Hosts
Hillary Greer • Brandon Chapman • Brant Wingerter
Key: Host Attendee
Hillary Greer: Hey y'all! All our hosts are here and ready for your tech questions. We'll get started in a few minutes. :)
Brandon Chapman: Hello!
Hillary Greer: It's time! Hit us with your best tech inquiries.
Brandon Chapman: @Amanda Endicott - Is Edwardsville PL still frequently disconnecting from Polaris?
Amanda Endicott @ Edwardsville Public Library: Brandon - We do have the problem pretty regularly
Amanda Endicott @ Edwardsville Public Library: It seems to be worse on certain PCs My own disconnects about twice every 8 hour shift.
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I'm having trouble getting my receipt printer hooked up. Is there something tricky about it I'm missing?
Brandon Chapman: Amanda - I know your IT consultant had made some changes a couple of weeks ago. I'll have to reach out to him again.
Hillary Greer: Nancy - the T88IV and T88V Epson models?
Brandon Chapman: There's also a change that I will make on our end to see if that helps.
Amanda Endicott @ Edwardsville Public Library: The past few months have been better than it was previously. So that's something :)
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: Yes
Hillary Greer: What issues do you run into when attempting to set them up?
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I'm not exactly sure. It appears to recognize it and send the notices to be printed. I keep thinking it's a port problem but I've tried all the ports I can see.
Hillary Greer: Have all the drivers been installed?
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I believe so.
Brandon Chapman: Epson T88IV driver can be found here: http://pos.epson.com/developers/techresdetails.htm?productpk=570
Hillary Greer: It's a hassle, but I would suggest uninstalling and trying to reinstall them.
Brandon Chapman: You want the one that says "Advanced Printer Driver"
Hillary Greer: Brandon also has more info on Screwdrivers issues.
Brandon Chapman: Also make sure you have the latest Screwdrivers: If you have a 32-bit* version of Windows, download this version: http://www.tricerat.com/downloads/screwdrivers/clients/ScrewDriversClientv4.msi If you have a 64-bit* version of Windows, download this version:http://www.tricerat.com/downloads/screwdrivers/clients/ScrewDriversClientv4x64.msi
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: That's where I downloaded the driver. I have uninstall and reinstall many times.
Brandon Chapman: If you have a 32-bit version of Windows, download this version: http://www.tricerat.com/downloads/screwdrivers/clients/ScrewDriversClientv4.msi If you have a 64-bit version of Windows, download this version:http://www.tricerat.com/downloads/screwdrivers/clients/ScrewDriversClientv4x64.msi
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I think I have the latest Screwdriver but will try that again
Brandon Chapman: Sorry, copy-paste didn't work so well for me the first time. :)
Brandon Chapman: I can call you and we can remote in after the chat if that's okay.
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I leave at 2:00 but maybe tomorrow?
Brandon Chapman: I'm out of the office tomorrow. Friday, perhaps?
Nancy Blockyou Riverton Village Library: I don't work Fridays. Maybe next week?
Brandon Chapman: Sure. Just send me an e-mail letting me know when you're available.
Brandon Chapman: For those of you who just joined us, are any of you having issues with Polaris disconnecting frequently? The issue seems to occur with super-fast Internet connections (like 100 Mbps or faster) through cable providers like Charter or Comcast (depending on your area).
Brandon Chapman: ...or with super-slow Internet connections (like less than 2 Mbps).
Michelle: Disconnections had been a lot less frequent here at Glen Carbon, but yesterday we went down three or four times in the course of the day. We have Charter.
Jan - Brep: Just wondering about Windows 10, has anyone reserved to download when available?
Karen Sinks, Brighton: We have two computers running Polaris each day and I would say, on average, we probably get disconnected about once or twice a day ... sometimes not at all, sometimes 3 times. Our ISP is NewWave Communications.
Brandon Chapman: Michelle - Edwardsville and Belleville PLs also use Charter, and are having similar issues...the plot thickens!
