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Network Rates
FAQ

Policy

Fees and Billing

Connecting from Off-Campus

Why do we have such a complicated billing system? The last university I was a member of simply paid for all networking costs out of the central budget.

A: Good question! There is a long history as to why Cornell elected to use the current process. For detailed history please see: www.cit.cornell.edu/oit/Arch-Init/networkcostrecovery/CostRecoveryTaskForce.pdf

Is our department allowed to install its own network hardware?

A: Yes, however departments are required to follow all applicable university regulations for the placement of hardware, media standards, and required HVAC services, etc.

Is the data collected to create WAN bills private?

A: Standard billing information only displays aggregated byte counts associated with an IP number. The top 100 destination IP addresses are also displayed (if the bill is greater than the base monthly fee). Authorized network administrators and billing coordinators can see this data for all IP address they are responsible for. Individual users can only view equivalent data for their IP address. This billing process is similar to campus phone bills.

If other users on campus access my department's server is this considered WAN usage?

A: No. All use of campus network infrastructure, (the backbone, etc) is recovered through the network infrastructure charges as allocated by the Campus Allocation Model (CAM).

What is a "public port?"

A: Public ports are ports that the "Public Port Allocation Committee" classifies as public. In general these are ports in open classrooms and public locations not specifically associated with any one department or unit.

Do I need to pay for RedRover Wi-Fi access?

A: No. RedRover access is free. All traffic to or from on-campus sites is also free.

For students, beginning June 1, 2008, Internet usage to or from off-campus sites via RedRover will be included in the network usage-based billing (NUBB). NUBB already includes this type of usage on the wired networks. Use of Cornell's web sites and services is not counted, and will not be counted, as a result of this change. For information about additional NUBB billing changes for students, see What billing changes for students go into effect June 1, 2008.

Between now and June 1, NUBB will continue as it does today.

For faculty and staff, internet usage via RedRover is not included in the network usage-based billing.

Do I need to pay for Wi-Fi connections that are not RedRover-delivered?

A: Yes. Owners of Wi-Fi access points that are not part of the RedRover system are required to pay the Wi-Fi port fee that connects the Wi-Fi access point to the campus network. In addition, the WAN fee applies to all devices using non-RedRover access points to connect to the Internet. Departments are encouraged to explore with CIT making their current Wi-Fi services part of the larger campus RedRover service.

Why are ResNet ports charges more than non-ResNet ports charges?

A: ResNet ports reflect network infrastructure costs (backbone fees, etc.) Non-ResNet ports recover these fees via another billing process known as Campus Allocation Model (CAM).

I use a NAT, do I have to pay the base monthly WAN fees for the hidden devices that the NAT supports?

A: In order to assure fair distribution of WAN network fees, anyone using a NAT is responsible for the total number of WAN-consuming devices behind the NAT. You will be billed the higher of either:

  • the per-megabyte fee for WAN traffic passing through the NAT

    • or

  • the monthly fee per device behind the NAT

For example, if your NAT supports 10 devices, your minimum monthly WAN bill would be $25.00 per month ($2.50/month x 10). However, if the IP number that supports the NAT used 20,000 megabytes of WAN services, your bill would be $30 (20,000 x $0.0015).

How do you know how many devices I have connected to my NAT?

A: It is an honor system - you are obligated to inform CIT of the number of devices. CIT reserves the right to audit NATs from time to time to assure fair allocation of WAN fees across Cornell.

Do WAN fees apply to our Internet 2 (research) WAN connection?

A: Yes. For the purpose of calculating WAN use, both the commodity and Internet 2 connections are aggregated and reflected on your bill.

When charging use for bandwidth that exceeds the given amount, is this restricted to certain types of traffic (MP3s, surfing, etc.), or will all bandwith usage be open to fees? In particular, I'm curious about e-mail traffic. As the owner of several e-mail boxes on campus, I get a LOT of e-mail. Most of it is legitimate, some is spam. Will this traffic on the WAN count against me when it comes time to bill?

A: As the sponsor / owner of these systems, you are responsible for all WAN use, regardless of data type, that travels directly to or from your services to the WAN.

We use DHCP; how will we be billed for WAN use?

A: Service providers who configure DHCP to provide static IP assignments receive WAN bills reflecting the static allocation of IP numbers to users. Service providers who use randomly allocated IP numbers receive a single bill, and are responsible for paying for all incurred IP and WAN charges associated with IP numbers in the dynamic DHCP IP pool.

Do I have to track all IP numbers in my unit, or can I simply receive a single bill for a group of IP numbers? For example, I use DHCP and I don't know who is using which IP numbers.

A: While there are good security reasons to keep track of who is using IP numbers, for billing you can ask for and receive a single bill for a group of IP numbers.

If someone breaks into my computer and runs up a large WAN bill, am I obligated to pay?

