There are two kinds of computer connections available in residence halls -- Ethernet connections and asynchronous connections. Ethernet is superior to an asynchronous connection. It is available in all dorms with the exception of RAHPs, Colonie Apts, and Stacwyck. There is no charge for ethernet connections for students.
An Ethernet connection will provide you with a 10 million bps data transfer rate. Ethernet is plugged directly into an Ethernet card in your computer.
An asynchronous connection provides you with a 19,200 bps (bits per second) data transfer rate. You can think of this as a modem connection without the modem. A phone line is connected to the serial port of your computer.
If you've seen a demonstration of the Rensselaer Computing System (RCS) on a UNIX workstation, you probably want to know if you can use RCS from your own PC or workstation. Right now, the answer is "yes" and "no." You can access RCS and use non-graphical applications -- you cannot make RCS look just like it does on a UNIX workstation in a public lab. However, there is a program that will enable you to use RCS with your PC and have it look just like a workstation. You will need an Ethernet connection to use this service.
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