Simon's Rock, like many other colleges has had bandwidth overloading problems (think of a traffic jam). You can reduce the amount of off-campus bandwidth you consume is to configure your web browser to use the web proxy (proxy.simons-rock.edu on port 3128). If you are running a music file sharing program, you can dramatically reduce your bandwidth by limiting the number of files you are sharing with people off-campus. Please see cms.simons-rock.edu/fileshare.html.
Still, this is likely not enough to ensure bandwidth for everyone. In response to this, traffic usage is monitored and, under conditions of congestion, particular types of traffic are limited or given lower priority than others.
Additionally, we have implemented fixed bandwidth quotas for each computer on campus to 1.6 gigabytes of off-campus traffic per day. Any computer which moves (combined upload and download) 400 MB in any of four 6-hour periods -- 2AM-8AM, 8AM-2PM, 2PM-8PM, 8PM-2AM -- will be blocked from further communication with the Internet until the end of that 6-hour period.
For more information, please read the Acceptable Use Policy and the supplementary document on bandwidth. Our aim is to improve network performance, not make it worse. If the restrictions are interfering with your network activity, let us know. It's your network; we are open to the possibility of revising the policy.
No, it's just for off-campus traffic. On-campus network traffic, including file-sharing and printing, is not restricted.
You may petition for an exception. Exceptions will be granted as deemed necessary by the Office of Computer & Media Services. Exceptions will be likely be for times late at night when network usage is lowest.
Statistics on the amount of traffic being ascribed to your system can be found at http://guardian.simons-rock.edu:8080/.
If you can access on-campus computer but nothing off campus, it is extremely likely that you have been blocked. You can check your link usage counter at http://guardian.simons-rock.edu:8080/. If it is a number very close to 0, it has been reset for reaching the limit. Your computer will be unblocked within 6 hours.
If you weren't using your computer and got blocked, it is possible that your computer is infected with a virus. However, it is substantially more likely that you had a file sharing program on your computer that was configured to allow others access to your files. If you really don't know, ask us.
In Morpheus/Kazaa, go to the Tools menu and select Options.... Check Disable sharing of files with other KaZaA members. Then go to the Advanced tab and select Do not function as SuperNode. A screenshot is available here. (AN20011213)
For information to reduce your bandwidth usage with other filesharing programs, see http://cms.simons-rock.edu/fileshare.html.