Network vs. Stand-alone computers

• Your technology department currently supports one class of computers in your classroom; network computers. These computers connect to our school network via the Ethernet drops in your classroom and should remain within seven (7) feet of those drops. Although we do not currently have them, another class is stand-alone computers. These computers are set up to work without network access.
• Most of our classroom network computers operate using the Novell Manager interface by which users log in by typing their name. A user’s work is stored over the network, on a server, in a folder set up for that user. This folder also maintains other user settings, like Internet bookmarks or favorites and printing preferences.
• Stand-alone computers must be configured for use on them only. Users can access programs and documents locally, on the computer where users are working, as opposed to saving over the network. Computers operating this way are not connected to a network, so they do not have access to the Internet, however not all stand-alones work without internet use. Schools can use these computers in classrooms for additional word processing power, math/reading programs and other productivity that does not require Internet access.
• NOTE: In some special cases stand-alone computers may be connected to the Internet via an Ethernet switch installed in the classroom. Check the back of your machine to see whether an Ethernet switch is there to allow the respective port on that computer to hit the Ethernet. The Ethernet cable is a signal that lets you know that computer is on the internet.