Off-Campus Access
Internet Access
Internet Access from home or other remote locations is required for remote access to your GroupWise mailbox, your network files via NetStorage, the law school web site, and of course other Internet sites.
Internet access is provided by a company or institution that serves as an Internet Service Provider, or ISP. You have choices in selecting an Internet Service Provider. Broadband connections have become more widely available and more convenient. Duke University has contracted with Time Warner to provide discounted broadband service from Road Runner and with Intrex to provide discounted DSL service from Verizon and AT&T/Bellsouth. Please visit the remote access page provided by Duke OIT to learn more about broadband options and to subscribe to one of these services.
Speed of connection - How fast a connection do you need? High-speed connections, such as cable modems or DSL, provide a fast, always-on connection that will save you time and frustration over dial-up connections. They also free your telephone line for voice calls. Do you download large files, indicating a need for faster speed, or do you check e-mail and browse the web only occasionally, indicating a lower speed is sufficient?
Additional mailbox or accounts - Do you have family members who will need their own e-mail mailbox, or "screen name?"
Cost - What are you willing to pay? How many hours per month will you be online? Many dial-up ISPs offer graduated plans starting at about $10.00 per month for a few hours and increasing to $20-25 per month for extensive or even unlimited use. High speed DSL and cable modem connections cost upward of $40 per month.
Geographic availability - Are you using the connection only at home, or do you need to connect when you travel? If the latter, national service providers will better meet your needs.
Broadband Accounts
Many people now find a high-speed Internet connection indispensable. Duke offers discounted rates on Time-Warner Road Runner broadband and on Verizon and BellSouth DSL provisioned by Intrex Computers. Your home is likely eligible for at least one of these services if it is in an area served by Time Warner, Verizon or BellSouth.
Law School Computing Services recommends that you sign up for Road Runner service if your home is served by Time Warner. The contract rate provides faster download speeds at a lower monthly cost than the DSL options. If you need additional services, such as static IP addresses, review the other options available on all these services.
When you use one of these service providers, your computer will not have an IP address on the Duke network. If you need to access services that are restricted to Duke computers, or need to protect confidential information in transit, use the Duke VPN client available from OIT.
Dial-Up ISP Accounts
Dial-UP ISP services are available from the following providers:
For information comparing performance of major ISPs, visit the ratings pages at http://www.broadbandreports.com.
