Davis said the firewall, which would prevent Internet users outside of Harvard from gaining access to programs, files, music, and videos contained on Harvard students' computers, will likely be a long-term solution to the problem of heavy traffic on the FAS network.

In the meantime, students will have to get used to the delays.

"Right now, there's just no good way to get such programs going," Davis said.

Randy D. Xu '04 said that he is displeased with the current network problems, and that he feels HASCS has not made a large enough effort to let students know about the policy changes.

"The least they could have done is send out an e-mail about this," he said.

Davis said that HASCS has chosen to follow its own policy banning mass-e-mails, and that it will do its best to use other methods, such as announcements in House newsletters and the Yard Bulletin, to alert the Harvard community about further changes in the FAS network.