Any student who has a computer is encouraged to bring it to campus. You can use your computer as a standalone machine or you can use it to access services on the Internet as part of the ResNet program.

The Residential Networking Program - ResNet
        Your Residential Networking Access Account
        Residential Networking Internet Services
        How do I get my computer on the network?

Internet Access for Commuter Students
        Off campus/commuter access to the Internet

What Computer, What Software, and who should I buy from?
        Laptop Initiative
        Apple Computer Educational Discounts
        What computer do I need?
        Can I use the computer I have now?
        Recommendations for students in the market for a new computer
        Purchase Options
        Do I need a printer?
        What software should I buy?

Notes About Security and Virus Protection
        Bandwidth Usage

Additional Information and Links
        Further information

Notes About Virus Protection, Spyware  and Security
        Virus Protection
        Firewall
        Windows Update

THE RESIDENTIAL NETWORKING PROGRAM
Every residence hall on the Lycoming College campus is fully wired for network access.  There is one network port for each pillow in our residence halls.  Beginning in the Fall semester of 2008 all Residence Halls will have universal wireless network access. Wireless is meant to provide a supplemental means to access network resources on campus since it is limited in both speed and scope.

The use of personal wireless routers and access points is not allowed at Lycoming College where universal wireless network access is provided.

Any student with a computer meeting a minimum set of standards, and attending the introductory GroupWise/Internet Explorer/Web Advisor workshop during orientation, may access the complete suite of Windows based Internet services.  Each student will be required to have his/her computer pass a Campus Manager registration scan that will insure that the computer meets campus minimum specifications, has a current campus approved antivirus program running and is patched to the latest appropriate version of its operating system.

Your Residential Networking Access Account

Your Residential Networking Access Account will allow you access to the Internet.
Residential networking Internet services include:

E-mail: Every student at Lycoming College receives an e-mail account at freshmen orientation. 

To activate your email account you must accept the Student Computer Use Policy that you will access during the Introductory GroupWise/Internet Explorer/Web Advisor training during orientation. Using GroupWise, you will be able to send mail to several hundred students, all faculty and most administrative offices on campus.  Many faculty communicate with students using email on a weekly basis. Your in room connection will also allow you to exchange email with anyone, anywhere on the Internet. You will be able to check your email from any location where you have access to an Internet Browser using GroupWise Web Access by typing student.lycoming.edu.

Failure to read mail addressed to your Lycoming College email address is not an excuse for missing campus notices from faculty and administrative offices.

Network Storage Space: 

• The college provides 100 megabytes local network storage space per student for assignments, personal documents, etc. -- good insurance against hard drive failures. This space is password protected, so only you can view/change/delete documents on your network drive .
• This space is accessible from any internet accessible machine by clicking on myLyco for Students and then NetStorage or by entering http://netstorage.lycoming.edu/netstorage in your web browser.

Enter your login name and password 
User Name login name 
Password ******* (the same password you use to login in the labs)
Then press Enter or click OK.

INTERNET ACCESS FOR COMMUTER STUDENTS
Off Campus/Commuter Access to the Internet
If you are a student living off campus without access to Resnet, and would like to access the World Wide Web, via modem you can contract with several local vendors for access.

Regional Providers

Micro-Link an Internet service provider located in central Pennsylvania. For a monthly charge, you may access the Internet via modem at speeds up to 56k. Micro-Link can be reached by calling 570-321-8000 via the web at  http://www.micro-link.net/ or via email at help@micro-link.net

Chilitech an Internet service provider located in central Pennsylvania. For a monthly charge, you may access the Internet via modem at speeds up to 56k. Chilitech can be reached by calling  570-323-2166 via the web at http://www.chilitech.com/  or via email at mailto: support@chilitech.net

Comcast an Internet service provider located in Williamsport, PA. For a monthly charge, you may access the Internet via a cable modem. Comcast can be reached by calling 570-326-3384 or via the web at http://www.comcast.net

Verizon DSL For more information about Verizon DSL please visit http://www22.verizon.com/content/consumerdsl/plans/all+plans/all+plans.htm

WHAT COMPUTER, WHAT SOFTWARE AND WHO SHOULD I BUY IT FROM?
To make the decision that is right for your needs, take into consideration the cost but don't buy on the basis of price alone. Ask yourself some questions: Which brand do I prefer? How much memory do I need, do I want to write letters, figure mathematical equations or create graphics? How important is portability? Expandability? Speed?

We strongly urge students to consider the purchase of a laptop.  The laptop vendor we as a college recommend is Dell.  We recommend the purchase of a laptop because of the portability and availability of wireless connections to students in the following areas:

Snowden Library - ground floor, 1st through 4th floors
Academic Center - Pennington and Bell Lounge
Academic Center - B & C section classrooms and labs, both 2nd and 3rd floors
Heim Science - Ground floor, expanded coverage on 1st and 2nd floors
Wertz - main dining area, Jonas, and Shultz dining rooms
Wertz - Burchfield lounge, Jack's Corner, 2nd floor Student Program area
Long Hall - Board Room
All computer lab areas - AC3, AC5, Heim, B200, B201
Main quad - area closest to Chapel
All Residence Halls

Laptop Initiative 
In concert with Dell, Lycoming College is offering students the opportunity to purchase a laptop at significantly discounted prices.  For more information on this program you can see the display in the Streeter Bookstore or visit the web link at Laptop Initiative.

