What's up with the college broadband?

d93c2inhxfok4y

It's been shockingly slow lately, taking forever to load and constantly disconnecting/asking for re-entry of your username and password.

I don't think it was ever brilliant, but it was definitely a lot better over the past two years than it is now. I heard it got upgraded in the summer - anyone have any info as to why it's been so sluggish?

FluffyCat

I try as little as possible to rely on the college computers but, yeah, Ive never seen them as bad!!

I couldnt look up anything yesterday cause it kept crashing!! Between the printers and now the internet I dont know what this college bothers to even have a computer service anymore!!

amacachi

Unbelievably hit and miss all semester for me, working fine right now. :pac: Printers are beyond a joke, I've never printed something on a printer before the 3rd one I've tried.

A Neurotic

Putting Windows 7 on those computers in the hall of the Arts Block was a bad move. They implode if you try to do anything with them now.

Jonathan

It is faster for me to use my own router at home as a proxy server rather that use the college proxies...

Fedule

The problem with the college broadband is that it's operated by ISS.

Unregistered.

Jonathan wrote: »

It is faster for me to use my own router at home as a proxy server rather that use the college proxies...

But how long did it take you to become such a geek?

Tragedy

1st year here, BESS so in arts block for all but 1 hour a week.

Absolutely ****ing disgrace how few computers there are around, and there's always a bunch broken. The ones at the end of the lecture theatres in the hall are ridiculously slow.

ED E

TCD Wifi itself stopped for me today, turns out I have access to the SCSS system though so I was back up not to long after.

For all of ye not part of the SCSS just be greatfull that you could access your data. None of our U drives would load all day today:rolleyes:

Reportedly the proxies do this every year. I'm also told the gateway proxy(tcdproxy.tcd.ie or something like that) that some use doesnt even load balance between A and B. How the hell this mess didnt take precedence over new i7s in the ICT huts I have no idea. I understand that the are operated by two different bodies but still, as we still have to use the ISS's proxies I would have thought the SCSS would be interested in resolving the issue.

I suspect the real issue lies in the fact that those responsible probably dont use them, so they dont really care.

ISS = Incompetent Sheep Shaggers.

Unregistered.

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

For all of ye not part of the SCSS just be greatfull that you could access your data. None of our U drives would load all day today:rolleyes:

USB key = WIN.

Jonathan

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

For all of ye not part of the SCSS just be greatfull that you could access your data. None of our U drives would load all day today:rolleyes:

Emails have been sent keeping us updated of the situation. They have switched the slave and master and access has no been restored. Pretty excellent for a support team missing 33% of staff.

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

How the hell this mess didnt take precedence over new i7s in the ICT huts I have no idea. I understand that the are operated by two different bodies but still, as we still have to use the ISS's proxies I would have thought the SCSS would be interested in resolving the issue.

As you say so yourself, it has nothing to do with SCSS. They have their own issues. Why should they have to fix issues for other departments?

It is akin to saying the Dept of Medicine should run the Student Health Center, Dept of Electrical Engineering should change any lights that need changing around college, Dept of Civil Engineering should construct any new buildings in college.

Your idea is farcical.

ED E

Jonathan wrote: »

Emails have been sent keeping us updated of the situation. They have switched the slave and master and access has no been restored. Pretty excellent for a support team missing 33% of staff.
As you say so yourself, it has nothing to do with SCSS. They have their own issues. Why should they have to fix issues for other departments?

Until such time as the SCSS provide us with a proxy of their own I think they should be giving the ISS a kick up the hole. Its stupid that CS students in 2010 should have to go through this **** just to get internet access.

Jonathan wrote: »

It is akin to saying the Dept of Medicine should run the Student Health Center, Dept of Electrical Engineering should change any lights that need changing around college, Dept of Civil Engineering should construct any new buildings in college.

Your idea is farcical.

