For students living in apartments owned by DTN Management, logging onto the Internet has been anything but easy.

DTN-owned properties were no exception to one of the latest computer viruses to hit the nation - the Msblast worm, also known as "blaster." On Tuesday, it caused a complete shutdown of DTN's computer network, affecting about 14 complexes and 1,200 students.

The virus had slowed down the MSU campus computer network, which is still experiencing minor problems.

"Nothing like this has occurred before," said Raji Uppal, area director for DTN.

Uppal said the properties first experienced technical difficulties on Aug. 23 when students came back to the Lansing area.

Those with infected computers began infecting others, which caused DTN to take action to try and stop the spread.

"We didn't feel the effects until people moved in," he said. "All sorts of students have come online and a lot of their computers did not have virus protection and the latest patch."

DTN employees began working on the problem Monday and decided to shut down the entire network on Tuesday to identify those infected with the virus.

"We're upgrading the network to give us more control at the user level," Uppal said. "It will allow us to isolate computers that have the virus and be able to take them off the network so it doesn't spread to other computers."

All of DTN's apartments are affiliated with MSU's network. For two years they have been working on building a fiber-optic network that would connect all the properties.

Uppal said the upgrade will require students to enter a username and password.

"We've been continually trying to keep the network running," Uppal said.

But some students living in DTN-owned apartments say they aren't happy with the way things have been handled and living without Internet access has caused major inconveniences.

"Every day I trade stocks and it's really important I have access to the Internet," said finance sophomore Paul Stewart. "As of now, I have to go to the library and once I'm there I can't even find an open computer because everyone else is having problems too."

Stewart, a Haslett Arms resident, said he shouldn't have to deal with the inconvenience because he has Windows 98, one of the operating systems not affected by the virus.

To try and curb the problem, DTN made protective CDs available for residents to check out, similar to the programs students in the dorms were given.

Officials are asking students to update their virus-protection software, install firewall protection, disconnect from the network and clean up their computer before re-connecting.

But general management sophomore Lauren Malila said management at her apartment complex has not been particularly helpful.

"They'll go and turn off our Internet and they don't tell us. I've made complaints and nobody calls us back," the Haslett Arms resident said. "We've tried and tried to get a hold of someone and nobody calls back. Today I called and the line went dead."

Uppal said professionals have been hard at work to try and keep the inconvenience to a minimum.

"We've been working diligently to get this network fully operational," he said. "The only way to do that is to isolate people who have the blaster virus."

Uppal said he understands students' complaints and hopes to have the network running by Labor Day weekend.

"All in all, people have been very receptive and understanding to what we're doing," he said. "Their best bet is to hold on and we'll get them back up."