file/video somewhere. PLEASE DON'T ASK WHO, BECAUSE THE IT DEPARTMENT REALLY DOES NOT KNOW. Maybe you should just try waiting until a time when the internet is faster.

Q. Why can't I use Skype? It is the only way I have to communicate with my family?
Look at the first question about YouTube.

Q. Why can't I use torrents?
The majority of torrents on the web are illegal games/programs that are copyrighted, but offered for free illegally. The other reason is high bandwith usage (see YouTube above).