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| UNC Charlotte Road Runner Resources | |
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F.A.Q.
How am I connected to the Internet? Road Runner is connected to the Internet through a 10 BaseT Ethernet card or NIC (Network Interface Card). If your computer already has a card, you may use it. If not, you will need to install one, or have one installed. With your Ethernet connection to the Internet, you never need to actually connect to or disconnect from the Internet. As soon as your computer has started, you are connected. If you do not want your computer to be on the Internet when it is powered on, simply unplug your Ethernet cable from the back of your computer. To reconnect, simply plug the cable back in. How does Road Runner work? Road Runner uses the cable plant's hybrid fiber-coax network to send Internet data from the Road Runner server farm to your neighborhood cable node. At the node, the digital data is converted into a signal that is transmitted to your home. Your cable modem receives the RF signal and converts it into Ethernet packets that your computer can read. In order to send data from your computer to the Internet, the reverse happens. Ethernet packets are sent from your computer to the cable modem, which converts them into a RF signal. The signal is transmitted and converted into an optical digital signal at the neighborhood node. From there, the signal is transmitted using the cable plant's fiber optic network to the Road Runner server farm and out to the Internet. Does Road Runner require a phone line? No. Instead of a modem hooked up to a local phone line, you will be provided with a high-speed cable modem that links your computer to Time Warner Cableís hybrid fiber-coax cable network and server complex. These servers provide a gateway for Road Runner customers to connect to the Internet at very high speeds. Phone lines are not used at all. Can I use any Internet software I want? Yes. If you would prefer to use Netscape Navigator instead of Microsoft Internet Explorer, or use a different news or email client than the one that our software installs, you are free to do so. In general, any software that uses TCP/IP for communications will work fine with Road Runner. However, we will only provide support for the standard software packages included with the installation CD. Can I watch TV and use Road Runner at the same time? Yes. With Road Runner you can use your computer, your phone, and watch TV ñ all at the same time. Road Runner does not interfere with the cable signal. How long can I stay on line before I have to log off? As long as you like. You'll never be timed out and you never have to log off! Thatís one of the many benefits of being a part of the UNC Charlotte Road Runner Service. Can I still use AOL? With Road Runner, you can connect to AOL at blazing speeds. Contact AOL directly to learn about its "Bring Your Own Access" program. AOL service rates are separate from and additional to Road Runner. Can I use Instant Messenger and Buddy Lists with Road Runner? Many AOL users are familiar with AOL's Buddy Lists and Instant Messenger. These services can also be used with Road Runner and you do not need to be an AOL customer to use it. If you've used the Instant Message and Buddy List features of America Online before, it's easy to convert your current buddy list to the AOL Instant Messaging software. You can download it for free at: http://www.aol.com/aim Can I use the service to operate a web server? At this time, this feature is not available, nor allowed. Can I have a static IP instead of a dynamically assigned IP? At this time Road Runner is not offering static IP addresses. Can someone steal information off my hard drive because I'm on a network? The information on your hard drive is safe from prying eyes as long as you don't execute the file sharing option offered in Windows 95/98. If you must set up your computer for file sharing, it would be wise to password protect the information. For more in-depth information on this topic read the attached Security section. Can I network more than one computer? Each student is allowed one computer on the Road Runner system at a time. More than one computer off the same outlet will not work. In Moore there are two outlets per room. In Poplar there are four per suite. Each room has its own LAN (Local Area Network). If you are familiar with networking computers on a LAN then you can configure your connection to your roommateís computer. In order to prevent an outside user from accessing your roomís LAN, please read the attached Security section. |
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