Comments on: Washington University’s Internet disconnect http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:42:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-12624 Anonymous Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:11:24 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-12624 Okay, it's not a big deal that the author didn't convert the numbers right. That doesn't change the fact that the internet at Wash U is much slower than the average ISP (I just checked too). Wash U students need fast internet for work, but also to skype their parents and friends once in a while! With the current wireless internet speed, it is not possible. Sure, technology is not perfect. But this problem seems to be getting worse each year instead of better! The art school took away wireless internet this year because some non-students near campus were able to get access. I'm sure all of the art students really appreciate having no internet now. "Disappointed"-- seriously?? Maybe you are responsible for some internet budget cuts this year? You took it kind of personally haha. Wash U students (ESPECIALLY those who live ON campus!!!) pay far too much to not get excellent internet. There is just no excuse. Okay, it’s not a big deal that the author didn’t convert the numbers right.
That doesn’t change the fact that the internet at Wash U is much slower than the average ISP (I just checked too).
Wash U students need fast internet for work, but also to skype their parents and friends once in a while! With the current wireless internet speed, it is not possible.
Sure, technology is not perfect. But this problem seems to be getting worse each year instead of better!
The art school took away wireless internet this year because some non-students near campus were able to get access. I’m sure all of the art students really appreciate having no internet now.

“Disappointed”– seriously?? Maybe you are responsible for some internet budget cuts this year? You took it kind of personally haha.

Wash U students (ESPECIALLY those who live ON campus!!!) pay far too much to not get excellent internet. There is just no excuse.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-2547 Anonymous Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:30:59 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-2547 I didn't realize this, but on the speedtest.net test, if you actually do the test, it shows the ISP average vs. your result. My result is far below ISP average...something along the lines of 1/8 to 1/10 I didn’t realize this, but on the speedtest.net test, if you actually do the test, it shows the ISP average vs. your result.

My result is far below ISP average…something along the lines of 1/8 to 1/10

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-2544 Anonymous Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:28:52 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-2544 http://www.speedtest.net/result/603809159.png There is no doubting that at least in the Shepley dorm, with the Ethernet cable plugged in, I'm getting below satisfactory internet speed at 11PM-2 AM every night. I've raised this issue to STS with no success. http://www.speedtest.net/result/603809159.png

There is no doubting that at least in the Shepley dorm, with the Ethernet cable plugged in, I’m getting below satisfactory internet speed at 11PM-2 AM every night.

I’ve raised this issue to STS with no success.

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]]> By: Disappointed http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-1944 Disappointed Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:22:45 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-1944 This is incredibly disappointing to see something like this published as factual when there is a clear error that makes this entire article worthless. This is really journalism at its worst. Studlife should really bother to release something noting the factual error of this piece, though I doubt they will. You guys are a poorly run, incredibly unprofessional paper. Do some fact checking next time, or maybe hire a writer that will check his own facts. This is incredibly disappointing to see something like this published as factual when there is a clear error that makes this entire article worthless. This is really journalism at its worst. Studlife should really bother to release something noting the factual error of this piece, though I doubt they will. You guys are a poorly run, incredibly unprofessional paper. Do some fact checking next time, or maybe hire a writer that will check his own facts.

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]]> By: Other Michael http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-961 Other Michael Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:19:45 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-961 I must add, as I had forgotten: Mr. Gottlieb saw and complained about 1944 kb/s download speed on campus. If he lived off campus, he could pay $25 a month to AT&T for DSL service with a maximum speed of 1500 kb/s. (And that's only if he also paid for landline phone service from AT&T. He would be charged $35 per month for that level of DSL service if he did not have AT&T landline phone service.) I must add, as I had forgotten: Mr. Gottlieb saw and complained about 1944 kb/s download speed on campus. If he lived off campus, he could pay $25 a month to AT&T for DSL service with a maximum speed of 1500 kb/s. (And that’s only if he also paid for landline phone service from AT&T. He would be charged $35 per month for that level of DSL service if he did not have AT&T landline phone service.)

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]]> By: Other Michael http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-960 Other Michael Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:16:09 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-960 I've cooled down since I first read this article, but it is necessary to note that some of the force of Mr. Gottlieb's argument rests on a factual error. One byte (abbreviated B) contains eight bits (abbreviated b). Mr. Gottlieb's speed test reported a download speed of 243 kB/s. This is equal to a speed of 1944 kb/s. The FCC defines <a href="http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2008/06/jokes-over-fcc-establishes-new-broadband-measurement-system.ars" rel="nofollow">"basic broadband"</a> as 768kb/s (also, <a href="http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280909A2.doc" rel="nofollow">here</a>). Therefore, the claim that he measured a rate "less than a third of the speed that qualifies as broadband Internet" is baldly incorrect. In fact, he enjoyed a speed about 2.5 times faster than the minimum definition of broadband. In general, I agree with many of this article's sentiments, especially about the sorry state of Internet access in the U.S. in general. But to confuse bits and bytes is a fundamental factual error that is unacceptable in a piece that intends to deal with issues of Internet policy. I’ve cooled down since I first read this article, but it is necessary to note that some of the force of Mr. Gottlieb’s argument rests on a factual error. One byte (abbreviated B) contains eight bits (abbreviated b).

Mr. Gottlieb’s speed test reported a download speed of 243 kB/s. This is equal to a speed of 1944 kb/s. The FCC defines “basic broadband” as 768kb/s (also, here). Therefore, the claim that he measured a rate “less than a third of the speed that qualifies as broadband Internet” is baldly incorrect. In fact, he enjoyed a speed about 2.5 times faster than the minimum definition of broadband.

In general, I agree with many of this article’s sentiments, especially about the sorry state of Internet access in the U.S. in general. But to confuse bits and bytes is a fundamental factual error that is unacceptable in a piece that intends to deal with issues of Internet policy.

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]]> By: Michael http://www.studlife.com/forum/2009/10/05/washington-university%e2%80%99s-internet-disconnect/#comment-958 Michael Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:36:32 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=5176#comment-958 Andrew, There are lots of resources at WashU to help students troubleshoot connections. Improperly set-up connections to WUFI-S often create the kind of problems you are describing. There is a help desk run by STS in the Gregg storefronts open until midnight most nights. If you call in, create a trouble ticket, or stop on by I'm sure you'd get any help you need in getting a better connection. Technology is never perfect, but that's why there are people trained to help in that area. Writing this article before tapping into those resources gives an unfair representation about the quality of the network on this campus. Andrew,

There are lots of resources at WashU to help students troubleshoot connections. Improperly set-up connections to WUFI-S often create the kind of problems you are describing. There is a help desk run by STS in the Gregg storefronts open until midnight most nights. If you call in, create a trouble ticket, or stop on by I’m sure you’d get any help you need in getting a better connection. Technology is never perfect, but that’s why there are people trained to help in that area. Writing this article before tapping into those resources gives an unfair representation about the quality of the network on this campus.

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