User quota on wireless is discontinued

As of May 7, 2012 the University of Toronto wireless network no longer uses a "quota" system.

This previously limited users to 1-2GB of upload/download data per week.

Whether one connects via UTORwin, UofT, or Eduroam...there is no longer a quota. This includes both wired and wireless connections to the network.

There has never been a quota on public or staff workstations. So there is no scenario where this restriction applies.

A new network from the Information Commons

As of June 20th, along with eduroam and UTORwin networks, there is now the UofT network.

When students attempt to log on to our wireless network now, they will see all 3 of these options when in range. (whether using a cable, or wireless)

UTORwin and UofT networks are the same except the new UofT network is a one-time login. It is cumbersome to login a few times a day on ones handheld. This one-time login makes that easier.
The downside to that is it is not designed to be logged off, and is therefore not advisable to use on a computer that is shared between different users. (e.g staff laptops)

It is the better network for students to use as it includes a newer "range" (802.11n), as well as making logging in simpler. (UTORwin uses "g" and "b" ranges, UofT uses "g", "b", and "n")

As of summer 2011, there are some issues on the new UofT network with handhelds using older versions of the Android operating system. There's no timeline on resolving this. (this does not include iPods, iPads, or Blackberry's)

There is another issue with all users having to verify their UTORid before their first use of the new UofT network. InfoCommons hopes to have this resolved by September 2011.

A reminder that the Information Commons is no longer publishing paper help documents on wireless. I continue to print some out, but those will not include any information on the new "UofT" network.
More information is available here: http://help.ic.utoronto.ca/category/20/wireless-access-utorcwn.html

Jeff Heeney
July 13, 2011

Connecting Unsupported Devices to UTORwin - web help

The Information Commons Knowledge Base now has a page that provides a bit of help on connecting unsupported devices like phones, iPad, etc.

I've made it a permanent link at the top of this blog, but i'm copying the address here as well:
http://help.ic.utoronto.ca/content/20/181/en/are-mobile-computing-devices-like-pdas-or-the-iphone-supported-by-utorcwn.html

I've also taped a copy of this to the Information Desk where we keep the wireless handouts.

Nov 20, 2010 entry: an excellent pamphlet has been created to help with the different types of handhelds. Please refer users to it first as it is much more helpful than what I taped to the infodesk. The pamphlet is called "Connect to library services using your mobile device".

Information Commons and Knowledge Base Web Pages

The Information Commons has changed the look of their web page, and a year ago added something called their "Knowlege Base" web page.

Many of those questions we are often asked (esp, quotas, blocking, linux, pda, iphone) or have been placed in this blog in the past, can also be found at the following links.

Here's the Knowlege Base page for Questions in Wireless Access:
http://help.ic.utoronto.ca/category/20/wireless-access-utorcwn.html

Here's the Information Commons page for Using the Wireless Network:
http://wireless.utoronto.ca/using

iPad Can Connect to UTORcwn

I suppose some of you may have missed the hype about the new iPad. It is like a computer but the size of a small thin book or magazine.

I was able to help a user with connect one to our wireless today.

Add this to the ever-growing list of small devices that behave much like a computer...and our Information Commons Help Desk does NOT "officially" support. (staff there are not trained to do this...we do not have help sheets for users to do this...users are "on their own" so-to-speak)

I have never been successful at helping users with PDA's, iPhones, or Blackberry's get connected to our wireless network even though it IS possible. I tell them to find someone they know with the same device and ask how they did it.

So I just want to say that like all those other devices...the new iPad can connect as well. Just don't tell users to go to the Help Desk for help.
In my absence you can point them to the Mac wireless handouts. They just need the SSID, security type, and encryption key...same as every other device. (UTORwin, WEP, UToronto1home)

Reading Room Docking Ports Fixed

When the Reading Room opened last August, the internet ports in the tables only worked in the first two tables to the left as you walked in.

As of last week all connections in that room are working except for 3…which have been reported.

So for those at the desk, you no longer have to direct users to the first tables on the left.
They should be able to sit down at any table and get access to UTORcwn with a network cable.

Also…not that many users would notice the difference…but the fastest Internet connection in the building is now via a network cable in the Gerstein Reading Room.

Stat!Ref Access Issue on UTORcwn

If users complain of not being able to access Stat!Ref resources from our wireless network, let then know we have informed the people at Stat!Ref and they are working on it.

Wireless networks rely on many IP addresses to allow users access.
This year we have added many new IP addresses which had to be forwarded on to our licenced resource providers.
If the provider has not yet added them and a user gets on our wireless with one of those new numbers, the user will be unable to connect to that resource.
We've seen this with 3 providers this year so far. And what a user sees in this scenario is a logon prompt instead of just getting into the e-resource.

