bandwidth:
n. The traffic of information sent to and from a  computer connection over the network or Internet
Residence hall network connections are limited to 4.0 Gigabytes per week up to the Internet or down from the Internet. On campus traffic that stays 100% on campus does not count against weekly bandwidth limits.

NEVER IGNORE BANDWIDTH WARNINGS OR VIOLATION NOTICES. Bandwidth limits are enforced. Failure to make an appointment with ResCom at UP campus to examine your computer and discuss issues face to face will affect the appeal process later on. It is possible to lose your room connection for the rest of the semester if you go over the limits too many times and never get help to prevent it. Branch campus residents must meet seek help from their residential computer support team at their campus.
WHAT DOES COUNT AGAINST YOUR BANDWIDTH LIMITS?
  • Any "Internet" activity through your room connection
  • Web surfing in general and web development to servers off campus. If it displays something on your computer from the Internet, your computer downloads the information first then displays it on your screen.
  • Watching YouTube video clips
  • Streaming audio or video, watching TV shows on-line
  • As of May 31st2007, use of Napster through your room connection counts against your weekly limits
  • P2P programs like ITunes, LimeWire, BearShare, Bit Torrent type programs, Kazaa and many others not mentioned here. Many of these programs use bandwidth even if you don't have the program opened or logged in. If it is loaded on your computer, it is sharing and allowing the world to download from you.
  • Links found on PSU web servers or pages (like Angel) that take you off campus to other web sites on the Internet
  • Chat programs and any file transfers sent through them
  • All Internet email sources except use of PSU email servers to send and receive email
  • Web cams (sends video) or Internet telephones (sends and receives audio)
  • Internet gaming
  • File sharing. If the world can see your share, they will download from you
  • Spy-ware and virus activity over the Internet

This chart illustrates the size of the bandwidth limits

WHAT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST YOUR BANDWIDTH LIMITS?

  • On campus "only" connections as long as the entire path stays on campus
  • The PSU supported legal music / video system (Note: Napster is no longer supported by Penn State and will count against your bandwidth)
  • PSU email including attachments sent through PSU email servers
  • Computer labs
  • PSU wireless and mobility port access areas

Please visit our Bandwidth FAQ page for answers to frequently asked questions.

For details on the bandwidth limits and how they work, visit our Housing Connection Agreement page. You are bound by these policies by registering for a connection in your room.
RESCOM DOES NOT ENCOURAGE THE USE OF OR RECOMMEND ANY MUSIC SHARING PROGRAMS ON OUR NETWORKS EXCEPT RUCKUS. DOWNLOADING AND SHARING OF COPY WRITTEN MATERIALS WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER IS ILLEGAL IN STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS. IT IS ALSO AGAINST UNIVERSITY POLICIES. IF YOU "CHOOSE" TO LOAD THESE PROGRAMS ON YOUR COMPUTER, USE THEM AT YOUR OWN RISK. The best prevention is to make the "choice" to uninstall these programs and not use them on our networks. 

Check your weekly bandwidth consumption.
 Wireless Ethernet Connections at PSU.

Penn State Auxiliary and Business Services

For information about The Pennsylvania State University Ethernet Request Form,
please contact: rescom@psu.edu.

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for Auxiliary and Business Services (absmarketing@psu.edu).
This page was last updated on Monday, August 21, 2006.
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