New security measures and modems are being added to the SIUC internet server by the Information Technology department, in the hopes that accessing the server will be easier and more efficient.

Jerry Looft, administrative assistant with Information Technology, said dialing into the server will be limited to SIU affiliates next week. He also said the number of modems was originally 45, but will increase to 84 on Oct. 6.

Looft said people can access such applications as ILLNET, the internet and E-mail via the school server.

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Its popularity grew rather quickly, Looft said.

However, Looft said people have had problems connecting to the server by modem since last year. He said many people thought guests, non-SIU affiliates, were tying the lines up.

Matt Wheeler, a junior in Radio and Television from Carterville, said he knows some people get on and stay on the line while they go out to lunch because its to hard to dial in.

I surf at night, it’s easier to get on, Wheeler said.

Jason Reed, a junior in political science from Robinson, said sometimes he has problems dialing in and sometimes he does not.

It’s really tough to get on, but I do it, Reed said.

Looft said to prevent users from overloading the system, it was decided there was a need for people to identify themselves, before getting on the network.

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A product called Challenger was found, and it will go into full effect on Oct. 2.

Challenger will monitor who can dial into the server, allowing only SIU affiliates primary access.

Looft said people need to be aware that this change is coming and take the necessary measures.

He said users will be required to have a Kerberos ID and school ID to access the server by modem.

People can get a Kerberos ID by accessing the system as a guest, before Monday, or through the on-line process, Looft said.

A Kerberos password is the same as a UNI-LINK pin number. Unless changed, the pin number is the day and year of the users birth and the last four digits of their school ID.

If a script is used, Looft said the user will be required to get the new one. He said a script is similar to telephone re-dial, because the user does not have to punch in commands.

Looft said the scripts are available, for Macintosh’s and PC’s, at the computer labs in Rhen and Faner. He said people who wish to receive a new script should bring a disk to the lab in order to copy it.

Looft said the scripts are also available through anonymous FTP (File Transfer Protocol) on CWIS (Campus Wide Information System).

Reed said he thinks the new security program will keep out the people who are not supposed to have access.

Wheeler said he thinks the new security measures are good, but he wonders if the added number on lines will lead people to think they can stay on the lines longer.

Reed said he thinks the school could use many more lines, but he’s not going to gripe about it because one new line is better than zero.