The information contained in this article is only valid at the time of publication and will not be updated. Please search the Resnet site if you have questions.
Why is the Internet in my room so much slower than it is in the library?
Not all Ethernet connections are "created equal." The speed of an Internet connection depends on a number of factors, including the speed of the network card in your computer; the cable connecting your computer to a jack, hub, router, or cable modem; the cabling between your end of the connection and the network switch that connects you to the Internet; and the speed of the switch. On top of that, if your computer's processor is slower than your connection, your computer will not process information as fast as your connection can serve the information.
That said, there are a number of different connection speeds on Barnard's campus. In the Quad, Plimpton, and the 600s, there is a connection speed of 10 megabits per second (Mbit/s). In Lehman Library, the LCC, and the West Wing, there is a 100 Mbit/s Internet connection, and the Sulzburger lab was recently upgraded to a gigabit-ready Ethernet switch (a gigabit is the equivalent of 1000 megabits, which would make it 10 times faster than the other computer labs and 100 times faster than the dorm-room connections).
However, even when you plug into a gigabit connection, your computer can only connect to the Internet at 1000 Mbit/s if you have a 10/100/1000, or gigabit-capable network card and a CAT6 Ethernet cord. Many people use CAT5 Ethernet cords, which are rated for connection speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s.
Most broadband connections are 256kbit/s, or 0.256 Mbit/s so even though the connections in the dorms are not as fast as those in the labs, they are probably still faster than the Internet in your parents' house.
Also, Resnet is constantly trying to improve its labs and services, so if you have a suggestion or request, please email and let us know what you think!
And why is wireless even slower!?
Wireless connections have a less predictable speed because if you imagine Internet connections as pipes of data, an Ethernet connection will always pump the same speed of information if it is working correctly. A 100Mbit/s connection will always serve 100 Mbits of information per second to your computer. A wireless connection, on the other hand, is more like a sprinkler; it will always disperse the same amount of information at the same speed, but if many computers are trying to use it at once, they will all have slower connections.
This "sprinkler" effect is one of the many reasons that if you have a wireless device, it is important protect your connection with a password. Not only can foreign computers compromise your privacy, but they can also make your connection speeds slower. If you have a wireless device or router, it is important to register it with Resnet to ensure that it is set up securely. You can download a Network Device Approval Form on our website.