Tag Archives: featured

NFN DSL is Now Nettally DSL

Effective June 1, 2014, Network Tallahassee (Nettally), which leased lines from Century Link so we could offer you NFN DSL, took over existing NFN DSL operations and is providing full support for the NFN DSL that you had been using.

NFN DSL is now Nettally DSL, also referred to as NTI DSL.

We owe huge thanks to all volunteer as DSL Head Administrators: Ron Bender, Don Frankenberger and Mary Ann Wallace. They tackled a Herculean Task keeping the service up and running and spending countless hours navigation the maze between Century Link, and before that Embarq, NetTally, Model companies and users. If you see or speak to them please thank them as well. Their commitment to excellence and their perseverance to act on behalf NFN DSL users is unmatched.

Active users provided billing information to Nettally during May, 2014 and they began being billed directly by Nettally beginning with the June monthly dsl charges. Network Tallahassee, Inc. (NTI) provides direct support for your dsl connection issues with a toll-free number, 1-866-586-1598.

INACTIVE (SUSPENDED) NFN DSL USERS: You must either call the NFN Helpdesk at 239-417-1400, visit the NFN Office in person, or call Nettally at 1-866-586-1598 explaining you are currently a suspended NFN DSL user and wish to supply billing information and re-activate. You must have your billing information available at the time you call if you have not previously provided it to Network Tallahassee. You do not need to call until you are ready to re-activate.

INFORMATION NEEDED: You will need to provide your billing address, an e-mail contact address (it can be any e-mail address that you use), and choice of billing method: ACH (via a bank account and bank routing number) or credit card. Using a credit card will incur a service charge; there is no service charge if you use ACH.

In Summary:

  1. Your e-mail is NOT changing. NO changes to your e-mail settings. Your dsl line is NOT changing. You are transitioning over at your current basic dsl line rate. There are no changes to your modem.
  2. Support and monthly dsl charges are now done by Network Tallahassee with a toll-free number for you to call with dsl connection problems or when suspending, reactivating, changing speed, cancelling, billing questions: 1-866-586-1598
  3. Premium account renewals will go through the NFN Office Helpdesk the same as non-dsl accounts with automatic e-mail notifications when expiration dates draw near reminding members to renew online, by mail, or by calling the Helpdesk at 239-417-1400 during office hours.

Contact information for Network Tallahassee

  • Nettally Support: 1-866-586-1598 (toll-free number) – 9 am – 6 pm Eastern
  • Non toll-free (direct, from outside US) number: 1-850-671-4007
  • e-mail: billing@nettally.com (for billing questions)
  • e-mail: support@nettally.com (for Nettally DSL support)

Photo by Trey Ratcliff from http://www.StuckInCustoms.com

NFN Scholarship Student Jason Cooper National Cyber Ninja

Our fellow Naples Free-Net volunteer and scholarship student 2013, now student at University of Central Florida, Jason Cooper, won with his team mates the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition!

The regional competitions were held in March with 180 team out of 9 regions participating and the winner went on to compete at the National level.

Competing teams built so-called Blue Teams tasked with defending computer systems against attacking Red Teams, which tried to penetrate and hack the Blue Teams’ networks and servers.

We are proud to have a national champion amongst our midst and Jason returned home to join the NFN Techteam he volunteered for the last four years.


Read the announcement at Raytheon’s website

 

New Initiative: One-on-One Tutoring

The Naples Free-Net (NFN) is launching a new individual training service: One-on-One Tutoring. Members and Instructors will meet, primarily at the NFN Office, or any site, at date/time agreed upon by the parties involved.

Donations are requested per hour or any part of an hour as follows:

  • Premimum Members: $25
  • Standard Members: $30
  • Non-Members: $40

Bring a friend/spouse training in the same subject and get one half off for the second person: $12.50, $15, and $20 respectively per hour/part.

We are offering instruction in all Windows Operating Systems, Digital Photography, Wireless Connections, Skype, Microsoft Office Apps, Wireless Mobile (IPAD, IPhone, Android, Tablets, etc), and most Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram). Also WordPress, Google+, GoogleApps, and the Cloud. We will suit your training to your needs.

Please email us at: tutornfn@naples.net

Include your Name, NFN UserID (first part of your NFN email address as applicable), Contact Information, and the subject(s) you would like to learn more about.

Or fill out below request form:

[contact-form to=’ tutornfn@naples.net’ subject=’Inquiry for Tutoring session’][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’NFNUserId’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Select a Topic’ type=’select’ required=’1′ options=’Windows,Digital Photography,Wireless Connections,Microsoft Office Apps,Mobile Devices (ipad%26#x002c; iPhone%26#x002c; Android%26#x002c; Tablets,Social Media (Facebook%26#x002c; Twitter%26#x002c; Instagram%26#x002c; Google+ etc),WordPress,GoogleApps’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Your Phone ‘ type=’text’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Cell phone number’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Other comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][/contact-form]

2014 Volunteer Awards – And the Award goes to….

Monday night, President Roger Kastel presented  this year’s Volunteer Awards at the Annual Meeting. Here are his notes. Photos by Al Martinez.