If there was no power in the arts block for several hours do you not think the Arts department(s) would be on the maintenance departments case? Or if there were people messing in the library that security would be called? This is just the same, its ISS's responsibility but everybody's(especially CS students) problem.

Unregistered.

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

This is just the same, its ISS's responsibility but everybody's(especially CS students) problem.

Could you explain why?

AndrewJD

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

This is just the same, its ISS's responsibility but everybody's(especially CS students) problem.

Unregistered. wrote: »

Could you explain why?

It's a bit naive and patronising to suggest that that the CS students are kings of the college network. I spend hours and hours and hours on the internet every single day for my course, and I suspect theres a huge number of students just like me. And if your at Halls, the college network is your only choice. Trust me, your suffering is the same as everyone elses.

PurpleFistMixer

Indeed, why do CS students have some kind of right to the internet that other students don't?

As a campus resident, I find dodgy internet somewhat very irritating. However, it's better than what I would get at home so I'm not complaining too much.

ED E

Sorry, that read wrong. I'm not suggesting that we're the only group that needs access. Sure, four in five say its a human right now(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8548190.stm). I'd agree that residents should definitely be on their case too. As should all the research postgrads. When I said especially the implication was some courses, for example Architecture, couldnt really care less if they have access.

In any case, its ridiculous that this hasnt been fixed. I'd hate to think what the HEA are paying for these lines.

Unregistered.

Lethal_Bullet wrote: »

....the implication was some courses, for example Architecture, couldnt really care less if they have access...

Why wouldn't they?

JonJoeDali

Average salary in ISServices is ~€60k to €70k + defined benefit pensions. Post-docs (yes, the people who write journal papers) would be doing well to be on €40k and still have a job after 3 years.

ISServices need to learn about management:
- Omit
- Automate
- Delegate
- DIY

The NAC system should be omitted. It's a sorry joke. I've been to universities where they provide open access to port 22/80/443 WiFi. I love the way they've put a load of postgrad gimps on €10 an hour on the front desk in Aras an Phiarsaigh so ISServices don't have to deal with students. I.e. do their job.

How they're going to manage in the 21st century of ubiquitous computing and students having multiple devices is beyond me.

So much for world-class facilities with world-class professionals.

amacachi

Oh to be back in DCU where ya just have to enter a proxy server and port number and work away. Instead apparently I don't have good enough Anti-Virus software for TCD's network and it doesn't seem to like my PSP either.

gearoidof

Well, of course architecture don't care about TCD wifi.
There are no architecture students in Trinity.

JonJoeDali

I use Linux and they made me run that Bradford script as sudo. I ended up having to reinstall my OS as the script totally screwed my network settings and God knows what else. I lost a half day because of it. I simply don't use the college network now. I am using a Meteor dongle instead. A sorry state of affairs.

PurpleFistMixer

I simply have not managed to get my linuxy laptop onto the college network. It just Doesn't Work.

boblong

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

I simply have not managed to get my linuxy laptop onto the college network. It just Doesn't Work.

Worked for me :-/

• Made sure LSB was installed
• Connected to firststeps
• Downloaded the infernal thing
• Chmod'd it
• Ran it.

timmywex

Ugh ISS.....

I really wonder how they spend their time to be honest....

Any other ISP doesnt have half the problems these guys do.

They make such big deals out of everything...like even iphones on the network, so easy for anyone with some computer knowledge to do, why not just allow it!?

Jehuty42

JonJoeDali wrote: »

the script totally screwed my network settings and God knows what else.

No it didn't, if you run it properly that's impossible, so the problem is you.

JonJoeDali

Jehuty42 wrote: »

No it didn't, if you run it properly that's impossible, so the problem is you.

Really? Using Ubuntu 10.04 here and when I ran the script, I was unable to click on anything on the entire desktop. I had to reinstall the OS. I eventually got back up and running and decided I'd give the script another go. Same thing happened. Please don't try and tell me what I did and did not experience.