A: Generally, yes. Please note that WAN rates are very low and massive system abuse would need to occur over an extended period to create a significant charge. Regardless, the integrity of hosts connected to the network is the responsibility of the host owner.

What happens if someone steals my IP number?

A: The ability of another user to steal your IP number is limited to the scope of the subnet you are within. Most computing systems will display a warning message if the system detects another host within the subnet using the same IP number. As soon as a user believes another person is using their IP number they should contact their local department support provider, or CIT. Users who knowingly steal IP numbers to avoid network expense are subject to all applicable university policies.

What billing changes go into effect for students on June 1, 2008?

Starting June 1, 2008, Cornell's network usage-based billing (NUBB) will be changed in these ways for all students:

(1) For students, Internet usage to or from off-campus sites via Cornell's Wi- Fi (RedRover) networks will be included. NUBB already includes this type of usage on the wired networks. Use of Cornell's web sites and services is not counted, and will not be counted, as a result of this change.

(2) Students will have 10 GB (gigabytes) per month instead of the current 5 GB per month for Internet usage to or from off-campus sites.

(3) For students, only usage above 10 GB per month will be billed, at the same rate as today, which is $0.0015 per additional MB (megabyte).

(4) Usage will be tracked by student NetID, instead of by IP address.

(5) For students, a preview NUBB system will be available from April 1 through May 31. The preview will show each student's wired and Wi-Fi (RedRover) usage, and can be used to see what fees, if any, would have been incurred. Students will not be billed for Wi-Fi charges during the preview period.

Between now and June 1, NUBB will continue as it does today. None of the changes listed above apply to faculty and staff.

Whom do I contact with questions about my bill?

A: Students: CIT Contact Center
Faculty/Staff: Your department's Telecommunications Coordinator
Telecommunications Coordinators: CIT Billing Office

When does each billing period start and end?

A: The monthly billing periods run from midnight GMT on the first of the month until midnight GMT on the last day of the month. GMT is 4 hours (during daylight savings time) or 5 hours (during standard time) ahead of local time. This is important to remember if you are trying to use up your quota, or if you are waiting for a new billing period to start.

How much information do I get to download without needing to pay more than the base monthly WAN fee?

A: The base monthly charge covers 5 gigabytes (GB).

Beginning June 1, 2008, the base monthly charge covers 5 gigabytes (GB) for faculty and staff and 10 gigabytes (GB) for students. For faculty and staff, usage from wired connections will be included in the monthly total. For students, usage from wired and Wi-Fi connections will be included.

5 GB is a little more than what could be stored on 7 data CDs, filled to capacity. Roughly speaking, 5 GB is the equivalent of more than 150,000 typical e-mail messages, 17,000 graphics files, 1,200 MP3s, or 2 to 4 feature-length MPEG movies (in all cases depending on specific size, resolution, and format).

How much do I have to pay if I exceed my base monthly quota (biling threshold)?

A: You will be charged $0.0015 for each megabyte of data transferred above the billing threshold. One megabyte is the rough equivalent of 100 pages of text or about 10 graphics files.

Will I be billed the minimum monthly WAN fee for my local network printer?

A: You will only be billed WAN fees for IP numbers / devices that access or are accessed by the Internet. If your printer is only accessed from within Cornell, no WAN fee will be charged.

Do I have to pay for incoming e-mail, including spam?

Typically not. E-mail is processed through a mail server before it gets to you, so it doesn't count against your monthly allotment. Most e-mail comes in through CIT's mail servers. Some units and departments have their own mail servers; in those cases, the departments will be responsible for the costs of all incoming and outgoing traffic.

If my printer is "scanned" or "pinged" from outside Cornell, will I be required to pay the WAN fee?

A: CIT has set a minimum threshold (4 MB) to address the issue of traffic caused by device scans/probes from outside Cornell. Any device with WAN traffic lower than this threshold will not be billed.

How does EZ-Remote get factored into this billing process?

A: The cost of EZ-Remote access is recovered through subscription fees, so there are no additional monthly charges. For more information about EZ remote, please see: www.cit.cornell.edu/ezremote/subscribe.html

If I use EZ-Remote, will I get a WAN charge in addition to the standard EZ-remote subscription fee?

A: No. The EZ-remote subscription fee covers WAN use.

If I transfer files from a Cornell web site to my home computer using EZ-Remote, who pays?

A: You would be obligated to pay for EZ-Remote services only.

If I connect to my work computer from home using remote access software, do I have to pay?

A: There is more than one answer to this question. If you are connecting via the Internet, for example, RoadRunner, then all packets to and from your work computer will be billed as outlined for WAN use. If you access the machine from within the Cornell network, including using EZ-Remote, then there would be no WAN fee.

When I use a Cornell University e-mail service from home, who pays the WAN fee?

A: The owner of the mail service, such as CIT, is responsible for all WAN expenses associated with the IP number(s) used.