Updated: 30 May
2007
Text service dialup now 56K!
After months of testing, Chebucto's dialup text service has been upgraded
to 56K. Actual connection speeds will depend upon phone line conditions,
terminal software and modem but there should be a significant improvement
in connection speed and reliability for users with 56K modems.
The upgrade is one of a number of recently implemented technical
improvements at Chebucto. Since going into effect this week there has been
only one user reporting trouble connecting to the new
service, which was cleared up by not using a previously set up dialup
macro. The new 56K lines may require terminal program users to have to
press Enter or Return an extra time when first dialing in to bring up the
usual login screen.
New appointment to Board
One of two available one-year terms was filled with the appointment of new
Chebucto Community Net member Matthew Newton. A second one year term is
still available for any interested community-minded Chebucto members.
Technical knowledge is not essential to be a member of the Chebucto Board
of Directors. Interested Chebucto members should contact the Chebucto Office.
Large mailboxes working perfectly!
Now more than two months since Chebucto mailboxes got a large bump in
capacity
and speed after moving to a new powerful server, reports of mail system
trouble are all but non-existent. Mailboxes can be accessed multiple
ways at the same time without problem and mailbox capacity is no longer an
issue. As well by giving all users a JUNKMAIL folder and making it
maintenance free with automated deletion after 30 days, users don't
miss out on mail filtered in error. Automated renewal notices are no
longer bounced from full mailboxes as well.
With these changes Chebucto Community Net mail is world class: offering
secure encrypted
email access, no advertising or data mining of your email, large mail
folders with spam filtering, virus filtering and phishing (scam email)
protection on all incoming email as well as being securely physically
hosted right here in Halifax, Nova Scotia under Canadian privacy laws.
Email can be accessed securely from anywhere in the world through our Webmail service, through IMAP
and POP3 with both TLS and SSL encryption available, and through our text
service using telnet and secure encrypted SSH2.
Chebucto wifi development ongoing
![[Photo: Wifi-related hardware continues to accumulate.]](http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Newsletter/Beacon/Content-2007/off-wifi-sm.jpg "Click for larger photo")
Development work continues on the Chebucto Wireless service. Physical
installation of equipment at Fenwick Place is next on the agenda, likely
late this week if weather permits. Conduit and cabling was installed a
couple of weeks ago and some long-awaited equipment finally found its way
to our humble offices, now piled high with components needed for the
service.
Chebucto staff members and the Chebucto Board are eager to get the
first area chosen for wireless access online.
The Chebucto Community Net plans to bring non-profit high-speed Internet
to the metro Halifax area by building a mesh network of wireless
nodes hosted by users themselves.
Currently in active development,
Chebucto's plan would offer free public access to local metro and
government websites and full Internet access to Chebucto Plus level
memberships, currently $100 per year for individuals.
The areas to be served by the new wireless access will be determined by
the residents of metro themselves.
Chebucto is looking for residents able to host wireless nodes, the
cornerstone of the network, and when we get enough nodes in a
neighbourhood, we can look at bringing network access where it is needed.
A node sign-up form is online
here.
Chebucto's project was the cover
story of The Coast's August 3, 2006 issue. It was
first announced to members at the Annual General Meeting this past
April.
Help promote Chebucto!
We invite our members and supporters to
help promote the Chebucto Community Net in the community by printing
off and distributing Chebucto brochures and posters from our website.
We have added a new brochure for promoting our new wireless service in
your neighbourhood.
Chebucto services maintenance window
The Chebucto Technical Committee wishes to advise Chebucto users of
upcoming regularly scheduled planned maintenance downtimes. Chebucto
Community Net services may be unavailable between 3:30 AM and
4:30 AM Tuesdays to allow for system upgrades. Some or all Chebucto
services may go down with minimum or no warning during this maintenance
window as systems are shut down and restarted.
Chebucto Community Net RSS how-to guide
Chebucto Community Net has posted a guide on how to use our RSS
news feed here:
chebucto.ca/rss/
Our RSS feed is our way of letting people know fast about important
software updates and security alerts as well as new developments at
Chebucto. Stay informed with the news as soon as we have it ourselves with
our RSS news feed.
Updated - Recommended software list
With the recent interest in Internet security and the rise in various
exploits meant to take over user machines, the Chebucto Office has
compiled this list of recommended software for user computers running
Microsoft Windows.
Web browser: Mozilla Firefox free from Mozilla.org
Upgraded to version 2.0.0.3.
Email client: Mozilla Thunderbird free from Mozilla.org
Upgraded to version 2.0.0.0.
Anti-Spyware Software:
free and paid versions from Lavasoft.de
A-Squared free and paid versions from
Emsisoft.com
Spybot: Search & Destroy free from Safer-networking.org
Firewall: Zone Alarm free and paid versions from Zonelabs.com
Free anti-virus programs for home users (Note that both of these
programs also have paid versions which offer additional features):
FTP Software: FileZilla free from FileZilla.SourceForge.net
RSS Newsfeed Reader: RSSOwl free from
RSSOwl.Org
SSH Client: Putty free from
Simon
Tatham
The Chebucto Office does not recommend using the Internet Explorer web
browser for any use except for accessing Microsoft's own Windows Update page. The
popular web browser has been repeatedly successfully targetted by virus
writers in particular seeking to break into home computers to use them for
criminal purposes such as sending out spam, sending out viruses to break
into other computers and being used to disrupt services on other computer
systems.
After many reports
about vulnerabilities for Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express email
programs, and the constant stream of user complaints about randomly
altered program settings and difficulty using the program, the Chebucto
Community Net Office and the Chebucto Technical Committee recommend our
users do not use either Outlook or Outlook Express as their email program.
Keeping Microsoft Windows up to date is also very important. Windows XP
users should have Service Pack 2 installed. All Microsoft Windows users
should make a point of using Internet Explorer to visit the Microsoft
Windows Update site
at least once a month and download all critical updates.
Cool Chebucto hats available!
![[Photo: Cool Chebucto hat - click to see larger photo]](http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Newsletter/Beacon/img/hat-sm.jpg)
We have available these excellent quality Chebucto
Community Net hats. Click on photo to see larger version. These
fashionable stone coloured washed cotton Chino twill hats are low fitting
with adjustable strap and antique silver ring buckle for a perfect fit
and are embroidered with the Chebucto Community Net logo and web address.
Machine washable and drip dry with a pre curved peak, this hat will
provide years of comfortable wear as well as showing your support for
Halifax's own one-of-a-kind independent Community Net.
You can get your very own Chebucto Community Net hat from the
Chebucto office for
$20 or we can mail it out to you for an additional $10.
Go to the Beacon
Go to the Services
page
![[Photo: Wifi-related hardware continues to accumulate.]](http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Newsletter/Beacon/Content-2007/off-wifi-big.jpg "Click for larger photo")
![[Photo: Cool Chebucto hat - click to see larger photo]](http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Newsletter/Beacon/img/hat-big.jpg)
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