We start with the Distinguished Service Awards:
The Distinguished Service Awards are presented by the Naples Free-Net Board of Directors for unusual contributions to the NFN.

This years awards are presented to:
Bob Luparello Distinguished Service Award 2014Bob Luparello – has worked tirelessly on the Budget, the Investment program and continuously labors with the Treasurey. His outstanding monthly reports keep us generously informed on the Board.

James MacDonald-labors as the Education Administrator, he dedicates many hours setting up classes at various venues, has been instrumental in setting up NFN for Good programming. Our Education Department is second to none. I take pride in presenting with the Distinguished Service Award.

Birgit Pauli-Haack – working as our Webmaster, spends countless hours working on the NFN website, NFN4Good website and the SWFL 501 Tech Club website. Birgit also serves as a member of the NFN BOD’s and also on the NFN Tech Team. Birgit has come to be one of the indispensible persons I rely on to get things done here at the NFN. I am proud to present you with the Distinguished Service Award.

Mary Ann Wallace – Works as the NFN DSL Administrator, wherein she labors many many hours a week, keeping DSL members access to the World Wide Web available. She has to deal with our member the customer, Century Link – hard line pair supplier and Netally – the actual DSL service provider; and then there is the monthly billing cycle that always seems to have lame credit card problems to deal with, and then there is auditing of the monthly bill from Netally. It is my pleasure to present you with the Distinguished Service Award.

Dennis “Duke” Vasey – Who was tasked with generating a Marketing Plan for NFN. Much study on his part looking at where salebility is generated – you@naples.net being a valuable commodity, the Internet of the future – it’s in your handheld device, generating one-on-one services through Tech services and training. Many categories go into a Marketing strategy, Duke looked at seemingly endless options. A great job has been done by one who stepped up to the plate and did the job at hand. I take great pride in presenting you with the NFN Distinguished Service Award.

Volunteer of the Year Award

The Volunteer of the Year Award is granted to the outstanding NFN volunteer and the criteria used in selecting the recipient are as follows:

  • Hours of service
  • Dedication
  • Gongeniality
  • Minimum of one year of service

The award is voted upon by the BOD’s upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee

This years award is presented to George Santos

George Santos Volunteer of the year 2014George is a volunteer who has great patience in dealing with NFN members and the Helpteam members, for he is the Helpteam Coordinator. He has a tremendous capacity to get things accomplished with the limited amount of Helpteam Volunteers he has to work with. George is a very valuable member of the NFN staff, as he also serves on the BOD’s and as the Vice-President. It is with great pleasure that I present you with the Volunteer of the Year award.

Presidents Award

The Presidents Award is to recognize the activities of a BOD member who, through various activities, has shown a broad perspective in leadership within the organization.

The following criteria is utilized in selecting the recipient :

  • Leadership via committee work w/other volunteers –
  • Broad perspective of the organization –
  • Visionary – –
  • The recipient is chosen by the President

Warren Anderson Presidents Award 2014This year it gives me great pleasure to present it to Warren Anderson, our Systems Administrator. I am constantly reminded of Warren’s vast knowledge of Server administration.His technical knowledge keeps our vast array of migrated old and newer servers up to date, so access to the World Wide Web, for NFN members is always available. I want to personally thank him for all the time and effort he puts in for the pleasure of the Naples Free-Net members. I am proud to present him with the NFN Presidents Award.

How to connect to Collier County Public Library’s Wi-Fi on an iPad

During our cooperation with the Collier County Public Library on Computer classes our Naples Free-Net instructors are often asked, how one connects to the Collier County Public Library’s Wi-Fi system, they provide in all branches. We will  discuss this topic in the “Tablet, Smartphones and Apps” lecture this week, but not everyone who needs this information will be able to make it.  No matter if you are NFN member or a Collier County resident or a visitor in our Paradise, this is for you! If you like what you read, we always appreciate a donation to the Naples Free-Net, your 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, all volunteer community network. Go to Settings: How to connect to Collier Count Public Library's Wi-Fi

Go to “Settings”

How-to-connect-to-library-wifi-002

Check your Wi-Fi setting. If it’s “Off”, use the slider button to switch it “On”.

How to Connect to Library’s Wi-Fi

Ones the Wi-Fi is turned on it will scan the area for broadcasting signals of Wi-Fi networks, and you will see available networks in a list. Those that have a lock next to their name are not public Wi-Fi networks and would need individual access information.

You see “Collier County Public Library in the list. ” Tab on the name to connect.

How to Connect to Library’s Wi-Fi

As soon as you iPad establish connection you see a check mark next to the name “Collier Count Public Library”. Now your iPad is connected but you are not done yet.  You will be guided to the next screen:

How to Connect to Library’s Wi-Fi

You still have to accept the Terms of Use of this public service. You accept those Terms by click on the green button: “Connect to the Internet”.

The next screen shows you the Collier County Public Library’s public website and you are done.

How-to-connect-to-library-wifi-006

 

Now you can open any of your APPs to go about reading the news, checking emails, visiting Facebook, or writing online.

These instructions in principle are the same for any tablet or smartphone, be it iOS, Android or other mobile operating systems

Feel free to post questions below in the comment section and we will be happy to answer them.