Getting access to the portal and premium sites on laptop when in the center

Terry Colyar

On last night's discussion, did I hear somebody say that if we sign into the wifi at the center, that our laptops will have access to the portal/premium sites while in the center?

I tried this today, but no luck.

RobertLeighPritchett

Liahona is the default wireless connection. Is that what you are seeing?

Áine Ní Donnghaile

You have to install the portal extension. Did you do that?

RobertLeighPritchett

Did you add the extension for the Premium sites to your laptop? Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Vivaldi all accept the extension from the Chrome store. Firefox needs to have its memory cache cleared when using the premium sites. Once that extension is added, you can also access the Premium sites from any location on the planet that has Liahona wireless connectivity using your computer.

Terry Colyar

Thank you both for the information on the Chrome Extension. I did not know that was required. I just added it to my Chrome. I will go over to the Center later and see how it works. Thanks again to both of you!

Jaelene Starr

Terry, the extension must be added while you are on Liahona. You may need to delete and then reinstall once you are on the Liahona network.

Chris Schmink

@Terry Colyar

You do not have to be in the FSC to use the browser extension and access the Premium sites. You can be in any chapel building, whether or not there's a FSC in the building, as long as you can access the Liahona WiFi in that building (which should be virtually all of them barring a WiFi malfunction). That building becomes a FSC essentially, regardless of whether you're in a classroom, office, or the foyer.

--Chris

Quint Hurst

Not all WIFi's are the same. Some of the chapel's I have been in have only 1 meg band width which is not enough to work with.

Chris Schmink

@Quint Hurst

Your statement is something with which I am very familiar. When my wife and I first took over our FamilySearch Center, we were lucky to get 5-7 megs even on the direct hardwired connection through the FamilySearch Portal. You raise what is basically a local issue. My statement still stands that "as long as you can access the Liahona WiFi in that building," you've essentially got a FSC in that building. If adequate internet service is not being supplied to an individual building, a discussion with the stake technology specialist and probably the stake physical facilities representative would be the place to start. The stake facilities representative may be able to work directly with the FM Group to improve internet capability and get higher speed, or it may take the stake president's intervention with the FM Group. By going that route, we were able to get a new internet service provider for the building which improved internet access not only to the FSC but also the ward and clerk offices, as well as the stake offices (same building). We got 1 gig internet access which is quite adequate for the FSC as well as the clerk computers. It's a local problem, with a local fix (local leadership working with their Facilities Management folks).

--Chris

Quint Hurst

@Chris Schmink

Maby we need to change this Article a little. 256 K is too slow.

Upgrading or changing a FamilySearch center internet connection

Article Id: 6287

April 18, 2023

Work with the facilities manager to upgrade an existing internet service for a FamilySearch center. Use the guidelines below to select an internet service provider (ISP):

• Connection speed must be 256 K or higher.
• Church pays only up to US$400 for internet installation costs.
• Monthly internet service costs should not exceed US$120.

If no installation costs apply and the monthly internet service costs are under US$120, the Facilities Management group can proceed to contact the internet provider and arrange for the internet installation.

 

If you cannot meet the above guidelines or have questions, local leadership (or the Facilities Management group) must contact FamilySearch. Centers in Australia must contact ICS-Australia (ics-australia@churchofjesuschrist.org or 1300 537 248).

When you contact FamilySearch Center Support, provide this information:

• Name and contact information (phone, email)
• The FamilySearch center name and unit number
• The total cost to install the connection in the FamilySearch center (Include a description of the projected installation, such as the need to dig a trench or run a cable).
• The ongoing monthly cost for the internet connection in the FamilySearch center
• Justifiable reason to request changes in the existing internet service

We do not guarantee that we can approve all requests, but we review the information and contact your local leaders. We notify the Facilities Management group of any approved changes to a FamilySearch center internet service and help coordinate the changes. The Facilities Management group is also responsible to pay the installation and ongoing monthly expenses for approved internet service in an official FamilySearch center.

Chris Schmink

@Quint Hurst @Ken Richins - NAO FSCS Specialty Lead

Wow! That's quite amazing: "Connection speed must be 256 K or higher." That's GOT to be a very old recycled article with a new date slapped on it, or else a terrible misprint, I suspect! I'm wonder if Elder Richins can weigh in on this one.

We ended up getting 1 gig service through a cable company since the building is only in an area serviced by two cable companies and ancient AT&T phone lines. One of the cable companies does an excellent job generally (we used to have it in our home), the other cable company should not even be granted a business license. And AT&T was our provider to the building at the time, and couldn't give us anything even halfway reasonable with the lines they had in the area. I recommended to our stake president at the time that we needed to go with a 1 gig plan available through one of the two cable companies, or shut down the old Family History Center altogether, because we were at that point effectively unable to operate anyway (frequently 2-3 megs). I expected his response - shutting down the Center wasn't an option. So things went forward above my level.

I don't know who he talked to, or what happened, but in order to get a line run into the building (underground and probably close to 200 feet), we had to accept a $200/month contract for two years (which included the installation costs in that monthly figure). Initially, I was told that Facilities Management would not contract with cable companies, but suddenly we were approved for the 1gig service to the building, and that service serves not only the FSC, but also two wards and the stake offices, plus building WiFi.

Generally that's provisioned to give the FSC about 300 megs, the building WiFi 300 megs, and the combined ward and stake clerks' offices 300 megs. It generally works very well. We're now well past the original 2 year contract, and I was told that the monthly charge is no longer $200, but I was not told what it currently is. All I care about is that we've still got quite adequate service into the FSC, and the clerks are not complaining about their speeds either. Occasionally, with large groups all accessing WiFi at the same time, it can get a bit bogged down, but that's very infrequent. A gig of service for all of the users in our stake center building has worked very well over the past roughly 5 years.

