Halls of Residence

[Jul!eT]

Anni, I could kiss you right now!

[Dick Cheney]

Originally Posted by Anni_IB

I'm a resident at Horton Halls, internet works fine! I can use itunes, skype, facebook, all 4 emails that I have etc. Where the internet has trouble working is when it comes to youtube. It also restricts the use of curse words on msn.

The so called 'internet' does not work fine. You might not have experienced problems due to your computer use habits, but many people have.

No, we do not have full internet access at Horton - there is only restricted web browsing and Computing Services admit this.

Yes, you can use webmail accounts but you cannot send mail by SMTP - so you can't use email applications like microsoft outlook to manage email.

Skype is very shaky with the connection continually being dropped. SIP, which is better quality than Skype and better value is blocked.

There are often problems watching streaming video such as youtube.

I don't use itunes, but several residents say it is blocked, and Computing Services say it is blocked - in fact in the CS booklet they state that it is blocked and requests to unblock it will not be entertained.

Similarly, I don't play computer games, but others report that online gaming is blocked.

[TXelco]

Why don't they just fix the internet?

[Dick Cheney]

Originally Posted by TXelco

Why don't they just fix the internet?

They have a certain attitude.

[TXelco]

Originally Posted by Dick Cheney

They have a certain attitude.

Wouldn't the Student Union have something to say? Surely they could raise the funds needed.

[Dick Cheney]

Doesn't sound like the kind of thing the students union would be interested in.

I don't think it is a matter of cost, although obviously a fascist firewall does save bandwidth.

EDIT: I managed to make a call through skype today for the first time in Horton Halls - maybe they've changed the firewall configuration.

[BarneyB]

I guess it depends on what you expect from the internet...but it certainly isn't what you'd expect if you were paying for your own broadband at home. Again, I think a comparison with central London college halls is apt. At King's I paid the same as here and had a view of Waterloo bridge and the Thames...nuff said? possibly not... but in Tooting the going rate for a room is £70-90 a week and Horton Halls compares less than favourably......

[Gizmo says -]

yep the student union wont 'elp.
thats the only fing thats guaranteed about the stoodent union.

first rule of being on the sgul student union - do nuffing that rocks the boat wif the sgul staff.
2nd rule - do nuffing.

[Dick Cheney]

Have just found that in our block, rooms above ground level can pick up the Eduroam wireless network. As long as you use this and not the wired network, you get a good internet connection.

For the benefit of prospective students, I'd like to add that Horton Halls is good accommodation. It is not cheap but it is secure and the facilities are good. You will find that some of the GEPs were plucked too early from the nipple and carp a lot: the toilet seats are the wrong shade, or not heated - that kind of thing.

[Imhotep]

Thanks for all the responses and information. I was wondering if you could answer one more thing - when is the earliest you can move in? Is it the weekend before the start of term or earlier?

Thanks,

Stephen