Gerstein Network Cable Access Problems

Because of our ongoing wireless problems i've suggested using network cables as an alternative.

But some of the sockets the network cables plug into are not working.

In our new Gerstein Reading Room only the first two tables to the left as you walk in from the north side of the room are working.
In the Morrison Pavilion I think there are a small number of the sockets that aren't working...so ask users to try another socket or table.

Oct 30 - I just got an update today that ITS/CNS are aware of the problem and will fix asap

Gerstein Wireless Issue - intermittent or weak connections

If users complain of low or no wireless connection in our building, and it has worked fine for them in the past, please direct them to one of these locations:

1. the octagon portion of the Morrison Pavilion.
2. the new reference room
3. another building

Using network cables to connect is a good alternative for the problem areas.
So you could also offer to loan them one of our cables. (there's some at both the infodesk and loan services desk)

I've just begun testing this and can only say for certain that some of the wireless areas in our building are not working as well as they should...and some laptops work better in these areas than others.

The main problem areas were the long hallway sections of the Morrison Pavilion study space. (which is a huge portion of that study space)

Wireless - User Connection Problems

User complains that their laptop was connecting fine before, but now it is not.
SOLUTION: Delete the existing wireless profile and create it again.
-this problem occurs frequently, and the solution works most of the time
-often misinterpreted as a network problem
-always send the user to Jeff, Dana, or the Information Commons if they need/want help

Our previous policy of not giving out network cables to library users has changed.

We now have 15 cables to loan out and i've placed some in the Loan Services desk cupboard where the keys are, and some in the Information desk cabinet where the supplies are.

We are to take a piece of ID from the user when giving them a cable...just as we do for visitors cards.

If a cable ever gets returned with the plastic connectors at either end broken, we do not expect them to replace it. Return the broken cable to Jeff.

Wireless Reception in Lower Reference

The lower reference room gets 'good' to 'very good' reception.

The group study area further south where Consortium used to be and back to where reference is now stored gets 'low' reception and can even lose a connection.

So it is functional in the lower reference room but not great...and almost useless further south from there.

This will have to be retested when the renovations are complete as wireless antennae above those rooms will be activated at that time.

Log Out From The Wireless Network

It is unecessary to log out from the UTORcwn wireless network.
This is done automatically by the network after 30 minutes of inactivity by the user.

But, if a user does want to manually log out, they just go to this web page on their laptop and it is done as soon as the web page opens: logout.wireless.utoronto.ca

Mac laptops not showing the login page for UTORcwn.

I've been told by IC staff that it is not possible for Mac computer users to see the login web page if they try to access the web using Internet Explorer. (this is called authenticating)

What they have to use is a Mac Internet browser called Safari.
Using Safari they will see the login screen and can connect. After that, they could use any Internet browser they want without a problem.

PDA Access to UTORcwn

If a user asks, their PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) can connect to our network, but the Information Commons does not support this function. (will not provide assistance over the phone, at the help desk, in a pamphlet or on their web page)

Users can setup their PDA to connect to the UTORcwn network (wired or wireless) if it has these things:

- Ethernet 802.11b with 128-bit WEP encryption support
- uses TCP/IP with DHCP configuration
- contains an HTTP 1.1 compliant web browser

The user must know this. We cannot look at it and determine this for them.
There are no staff here at Gerstein that know how to setup PDA's.
If the user does not know how to do it themself or whether their PDA meets the above requirements, their best option is to look for another student who has successfully done it.

You can help by giving them one of the laptop wireless handouts as they will need the "UTORwin" SSIS name and the "UToronto1home" encryption key.


This will be a growing issue since many medical students use PDAs (needed for when they do their rounds) and there are several PDA related projects going on in the Faculty of Medicine.

(updated by Jeff, April 7, 2006)
Update: we now have a flyer that gives a basic description of how to do this. It is kept at the column by the wireless handouts on the Information Desk.
Rita Vine may be able to help a user with this personally if needed.
Jeff, February 2008.

Laptop User Blocked Because of Virus.

If one of our laptop network users has a virus on their laptop, the network will see it and prevent them from connecting to the network.
The alert they see states they have a virus, and cannot connect.

What they need to do is go to the Information Commons Help Desk and staff there will help them remove it.
Even if they fix the virus themselves, the user will still have to go to the Help Desk to be removed from the 'blocked' list.

Confirmation of a user having a virus is at this web page:
http://www.noc.utoronto.ca/net-ops/security/blockedHostsList.htm
(click on the 'wireless' link for Gerstein laptop user problems)

The alert they see also shows their MAC address. They can take that MAC address and go to the above link which lists all blocked users in order of those addresses. Most show the virus that was seen by the network, which may help the user in removing the virus.