I even went to the trouble of visiting ISS, where I was greeted by an unhelpful postgrad (in fairness, even if they knew what was wrong, they wouldn't be able to help me) who told me to type in my details into a badly designed web interface. The wait? Several days. The ISServices NAC system is a joke.

AndrewJD

Not to sound like some naive, hopeful revolutionary, but why don't we do something about it? Or rather, get the SU to do something about it?

aas

timmywex wrote: »

...like even iphones on the network, so easy for anyone with some computer knowledge to do,

Go on...

lucernarian

Internet has been pathetic in college for the last 2 weeks, no suprises there really. It's always been problematic for me in October but it's taking the mick this year. Waiting about a minute for google to load speaks volumes about how well their almost-yearly internet "upgrades" actually work.

timmywex

aas wrote: »

Go on...

Add TCDwifi with wep connection on the phone and add in the proxy, this iwll connect to TCD intranet.

Then spoof the MAC address on a laptop for access to internet, simple as, apps wont work (This is a problem with any proxied connection, not just TCD, its to do with how theyre made in objective c and connect to the net) but safari does no problems so happy days

timmywex

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Internet has been pathetic in college for the last 2 weeks, no suprises there really. It's always been problematic for me in October but it's taking the mick this year. Waiting about a minute for google to load speaks volumes about how well their almost-yearly internet "upgrades" actually work.

http://isservices.tcd.ie/general/al13101001.php

Great communication as ever from ISS....keeping it quiet...!

As someone else said about the SCSS server crashing, they emailed us quite fast pointing to the problem, a solution and the fact is volatile...! Excellent communication altogether!

AndrewJD

It's coming up to a month since this started. Beyond a joke.

Groinshot

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Internet has been pathetic in college for the last 2 weeks, no suprises there really. It's always been problematic for me in October but it's taking the mick this year. Waiting about a minute for google to load speaks volumes about how well their almost-yearly internet "upgrades" actually work.

it's definately faster... when it works... It's not slow as such, just seems to cut out alot, and take forever to let us sign into the proxy...
It's not that bad at midnight, I have to admit

It also seems to attract trolls... uninformed trolls at that...

lucernarian

Groinshot wrote: »

it's definately faster... when it works... It's not slow as such, just seems to cut out alot, and take forever to let us sign into the proxy...
It's not that bad at midnight, I have to admit

It also seems to attract trolls... uninformed trolls at that...

I would consider a proxy server that takes a minute to process a request as being "slow" even if the response time is fine when it does work. I've also experienced problems with it as late as 10.30pm on a Friday evening nearly 2 weeks ago. Though I haven't tried it at midnight this year.

You know, if you do see a possible troll, there's a report post button to deal with it or you could contact one of the mods via pm...

PurpleFistMixer

I've been abruptly disconnected at midnight and later...

Unregistered.

PurpleFistMixer wrote: »

I've been abruptly disconnected at midnight and later...

The same problem has me up all night...

Groinshot

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

I would consider a proxy server that takes a minute to process a request as being "slow" even if the response time is fine when it does work. I've also experienced problems with it as late as 10.30pm on a Friday evening nearly 2 weeks ago. Though I haven't tried it at midnight this year.

You know, if you do see a possible troll, there's a report post button to deal with it or you could contact one of the mods via pm...

I'm saying it sucks, but once you actually sign in it's fine. I';m not denying there's a problem. It's improved hugely since then, you only get disconnected infrequently now. but it's fine at this hour
I know well there's a report button, but I like feeding them

lucernarian

Groinshot wrote: »

I'm saying it sucks, but once you actually sign in it's fine. I';m not denying there's a problem. It's improved hugely since then, you only get disconnected infrequently now. but it's fine at this hour
I know well there's a report button, but I like feeding them

I haven't found it to be even remotely better after I've logged into the proxy (signed in at the beginning of using internet explorer for example). Timeouts of a minute or more frequently happen even if I've entered my network access username/password a few hours previously for that Internet explorer/firefox session.