Brandon Chapman: Karen - I'm not sure if NewWave's speeds fall under the super-fast or super-slow ranges. Can you go to http://speedtest.illinoisheartland.org/ for me, click the red "Begin Test" button, and tell me what speeds you get?
Jan - Brep: Breese has Charter, and we have not had any issues lately.
Brandon Chapman: Jan - As for Windows 10, I've actually reserved a download on my home computer. I'm also in this chat using the Windows 10 Preview. :)
Karen Sinks, Brighton: Our download speed is 0.60 and upload speed is 1.15. We've had a ridiculous amount of people in this last month streaming movies on our wi-fi, but the rain is keeping them away today.
Brandon Chapman: 0.60? Yuck!
Brandon Chapman: That's definitely in the "super-slow" range...
Karen Sinks, Brighton: That explains why I thought there were hamsters on wheels running our internet service ....
Brandon Chapman: Speaking of streaming--that's the other thing: if staff and patrons share the same Internet connection, make sure there's something in place that prevents them from taking up the entire pipe.
Brandon Chapman: For example, certain firewalls can have settings in place that allows patrons only to use up, say, 1/4 of your Internet speed while staff can have the other 3/4.
Brandon Chapman: Some get even fancier and can put the brakes on specific types of traffic like streaming movies.
Brandon Chapman: ...but those fancier firewalls are also more expensive.
Karen Sinks, Brighton: I'd be really interested in pursuing this, but alas, I am my own I.T. department. Is that something I can set up or do I need professional intervention?
Brandon Chapman: Most firewalls need professional intervention.
Brandon Chapman: The other option would be to have two Internet connections: one for staff and one for patrons, but that means increased monthly costs.
Karen Sinks, Brighton: O.K., I'll look into it further. Thank you!
Brandon Chapman: No problem! :)
Brenda Gilpatrick: I had several disconnects yesterday at Red Bud. We have fiber Clearwave.
Brandon Chapman: Brenda - Fiber's usually pretty fast. Let's see if it's on the "super-fast" range. Can you go to http://speedtest.illinoisheartland.org/ for me, click the red "Begin Test" button, and tell me what speeds you get?
Brenda Gilpatrick: Sorry, I got busy! Download 58.06, uplodad 56.68.
Brandon Chapman: That's okay.
Brandon Chapman: That's pretty fast! Both download and upload! :)
Brenda Gilpatrick: Yep, we're happy!
Karen Sinks, Brighton: Way to make me feel bad about myself, Brenda! ;)
Brenda Gilpatrick: Sorry..we do pay dearly for it if that makes you feel any better!
Brandon Chapman: Usually 58.06 isn't fast enough to cause firewall-related disconnects, unless the firewall is an older model or something off-the-shelf.
Brandon Chapman: Numbers in the triple-digits often cause older firewalls to scream for mercy and disconnect certain types of traffic (like Polaris).
Brandon Chapman: ...and other pieces of equipment on the network, like switches (big box with a bunch of ports that look like large telephone jacks) may have problems with >100 Mbps speeds, especially if they're only rated "10/100" and not "10/100/1000"
Brandon Chapman: The "100" in 10/100 is why. It means 100 Mbps. So when the Internet is faster than the rest of your network, sometimes weird things happen.
Michelle: We thought that having a high speed might be our problem as well, so two weeks ago Lazerware changed out our switch. We've seen a lot fewer disconnects since then.
Brandon Chapman: Michelle - Sounds about right.
Brandon Chapman: Networks can be very very picky
Brenda Gilpatrick: Our switch if pretty new, but I don't know how old the firewall is. But I don't think we are reaching those speeds.
Brandon Chapman: I would have to know the make and model of the firewall itself to be able to tell you.
Hillary Greer: Okay all - we'll be wrapping up soon, so get in any last burning questions!
Brandon Chapman: Often times whoever provides a fiber Internet connection also supplies the firewall.
Brandon Chapman: ...as fiber, like you said, does cost a pretty penny.
Brandon Chapman: ...so they might as well throw in the firewall.
Hillary Greer: Thanks for coming, everyone!