So the article you just posted is more than surprising!!! But that's for decision makers to work out, not me - I just have responsibility for one FamilySearch Center. 😉

--Chris

Quint Hurst

@Chris Schmink

This problem may be more prevelant than we suspect. When our center was busy the ethernet speed slowed down. I measured the wifi speed and found that it was OK. Then I measured the clerk's computer speed. It was 100 meg. I found that the switch was the problem and requested a new one.

Quint Hurst

@Chris Schmink

This article is also out of date. If we are going to invite the public to access the Premium Websites we need to be ready.

FamilySearch Blog

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Some Family History Centers Are Reporting Internet Problems

By David Green

November 15, 2012

If you feel the Internet at your center is slow, you should first determine the center’s Internet speed. To do this, you may open the https://www.speedtest.net/ Internet site.  Then click the Begin Test button.  In a few minutes your upload and download speed will be shown.

Download speeds of more than 2 MBPS are preferred. Do the test more than once to get an average Internet speed for your center. You may want to do a test on both sites and on more than one computer. If the average Internet speed is less than or around 2 MBPS, contact your stake technology specialist or the high councilor assigned to your center, and ask him or her to work with the facilities manager to correct the problem.

Generally, the facilities manager will need to contact the Internet Service Provider and have them increase the speed or change the service provider. In some rural areas, it may not be possible to get Internet speeds greater than 2 MBPS.

If you have other problems or questions, please contact FamilySearch at 1-866-406-1830.

Again, thank you for your time and service.

FamilySearch

RobertLeighPritchett

Who is responsible for updating articles like Article Id: 6287?

Chris Schmink

The above thread would be a good question to ask in the next monthly Tech Talk meeting (next meeting in 1½ weeks on 6 March 2024).

FamilySearch Center Support for Leaders and Staff

https://community.familysearch.org/en/group/76-familysearch-center-support-for-leaders-and-staff

Need help with FamilySearch's equipment, software, policies, or operations during business hours? Contact our support team. Our support team can assist you live from 8 am to 8 pm Mountain Time, Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, you can reach us from 1 pm to 8 pm. To contact our support team, dial 1-866-406-1830 and select option 5 for "FamilySearch Center Support." Editing access to the Center Tools has been fixed. Please let us know if you continue to experience any issues. You can easily find answers to your queries by visiting the links below, which we suggest bookmarking for future reference. FamilySearch Help and Learning Center FamilySearch Center Learning Resources FamilySearch Blog (What's new or changed in FamilySearch) FamilySearch Center Tools FamilySearch Center Purchased Equipment Resources for a new stake FamilySearch center consultant FamilySearch Center Operations Guide FamilySearch Centers in North America are supported by monthly online meetings called "Tech Talk" and "Center Chatter." These meetings provide valuable information and support and begin at 7:00 pm in the Eastern, Pacific, and Hawaiian time zones. The "Tech Talk" meeting is on the 1st Wednesday of each month. The "Center Chatter" meeting is on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Guests can quickly join meetings by clicking the links on the appropriate day and time. When you click the above link, you can install Teams or continue to join the meeting using your browser. We suggest that you proceed to the meeting by using your web browser. Please take some time to review the video on Local Church Leader Instruction from RootsTech 2023. Gathering Israel with FamilySearch Centers for Local Church Leaders Watch for the updated "Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction" at RootsTech on Thursday, February 29, 2024, at 12 am MST. #English #North America #Internal

--Chris

RobertLeighPritchett

Why wait? Kicking the can down the road does not fix the obvious problem.

Chris Schmink

These kinds of questions have been around a whole lot longer than a mere week and a half, and have been (for the most part) covered in most if not all of the 1st of the month Tech Talk and 3rd of the month "Center Chatter" meetings. If someone wants to call the tech support phone number, fine. But this thread began as a question about a topic that came up in one of the two monthly meetings (1st & 3rd Wednesdays online), at which well under 100 people attend each of the three meetings each of those nights (with over 5400 total FamilySearch Centers, mostly in North America. So an equally valid question might be, where are the many hundreds more each month that don't attend those meetings where the top support people attend for a full hour three times each night for the three time zones? Why not attend those discussions that are designed for all FSC directors and stake tech support people, rather than tie up the phone lines with one question for one tech answering one person at a time, when often only a handful of tech support people are available on the phone lines?

I merely offered the alternative of the large, outstanding group discussion for the many that apparently aren't even aware of those meetings, or as a reminder to those that don't take advantage of them. A mere 10 days doesn't seem like it's a matter of kicking the can down the road, and the answers would reach far more people in the online group meetings at the same time.

Perhaps a better question might be, "Why not have both options available (a meeting with the top support people in a robust discussion in just 10 days, OR a call to support)?" This Community forum does not seem to be quickly or frequently answered by tech support, resulting in more delay, and most of the above questions won't or can't be authoritatively answered by those of us on the ground locally as FSC directors or stake tech support people.

--Chris

C.B.6565

All of your comments and personal experiences regarding the bandwidth recommendations are noted. However, keep in mind that these articles and standards exist for the global network of centers, not just those in well developed areas.

While many of us are fortunate enough to have internet bandwidth in both our homes and meetinghouses/centers that well exceeds the minimum standard connection of 256 K, that is not the case globally. For this reason, the standard requiring that the connection speed must be 256 K or higher is still valid.