U. expands PennNet modem pool

Dialing into PennNet, previously an arduous task for modem users, has become easier over the past year as the University expanded its number of modems from 600 to roughly 1,000. The modem increase and the wiring of the Quadrangle for ResNet last summer have drastically reduced the number of busy signals encountered by PennNet users, Vice Provost for Information Services and Computing James O'Donnell said. ISC began enlarging its modem pool last December to reduce problems caused by the 20-1 modem-to-user ratio, O'Donnell said. It also worked to control modem usage by imposing time limits on modem sessions, while giving PennNet users an option of signing on through a commercial internet service provider, Medical School Computer Facilities Director Martin Pring said. The four-hour session maximum prevents users for remaining on line for "inordinate" amounts of time, Pring said, noting that prior to the change, 3 percent of PennNet users connected for 24 hours or longer. Students can avoid the time limit by participating in the Penn DCANet Dialup Program -- a commercial Internet dial-up service offered to Penncard holders. Users pay about $15 per month for the service, which is accessed through a toll-free number with a guarantee of no busy signals. O'Donnell encouraged students to take advantage of the service, as it provides for quick and direct connection to PennNet. Overall, PennNet users said they have experienced a vast difference in connection time since last summer. "I've been using a modem since freshman year and I have noticed that this year there have been much less busy signals," College junior Stacey Hoover said. "It's only around 10 p.m. that I ever encounter a busy signal." Despite the improvements, however, the demand for modems continues to increase every year, O'Donnell said. As a consequence of the plethora of information available via the Internet, more students are logging on for longer periods of time, he explained. But O'Donnell stressed that adding modems is a "continuous process." "It's a question of watching the usage and trying to keep ahead of it," he said. The next large increase in modems, scheduled for January, and the ongoing GreekNet project to wire all University-owned Greek houses, will hopefully eliminate busy signals even at peak hours. Additionally, ISC may create a "Dedicated Modem Line Service," where students would pay a certain fee to dial into their own modem. "This has not been done yet because the price is quite high and we are not sure if there is demand for such a service," O'Donnell said.