WiFi @ The Silas Bronson Library
[ Privacy ] [ Problems & Technical Support ] [ Printing ] [ Speed / Bandwidth ] [ Filtering and Permitted Activities ] [ Technical Specs & Setup Info ]
The Silas Bronson Library is now offering Wireless Internet ( WiFi) at its Main Library branch only. If you have a wireless capable laptop and want to access the internet, you may do so from the Main Reading Room on the first floor of the library. There are no " WEP keys " ( a wireless security and encryption password ) to deal with and we do not encrypt any of the traffic on the WiFi network. This means connecting to the WiFi network is as simple as turning on your computer and letting it detect the network or manually adding the SSID and connecting; however, this also means that the data is not secure.
We recommend that patrons DO NOT conduct any online banking, investing, purchasing or transmit any confidential data over the WiFi network. Your credit card and other sensitive information are not encrypted or secured in any way when using the WiFi network. Anyone with a basic knowledge of wireless hacking can access any data sent over the WiFi connection. THE SILAS BRONSON LIBRARY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS/THEFT OF DATA OR FUNCTIONALITY THAT MAY ARISE FROM USING YOUR EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE ON THE UNSECURED WiFi NETWORK. USE OF THE WiFi CONNECTION IS STRICTLY AT YOUR OWN RISK !
Please be familiar with your own equipment and how to use it. If you have a problem it will be necessary to consult your owner's manual or contact the support services provided by the manufacturer of your equipment. The library staff, including the I.T. staff , can not offer any form of technical assistance to patrons using thier own equipment over the WiFi network.
For security reasons there is no connection between the WiFi network and the library's standard public access network; therefore, there is no printing capability on the WiFi network. If a patron using the WiFi network wishes to print, they must save the document to be printed to a flash drive and then use the regular public access pc to print the document.
Although your laptop can connect to the WiFi access point at any speed between 10 Mbps and 54 Mbps, the actual connection the wireless network uses to access the internet is only 6 Mbps --- the same speed as a premium DSL or Cable connection from home. It must be remembered that this 6 Mbps is shared between all users of the WiFi network and when multiple patrons use the connection at once, each users share of the available bandwidth is reduced; therefore, when the connection appears to be slow avoid downloading music or watching streaming video. Continuing to download music or watch videos when the connection slows due to heavy usage will cause your laptop and applications to perform poorly and is unfair to other patrons trying to use the WiFi connection.
In addition to being unencrypted and unsecured, the WiFi network is unfiltered. Parents should be aware that any and all content on the internet will get through -- nothing is blocked. Although there is no filtering on the network, the same standards that apply to the regular public access pc's apply to the WiFi network. All usage rules enacted by the Library's Board of Agents will be enforced by the library's staff. The library staff does not monitor the WiFi network; however, if in the general course of performing their work activities, the staff notices a patron viewing inappropriate material, that patron will given one warning. If the patron continues to view inappropriate material they will be asked to leave the library.
Technical Specs and Setup Information
For your own protection, please turn off file sharing while using the WiFi network; failure to do so will increase the possibility of another user being able to access files on your laptop.
[ Privacy ] [ Problems & Technical Support ] [ Printing ] [ Speed / Bandwidth ] [ Filtering and Permitted Activities ] [ Technical Specs & Setup Info ]