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Ref #: 005

Summary:

Meetinghouse Internet is a firewall security solution provided by the Church. All meetinghouses with broadband Internet access should have Meetinghouse Internet installed and properly configured. The Office of the Presiding Bishop has authorized the use of broadband Internet in meetinghouses under the direction of local stake and area presidencies.

Details:

Notices from the Office of the Presiding Bishopric have been sent to Area leaders and stake and district leaders in the US and Canada providing direction on broadband Internet access to meetinghouses.

• Notice to Area Leaders Outside the United States and Canada (December 1
• Notice to Area, Stake, and District Leaders within US and Canada (August 8

Within the US and Canada, stakes wishing to install broadband Internet should work through with their local facilities managers. Area presidencies outside the US and Canada wishing to have Internet access installed in meetinghouses in their area should start by contacting the meetinghouse technology team at MHI@ldschurch.org.

Broadband Internet installation, equipment, and monthly fees are generally paid out of local unit budget funds.

Security and Filtering

Meetinghouse Internet, the Church-managed firewall device, provides security and filtering and is required for all broadband Internet connections in Church facilities. However, these protections alone do not completely eliminate the risks associated with the Internet. Stake presidents can choose between the following two additional filtering options:

• LDS Restricted Access – Allows access only to Church-sponsored Web sites (for example, www.lds.org, www.mormon.org) and Web-mail sites.
• LDS Extended Access – Blocks known inappropriate material (for example, pornography, weapons information, hate sites, and other known offensive content).

Meetinghouse Internet will also provide Internet intrusion security for Church computers. The firewall comes with all necessary parts and installation instructions. Please order one device for each broadband Internet connection.

NOTE: If a Church-managed firewall is currently used in a Church facility, the broadband connection should be shared among all units that are requesting broadband Internet access and are approved by the stake president. This device is designed for broadband Internet connections only.

Reference Articles

Please review the policy and guideline articles below before ordering your Church-managed firewall.

• Meetinghouse Internet Guidelines
• Installation Guide
• Troubleshooting Guide

Questions

A discussion forum was created on LDSTech.org for additional questions or comments on Meetinghouse Internet.

Ordering

Only stakes that have been approved can order the Church-managed firewall. For stakes outside of the United States and Canada, contact your Area Office to order the firewall.

When ordering, have your stake unit number and password ready. If you do not have a password for your stake unit, read Details on login ID and Password . Stakes should order one Church-managed firewall for each existing broadband Internet connection. Replacement units can be authorized and ordered through the Global Service Desk at 866-678-2763.

The Church has published bandwidth guidelines  to help you understand the Internet connectivity needs for different Internet-related meetinghouse solutions (such as Meetinghouse Webcast). For assistance in identifying and evaluating broadband options in your area, click here for a comparison (this link is for US and Canada only).

Feedback

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