Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
To participate fully in your online course, you need to have a reliable internet connection provided by a reputable Internet Service Provider, or ISP. There are four basic types of ISP's:
- Phone modem dial-up. This is a slow speed connection that uses your telephone line to connect to the ISP. OU provides limited phone modem access to faculty, staff, and students for free. For more information, visit http://support.ou.edu. Commercial ISP's, such as AOL or Earthlink, also provide phone modem access for a monthly fee.
- Cable modem. A cable modem is a high-speed connection. It is provided in the Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa areas by Cox Cable. Find out more at soonerconnect.net.
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). DSL is another high-speed connection service which is available through SBC Yahoo.
- OU campus network. If you are living on campus, you have high-speed internet access via the OU campus network. For more information, visit the http://support.ou.edu.
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Note Regarding Firewalls
If you have Internet access through your workplace, it is recommended that you have a private ISP at home. Many businesses use what is called a 'firewall' or 'proxy server' on their internal networks. These firewalls may interfere with your ability to complete your online course work.
A firewall is a security measure in the form of equipment or software that restricts users' access to and from the Internet. It limits what users can do, how they can connect to the Internet and to remote servers. The most common restriction is limitations on what software can be used to connect to remote systems.
While web browsers can normally be used through a firewall, their function might be limited to simple viewing of sites and downloading. If you are logging into your online course from work, and having problems with getting the online tools to function (listening to audio files, running web-based applications, etc.), the problem could be at your network.
The best and most current information on electronic access both on-campus and off-campus can be found here:
https://webapps.ou.edu/it/students/
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