Terms and Conditions

Any service of this nature must have fine print and Student Networking is no exception. The terms and conditions relating to this service are detailed below. These terms and conditions should be seen as an addendum to the University's acceptable use policy.

Disclaimer

1. While reasonable efforts will be taken to ensure that the network is operational, there will be disruptions and outages to the service. The service is provided "as is" on a best-effort basis, with the academic portions of the University's network always taking priority over Student Networking. The University accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss or damages suffered as a result of the use of the service.
2. Additionally, it should be carefully noted that the Information Technology Division is under no obligation to provide a connection for a student, and may refuse to do so. It may also terminate or suspend a connection if any of the conditions of the University's acceptable use policy are contravened or, if in the considered opinion of the Information Technology Division, that it is in the best interests of the University that a particular connection or connections be terminated or suspended.
3. The University provides the Student Networking service to facilitate and promote the University's core business of teaching and learning. The Information Technology Division is not an Internet service provider in the traditional sense, and the type of service you get from Student Networking may be somewhat different to what you'd expect from a traditional ISP.

Requirements

4. It is expected — in line with the acceptable use policy — that your computer is running legal and properly licensed software, and that you are in possession of the appropriate installation media and license keys. You are also expected to honour the software license agreements for any University-supplied software (e.g. F-Secure) you install on your machine.
5. You must run an up-to-date virus scanner at all times; if your computer becomes infected with a virus, "spyware" or any other malicious or undesirable software it will be disconnected from the network and it will be your responsibility to get it fixed at your own cost.
6. You are not permitted to alter or extend the University's network in any way. This includes, but is not limited to, installing hubs, switches, repeaters or wireless access points, or re-selling University-provided services in any way. You are expected to present only your correctly registered IP address, MAC address and username on the network.

Type of network access

7. The speed of the access circuit used to provide Student Networking connections varies depending on how and where you connect to the service:
   A. in University residences on campus, you are usually provided a network point in your room which will give you at least a 10Mbps shared media Ethernet connection to a switch in the networking centre of your residence. Each residence is linked to the University's backbone using technology that provides at least 10Mbps. Often access speeds will be better than this.
   B. the University's wireless network makes use of technology that nominally provides at least an 11Mbps shared media connection to the closest wireless access point. The physical limitations of wireless technologies mean that you're unlikely to achieve the this throughput. Access points are linked to the University's backbone with 100Mbps access circuits.
   C. off-campus access (including access to residences physically located off-campus) is provisioned in a number of different ways. Exact details of how the connection to a particular location is provided can be supplied on request.
8. Your computer will have network access similar to the computers in public labs, in other words intranet access largely unrestricted; Internet access via proxy servers and subject to usage quotas with direct access mainly blocked. In extreme circumstances, the Information Technology Division reserves the right to further restrict access or limit either Internet or intranet bandwidth use in order to meet its primary objective of providing stable computer and network facilities for academic and research purposes.
9. Connections are specific to a particular area or residence or building and your computer will not be able to function or be connected anywhere other than the area or residence in which it has been registered. You are entitled to change where your computer is registered (for example, if you change residences during a vacation), but you may only do so four (4) times in a year.

Costs

10. All charges include VAT at 14%. Users of the Student Networking service are charged a network access fee as prescribed by the University's schedule of fees. Fees are calculated from the term in which a user is connected until the end of the academic year (meaning a person who is connected in the first term will pay for four terms, whilst a person who is connected up at the beginning of the second semester will only pay for two terms use).
11. The fees only cover service during University term times. Whilst the service may be available outside these times, it is not supported and no guarantees of availability are made.
12. In areas with established infrastructure it is usually possible to connect up a computer immediately. However, in some areas (particularly newly or recently commissioned residences, or recently reconfigured rooms) it may be necessary to install new cabling to individual rooms. This means scheduling the installation work with a team of contractors who may only be available some time after the request is made. Connections are usually completed within a few weeks. In these instances, you will be charged the full fee for the term in which you are connected. Note that if work needs to be carried out in your room, the onus is on you to provide correct contact information in case we need to get hold of you to arrange access for contractors or maintenance technicians. You must also be prepared to be available while the contractors work in your room — absolutely no responsibility for any loss or damage will be accepted by either the University or its contractors if you choose to let them work unsupervised in your room.
13. There is a fourteen day cooling off period after you sign up. During this cooling off period you can cancel your Student Networking subscription by visiting the Information Technology Division secretariat in person together with your student card.  The onus is on you to ensure that you are issued a receipt (either via electronically or on paper) for this transaction. Refunds will not be considered once the cooling off period has elapsed.
14. It is not possible to sign up for only a portion of the year. Students leaving earlier in the year are not entitled to any refund, irrespective of why they leave. (This includes international, exchange, and other part-time students.)

Damages

15. By signing up in a University residence, you acknowledge that you have a fully-functional network point that is in a good state of repair in your residence room. Do not sign up in a residence if this is not the case. If your network point is damaged when you move into residence, report it to the Student Help Desk.
16. If you damage the University's network infrastructure in any way, particularly network points in student residence rooms, we reserve the right to recover the repair costs from your student account once such damage is discovered. Charges for repairs are detailed on the Information Technology Division's Student Networking website.

Support

17. The Information Technology Division provides and maintains network connection points in residence rooms and other locations on campus, and ensures that these points are operational. It also registers student computers (using an automatic sign-up system) in order to enable network access for those who have paid the appropriate charges. Further than that, the Information Technology Division provides no support, and is not in a position to deal directly with student support problems.
18. In residences there is a level of administrative support from your house representative, who will assist in completing the sign up process. The Information Technology Division is not involved in the appointment of house representatives, so the level of involvement of these individuals may vary from residence to residence. House representatives are expected to represent the interests of their house to the Information Technology Division.
19. Technical support can be obtained from the student technicians at the Student Help Desk in the Union Lab. They'll be available for consultation free of charge at certain times, and can look at the problem on your PC if you have it with you. The scope of problems that the Student Help Desk is able to assist with may vary time to time and will be published on the Information Technology Division's Student Networking website (http://www.ru.ac.za/studnet).
20. All work carried out by student technicians is carried out at your own risk. In no event shall the University nor any of the student technicians be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or loss of use or data) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this service, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.
21. Several local businesses have gained experience in dealing with students' computer problems. You are welcome to make use of their services but, again, you do so at your own risk.