Accessing p2p through a network.

[Rwalls]

Hey,
I study in a University in Ireland. The internet is hugely fast and I'd like to use it to download files and mp3 fromt he internet. Since there's been some peoblems with people being prosecuted in the US about filesharing, I'm a bit cautious about downloading within University.

Is there any way the University can monitor everything I'm downloading? For example, they will know what each file is..etc, if it's software or music..etc.

And if so, how is it possible for me to stop them getting this information from my system. The university has the MAC address from each laptop, if thats any help.

Any information will be great. Thankyou.

[SimonFF]

Hi, your Uni will prob have a system setup to monitor what sites you are looking at, and will use this to control what sites your not able to look at, like adult images. But not everyone will have this setup. If it is setup, they will be able to monitor files you download.

They might not let you use filesharing software on their network.

Is it your own PC? or is it in a computer room?

Best thing to do is start talkin to one of the computer foke and drop a few questions in.

[eoin_ie]

I too study in Ireland (National University of Ireland, Galway) and I am also a member of the Computer Society and we have tried so many ways to get around this.

In our university, pretty much everything is monitored but we have two classes of computer access. If you are a regular university student, you use a basic service, one that you cannot access things like Control Panel etc but if you are an IT student (like me), you get exclusive access to special labs where all the functionality of the computer is allowed (barring of course, changing windows settings etc). In the IT suites, nothing is monitored, so some questionable content is viewed.

If you have your own PC and are connected (either wireless or otherwise), you are probably part of a group that is very small and a close eye will be kept on what you look at as they are probably trying to keep your bandwidth usage in check.

Where do you study? Some universities are a lot more flexible about this...

[Rwalls]

I bring my own laptop into an open access room and just plug a network cable into the system and start using the net. Kazaa lite...etc do work I'm sure of that, but I'd like to know if they can monitor what we download. I only want to download mp3 and maybe some software, but I'm worried that cos its in a university they might take issue with it.
I study at University of Ulster in Northern Ireland.

Does anyone know if I can hide my downloading from the system by the means of certain software, or so?

thanks for the replys everyone!

[Rwalls]

I forgot to mention, the network uses Novell client in all the university computers. But on the laptop, simply plug in and use. There's nothing limiting use. For example, int he uni systems, MSN cant be used or kazaa. On laptop you can use both.

Thanks

[eoin_ie]

Check out your university's PC use charter. It should be posted around somewhere...and should say what you can and cannot download.

As regards some program to hide what you are doing, I don't know I'm afraid. I'm sure there is some annonymiser around that can do the job for you...

Check out the software forum maybe...good luck with it :)