Cable tampering

[EL_S]

Hi,

Has anyone found a solution to cables (mouse, keyboard etc) being removed from the back of PCs?

Thanks

[plexer]

Yup this thread has been done before.

We use p-clips attached to one of the screws on the back of the case and the new nec's we've been buying have a clip that is secured from the inside for this purpose.

Or cable tieing them all to the monitor vga lead is another way.

Ben

[pete]

Cable ties can help, but for a determined vandal they pose little problem. Making teachers aware of the issue (and lesson disruption caused) may allow you to use "shouty teacher deterents", but it depends whether they have clue or not.

IP Cameras in classrooms can reduce vandalism once you have a few high-profile busts, but it will still occur occasionally.

[danIT]

you really do have to rely on the teacher presence, checking mice at the end of a lesson can help, aslong as teachers stick to it, our IT labs in IT get very litte vandelism, but around the school others labs get abused, we refuse to supply mice continuly to rooms which have been vandalised regualrly, we spent £300 on mice and keyboards in one room last year! that room is now pretty shocking, the powers that be are going to assign the room to a member of staff rather than leaving it as an un-adopted room for use with IT.

cable tie to VGA cable is a pain!

[ChrisH]

we spent £300 on mice and keyboards in one room last year! that room is now pretty shocking,

I think everyone has a room like that. We certainly do and its across the building away from the other suites and theres no full time teachers in it.
Hopefully they are going to move it to this end of the building so it can be monitored better. We are also going to go for base units hidden away.
Its in sucha bad state theres only 19 out of 28 computers working now as the majority of them have had their mouse or keyboard port broken from kids trying the ram the plugs in.

[NetworkGeezer]

If you budget (and BIOS for keyboards) allows go for USB pheriperhals. They sustain less damage then ones with PS/2 connectors.

VGA cables for CRT monitors are different matter. If you can't unbend the pins then that's pretty much a whole monitor gone

[ChrisH]

I considered USB equivalents but its mostly the other parts of the mouse that get damaged. I have moved over to optical to stof them using a key to pry off the mouse ball cover even though I have superglued them but they just either cut the cords or render the buttons inoperable

[NetworkGeezer]

I considered USB equivalents but its mostly the other parts of the mouse that get damaged. I have moved over to optical to stof them using a key to pry off the mouse ball cover even though I have superglued them but they just either cut the cords or render the buttons inoperable

There comes a point when you have to ask where's SMT in all this. Apart from the expense of replacing the damaged kit, there's also the waste of your time. I'm sure your job title isn't "Official Mouse Fixer".

[edie209]

We have the same problems with mice and keyboards, and it seems to me that (here at least) teachers just don't care, almost to the point of its not their problem at least not until they want to take a lesson.

This has to be my biggest waste of time but how do we find a solution to this problem?

[webman]

They think that "the computers" aren't their responsibility for some reason.

[EvLPhenom]

Hi all,
We have a similar problem here too but it seems to be more about taking off the keys and switching them around.
We also get the keys taken off laptops and they tend to break the clips... this then ends up being the most fiddly pointless job in the world.

[ChrisH]

Ive tried allsorts and complained many times. I have asked for cameras and asked that we convert the rooms so at least the PCs are hidden so they arent unplugging things.

This wont stop the the damage to the keyboards and mice but at least the ports will be ok. My other pet hate is having to put the keys back in the right places after some comedian has spelt a swear word out or something or I have to sort "a password problem" because some of the keys are the wrong way round.

Hopefully we will be getting a technician in September so at least I can concentrate on some of the more important things rather than spend my days sorting out keyboards and mice.

[CyberNerd]

the only solution we found to this type of problem (gone usb/optical already)
is backtracking which teacher was in the room when the equipment was broken then let SMT deal with it.
Get a it room into working order, the teachers will appreciate it then get the (good) teachers to regularly report faults.- you'll soon learn which teacher lets the room get trashed.

[ChrisH]

Thats the kind of thing I would like to do but I cant rely on the teachers to notice certain things. My new little assistant would keep an eye on that side though and we could go from there.

[indiegirl]

We've tried everything... although on our (expensive) HPdc7600s we mount them on a workstand, with a cable cover that's locked in with a Kensington Lock. Not one HP keyboard or mouse has been removed or damaged in this room so far this year (touch wood).

However, our office door opens into said room so that might be why.

I've just ordered a £3.50 dummy camera (eBay!) with motion sensor and flashing LED to put in one of the other rooms. If they think they're being watched... they might not do it.... we'll see....