One of the church’s milestones in order to resume in-person worship service concerns our internet capabilities. The church must expand bandwidth and improve reliability before we can resume in-person worship service.
What is our objective with this milestone?
When we return to in-person worship service, we will begin to livestream services from both campuses. So that the stream is not a downgrade in experience for those who worship online, who have become accustomed to our pre-recorded worship services, improving our internet is a priority. Technical quality depends on computers and recording equipment, but the biggest bottleneck to a clear and stable stream is data upload speed and reliability.
What has the church done or planned in order to meet this milestone?
Improving the internet begins with upgrading our internet service and follows with infrastructure improvements up to our streaming equipment at both campuses. We have arranged upgraded internet service (600 Mbps download/35 Mbps upload for both campuses). Now, we are waiting to receive and install the gateways, routers, switches, wiring, and access points to bring the improved internet to our streaming equipment. Since this is a significant upgrade, we are also taking the opportunity to consider future needs and capabilities where appropriate. One such upgrade is power-over-ethernet (PoE) by which electrical power is passed along with data to support access points, security cameras and other electronics.
We also have a plan for further upgrades to our streaming equipment. These upgrades will be implemented when available. We mention it here so that you can expect continuous, incremental improvements even after we return to in-person worship service. We are excited about the prospect of returning, but we also consider it a priority to provide for those who will not soon return.
What else should members know about this upgrade?
Although the improvements are substantial, they will not be able to handle a large amount of competing network traffic. WIFI passwords are inevitably shared and we want to encourage members to refrain from using WIFI for personal use in order to preserve it for critical needs. This should not be an immediate issue, and we can address it with network settings, but it is a good reminder nonetheless. We expect our ministries to make greater use of internet connectivity, from our check-in system to the future capability of Sunday school teachers to include remote participants in their in-person classes.
We also want to thank those committee members and volunteers that have offered their assistance with this upgrade. Thank you for volunteering your time and expertise. Your involvement has been and continues to be essential to our re-opening effort.
各位親愛的弟兄姊妹們，教會網路線上性能是教會重啟的關鍵程序之一。當我們考慮教會重啟，恢復面對面崇拜之前，必須先增加互聯網的頻寬以及增強它的可靠度。
教會網路線上性能此一關鍵程序的目標為何？
當教會重啟，恢復面對面崇拜時，我們將現場直播正堂和嘉惠堂的崇拜。目前我們已很習慣於收看預先製作的崇拜，將來當我們作現場直播時，我們盼望能夠維持同樣的水準，因此我們必須在第一時間先強化教會的線上性能。雖然技術品質跟我們所用的電腦跟錄製設備有關，然而現場直播畫面的清晰和穩定度仰賴數據上載的速度和可靠性。
教會都已策劃或完成了那些不可或缺的事項以期達到此目標？
為了強化教會的互聯網，我們首先將互聯網服務升級，並改善基礎設施，包括本堂及嘉惠堂現場直播設備。我們已將本堂及嘉惠堂的互聯網服務升級至下載600 mbps/上載 35mbps。目前我們正在等待安裝網關(gateways)，路由器(routers)，交換機(switches)，接線(wiring) 和無限存取點(access points)，將已升級的互聯網與現場直播設備連接起來。 因為此次升級至關重大，我們藉此機會評估教會未來科技上的可能需求，合宜者即予以升級。其中一項就是乙太網路供電(Power-over-ethernet, PoE)，即智慧物聯的必要通訊技術，透過這項技術可同時傳輸電力與資料到裝置上的設備如無限存取點，監控錄像機及其他多種電子設備。
我們也計畫在將來持續為現場直播設備升級。當這些升級問世時，我們就會付之實行。我們之所以提出這些未來的行動是為了讓弟兄姊妹們了解，即使當我們恢復面對面崇拜，我們仍然會持續不斷地改善加強教會現場直播的品質。在我們期待重返教會面對面崇拜的同時，我們也將盡力提供那些不能立即回到教會的會友們最好品質的線上崇拜。
除此之外，弟兄姊妹們對此升級還需要知道些什麼？
雖然這次我們加強了教會的網路性能，然而，它仍然無法在同一時間應付大量其他網路信息的流通量。教會WiFi的密碼不期然地往往被多人所知共用，我們在此提醒弟兄姊妹們切切不要把教會wifi 當作私人所用的管道，而是將之保留為教會事工關鍵需求所用。 雖然目前此流通量尚不構成問題，而且將來我們可以借由網路設定來舒緩，然而，我們仍願藉著這個機會對會友們做此提醒。我們深信教會各種應用到互聯網的事工都能因此次升級而得到助益，如兒童主日學的簽入系統，或當成人主日學老師們再次面對面授課時，遠距離不克親自出席的學員也可參與等。
在此，我們對各委員會成員及多位義工在此次網路升級上提供我們寶貴的協助致謝。感謝你們為此付出的時間與你們的特長。你們的參與是教會重啟各種預備活動中不可或缺的一環。