






                 NEARnet- New England Academic and Research Network


            _A_d_d_r_e_s_s:
               NEARnet
               Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.
               10 Moulton St., Mail Stop 6/3B
               Cambridge, MA  02138

            _E_m_a_i_l: nearnet-staff@nic.near.net

            _P_h_o_n_e: (617) 873-8730 [NEARnet hotline]
               FAX: (617) 873-5620


            _D_e_s_c_r_i_p_t_i_o_n

            NEARnet, the New England Academic and Research Network, is a
            regional  high  speed  data communications network.  NEARnet
            was founded in 1988 by Boston  University,  Harvard  Univer-
            sity,  and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to meet
            a growing need for fast, reliable information exchange.   It
            is  linked to other regional and national networks to create
            a national infrastructure for electronic information.

            NEARnet is a cooperative project  which  continues  to  grow
            very  rapidly.  As of October 1992, NEARnet has grown to 174
            member organizations.  These members include  New  England's
            finest  universities, colleges, technology-based industries,
            government and private agencies.   Since  its  inception  in
            1988,  NEARnet's  management  and  operations  has been con-
            tracted to Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc.

            Utilizing the Internet TCP/IP protocol suite,  NEARnet  sup-
            ports  leased-line  and  microwave links at speeds from 19.2
            Kb/s to 10 Mb/s.  Dialup IP access is also  supported  using
            SLIP  starting  at  9.6 Kb/s.  In addition to technical sup-
            port, consulting, and user information services, the NEARnet
            staff maintains a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week network opera-
            tions center.


            _________________________
            The information in this section is provided  in  accor-
            dance  with the copyright notice appearing at the front
            of this guide.




            October 30, 1992            NNSC        Section 5.8,  Page 1








            _N_e_t_w_o_r_k _A_c_c_e_s_s

            Any IP host on the Internet may access NEARnet sites.


            _W_h_o _C_a_n _U_s_e _t_h_e _N_e_t_w_o_r_k

            Any NEARnet member  may  exchange  traffic  with  any  other
            member  for  purposes  that  are  consonant with the NEARnet
            Acceptable Use Policy.  In cases where  data  communications
            are  carried  across  other  networks,  NEARnet  members are
            advised to adhere to the acceptable use  policies  of  these
            networks.   Commercial routing is offered through a coopera-
            tive agreement with the CIX and ANS CO+RE Services.

            _M_i_s_c_e_l_l_a_n_e_o_u_s

            Online  information  is  available  via  anonymous  FTP   at
            nic.near.net.   The NEARnet Staff publishes a monthly online
            bulletin and a hardcopy quarterly newsletter.  NEARnet  also
            offers  a series of Technical and User Services Seminars for
            its members and the Internet community.





























            October 30, 1992            NNSC        Section 5.8,  Page 2


