What's the best way to get online?
In order to use Bear Access or the Cornell network services
when you're away from Ithaca, you must first decide how you will
connect to the Internet. You have two options: dial
in to Cornell long distance or use a local
Internet Service Provider. There are advantages and disadvantages
to both options, as discussed below.
- Advantage: Once your modem dials in,
you will be able to use Bear Access exactly as you do here on campus,
as long as the Bear Access software is installed on the computer you are using.
- Drawback: You will be making a long distance phone call,
and your phone company will charge you for that call.
- Advantage:
By having your modem dial a local phone number,
you can avoid large phone bills.
- Note: You may choose to run Bear Access after
dialing into your local ISP, or you may choose to access Cornell
services via the software provided by your local ISP.
- Drawback:
Any ISP that gives you an IP address with a connection to
the Internet should allow Bear Access to work (you can
install Bear Access just as you would on your Ithaca computer).You
will need to connect to the Internet via your ISP and then launch
Bear Access as you normally would.
The CIT HelpDesk staff will not, however, be able to assist
you in case of problems related to getting Bear Access or its
services to work correctly over these connections. If you have
any difficulty getting Bear Access to work with your ISP, you
should instead follow the directions for
connecting to Cornell services
using your ISP's software.
Recommendation:
- If you plan to spend only a little time on-line
(for example, to download your e-mail or check your grades),
using EZ-Remote or Express Lane long distance may be the simplest.
Some ways to limit how much time you spend online
are provided here.
- If you plan to spend a significant amount of time on-line,
you may wish to seek out a service that offers local connection phone numbers
so that you can avoid large phone bills.
You can find a list of local Internet Service Providers (ISPs),
with reviews, recommendations, and a searchable database, in
CNET's Ultimate ISP Guide.
- Tip: Bring a Bear Access CD with you,
even if you don't plan to use Bear Access itself while you're out of town.
You can use the CD to install the software you need to run any of the
Bear Access services, so you won't have to download software over the
Internet.
Last updated: May 21, 2007
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