Student Handbook

Computer Network Guidelines

You are responsible for the correct configuration and operation of your personal computer. Information Technology Services (ITS) and the ITS Help Desk will provide limited technical support for computer and connectivity problems through advice, instruction, and some general troubleshooting, but you may need to pay a local business to get your computer fixed. ITS will ensure that your room's network connectivity is working but cannot practically address all hardware and software problems on your personal computer.

You are encouraged to use passwords on your personal computer to protect yourself. You are responsible for the use of your computer, and you should try to limit who has access to it.

If malware infects your computer, ITS may disable your network connection without notice to protect the rest of the residential network.

ITS operates an enterprise firewall that provides protection from most internet attacks but cannot realistically protect your computer from the rest of the residential network. You are responsible for correctly configuring your computer to protect it from internal network attacks. In particular, be careful about enabling any file and printer sharing.

Most computers have personal firewall software installed, which is available for most operating systems. Configured correctly, this software can provide increased security for your computer.

There are several connection-sharing devices marketed for home use on broadband internet connections (usually called a “router” or “wireless router”). Please do not set up routers and other related wireless access points, such as wireless printers, as they can potentially disrupt the connectivity of your devices and others. If one disrupts the operation of the network, ITS may disable your network access without notice.

Internet file-sharing programs are popular for downloading and sharing software applications, music, movies, and other files. There are a few things you need to know about these programs:

They run protocols that can easily consume all of the internet bandwidth available. Therefore, JBU limits the amount of bandwidth used by these applications, and you will find that they generally run slowly.

Most files you will collect using these programs are illegal copies of copyrighted material. You can download or share it against JBU’s Acceptable Use Policy. (https://eaglenet.jbu.edu/resources/its).

JBU does not engage in searches of personal computers for illegal files; however, if a company presents JBU with a valid legal order to identify a computer that they suspect is storing or serving copyrighted files, we are required by law to comply to the best of our ability.

Media companies regularly seek to enforce their copyrights. If you share copyrighted material, you could be fined, or worse.

Various local area network applications are popular and might run successfully on JBU’s network (no guarantees). Examples are game servers and file sharing applications. You may use these with some limitations. Remember, you are responsible for the correct use of such programs, especially if you set up a computer running a server for any of these applications. In particular:

Their traffic must be limited to the on-campus network. Off-campus connections will be blocked.

Game servers are allowed as long as they do not cause excessive network traffic.

File-sharing servers are allowed as long as you are not sharing or enabling the sharing of copyrighted material. In realistic practice, the way these file-sharing networks are generally used on university campuses, they are not allowed.

Information Technology Services (ITS) supports the dynamic technology needs of the JBU community.

For more information, see Eaglenet.