That was the case as of yesterday. Currently, I'm experiencing no problems so certainly at least part of it is a peak time issue.

Jonathan

http://isservices.tcd.ie/general/al13101001.php

IS Services Alerts - Slow Access to External Websites
Updated: Thursday, 28th October, 14:50

The following statement has been released by the Director of Information System Services, Mr John Murphy.

Dear all,

During the past 10 days there has been a serious degradation of Internet access across the College. These problems have been largely intermittent and random in nature. The College network is complex and supports many different types of network access on the main campus and 23 remote sites including Student Residences and two teaching hospitals at Tallaght and St. James. There are currently 25,000 users supported. The problem is not specific to either the wired or wireless network.

Last week an action plan was drafted and a team was setup to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. It has number one priority status within IS Services.

What has been done to date:

We have made modifications to spread the load over the infrastructure components that facilitate internet access.
Review of Domain Name Servers (DNS) for proxy service; reconfiguration of existing DNS for proxy services; and allocation of two new dedicated DNS servers. This is the route for all Internet access from College.
IS Services has communicated with other IT professionals in College and specific users that were experiencing poor performance to establish if any of the configuration changes had significantly improved their experience
A number of users were visited to analyse and review configurations on their workstations to establish if client setup was the cause of the problem.
Quantitative graphical simulation (measurement tool) of the issue. The impact of the changes above are currently being determined by reference to the measurement tool
IS Services have been engaged in a project to upgrade the components of infrastructure that provide internet access facilities following a review last year. We are in the final stages of tender award following an EU tendering process to replace the current service in order to provide a first class proxy service. It is expected to have these new components in service shortly.
What will happen the next -

The team will continue to work to determine the root cause of the problem
In parallel the Internet infrastructure upgrades will be expedited including new Proxy services
All staff and students will be kept informed of developments on the IS Services website, on Twitter and by email
IS Services apologies for the disruption caused by the issue and is aware of the user frustration that this generates. I would like to assure the College community that everything possible is being done to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.

Regards

John Murphy

Director Information Systems Services
Trinity College Dublin
Ireland

d93c2inhxfok4y

John Murphy is rattled :cool:

The movement is real :cool:

Unregistered.

Jonathan wrote: »

http://isservices.tcd.ie/general/al13101001.php

Smells of "Stop bitching about us on boards".

The team will continue to work to determine the root cause of the problem

This should have been at the top of the list of things done. I would love to know what happened between this week and [the last week it was working fine]. It seemed like an overnight failure of some kind rather than a gradual degradation

gavmcg92

Unregistered. wrote: »

It seemed like an overnight failure of some kind rather than a gradual degradation

To be honest I thought that it was getting progressively bad over a couple of days but yes, yesterday and today were the worst.

AndrewJD

Reminds me of



"zzzzzzz Whaaaa? Somethings wrong?"



Admittedly, I'm posting from it just now, and there's no latency. Good times!

gavmcg92

AndrewJD wrote: »

Reminds me of



"zzzzzzz Whaaaa? Somethings wrong?"



Admittedly, I'm posting from it just now, and there's no latency. Good times!

Hahaha yea "It is the number one priority" according to Iss. Well I would suggest that the picture you posted is ISS at the moment.

Jonathan

Ha. It's a bad sign when you see people bringing 3G dongles to the library.

Unregistered.

Was working fine today.

electrogrimey

Haven't tried it in a few days, but I've noticed this year has been much worse than last year. Generally, it'll work for a minute or two, then stop working, and I'll have to reload Chrome just so it offers to let me put in my login again. Rinse, and repeat.

Joke.

Groinshot

It's okay this weekend, but wasn't great on friday... real test will be tomorrow..

Laserhead

Yup, it's horrible.

amacachi

So far today I'd call it adequate, which is as good as it ever gets.

Raedwald

Just wondering if people thought it would be worthwhile investing a broadband yoke from one of the phone companies given the brutally slow speeds in college?