Apple Computer Educational Discounts
Over 95% of the computing that is done on campus is based on using IBM or IBM compatible computers. However, Art classes incorporating computers are taught using both Power Macintosh computers and Windows XP Professional workstations in the A-5 Graphics lab. Digital Media classes in the Communication Building are taught on Macintosh Computers. Desktop publishing classes in Communications are taught on Macintosh computers. Apple Computer offers special student pricing and educational discounts. To get more information from Apple Computer call 1-800-877-4433, ext. 723 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or visit the Apple Store at www.apple.com/education/store.

Can I use my Old Computer?
If you currently own a computer, and want to have it attached to ResNet, you need to make sure it meets a certain minimum configuration.  Typically a computer of this vintage will not be adequate to take you through four years at Lycoming College.
If it is an IBM or IBM compatible, the computer must meet these minimum specifications:

• Pentium IV 3.0 or faster processor
• Newer AMD chips are acceptable ( or above)
• At least Windows XP or newer
• 100 GB of Free Space on Your Hard Drive
• 512 MB of RAM
• Mouse and mouse pad
• 14" VGA Monitor
• 3.5" 1.44 meg disk drive
• 1 Serial, 1 Parallel Port

If a network card is not built in you must purchase a network card.  You must have the card installed and configured in your computer. See Step 1 under “How do I get My Computer on the Network?”
If it is a Macintosh, the computer must meet these minimum specifications:

• At least a Macintosh G5
• Mac OS 10.4or later
• At least a 100 gig Hard Drive
• 512 megs of RAM
• Ethernet Connection

You must have an Ethernet connection for 10BaseT connection to twisted pair cable, not to connect to a coax cable. You must have the card installed and configured in your computer before bringing it to the IT for network configuration. See “How do I get My Computer on the Network?”

Recommendations for Students Buying a New Computer
Please be advised that we are attempting to outline specifications for a new computer before the requirements for the Vista operating system have been officially released.  When buying a new computer please attempt to secure at least a one year onsite warranty (available locally from Williamsport based vendors, as well as from most national vendors.  Please avoid the stripped down low cost computer as that will very likely not provide acceptable performance for the four years that your student will spend at Lycoming College.
Laptop Specifications

• Pentium Core 2 Duo   
• Newer AMD chips are acceptable   
• Vista best with dual core chips
• Microsoft Vista
• No less than a 100 GB Hard Drive
• At least 1 GB of RAM
• Vista best with 2 GB of RAM
• DVD-RW Drive
• Sound Card
• At least a 14.1 inch screen
• At least 4 USB 2.0 ports
• Discreet video card with at least 64 megs of video ram
• Vista is graphics intensive and works best with a discreet video card not onboard (or shared) video
• 56 k modem
• 802.11 b/g/n wireless
• Ethernet Connection

Desktop Specifications

• Pentium Quad Core processor
• Newer AMD chips are acceptable 
• Vista best with dual core chips
• Microsoft Vista
• No less than a 250 GB Hard Drive
• Vista best with SATA drives
• At least 1 GB of RAM
• Vista best with 2 GB of RAM
• DVD-RW Drive
• Mouse and mouse pad
• Sound Card and Speakers
• At least a 17" 1024 X 768 Flat Panel Monitor with .28 dot pitch
• At least 4 USB 2.0 ports
• PCI video card with 256 megs of video ram
• Vista is graphics intensive and is best with a discreet video card not onboard video 512 megs of video ram is best
• Enhanced 102 Key Keyboard
• Ethernet Connection

Optional

• A printer
• Thumb Drives can be used in all public use labs
• Surge Protector (with built in fuse and EMI/RFI protection preferred) 

At least a one year on-site warranty. Several of our local vendors offer on-site service contracts at the time of purchase or as a post purchase option. For your own peace of mind it is best to purchase some kind of protection plan for your computer. ITS does not offer repair services. 

If you are in the market for a new Macintosh computer our recommendations would be the following: 

• G5
• System OS 10.3 or higher (required)
• Combo Drive
• No less than a 40 Gig Hard Drive
• At least 512 megs of RAM
• Monitor that can display at least 256 colors with 1024 x 768 resolution
• Ethernet Connection (required)

Optional

• Super Drive
• Microsoft Office for the Mac
• Surge Protector (with built in fuse and EMI/RFI protection preferred)

NOTES ABOUT VIRUS PROTECTION, SPYWARE  AND SECURITY

In an effort to enhance student access to the Lycoming College network and to protect the academic mission of the college, ITS has deployed a network appliance to protect the campus data network called Campus Manager.  Campus Manager includes tools to configure, monitor and manage our network.  If a student computer does not meet the required components of the Campus Manager check, the student computer will not be able to connect to Resnet or the internet.  In order to meet these requirements you must:

Lycoming College provides ESET NOD32 antivirus and malware protection to all students free of charge.  As a service to all students, Lycoming College is providing ESET NOD32® antivirus free of charge. Beginning the first day of the fall semester 2008 all student-owned computers on campus will be required to run ESET NOD32® antivirus. If you have any other antivirus software on your computer it must be removed before installing the college-supplied ESET NOD32® software. Software to uninstall your current antivirus and install the new antivirus is on our ITS website under Academic Computing at http://www.lycoming.edu/ITS/AcademicComputing/CampusManager/NOD32.html The ESET NOD32® antivirus will update over the internet and does not require that you be on campus to update the newest antivirus definition. The ESET NOD32® antivirus software has a spyware component that will check for and remove most spyware.

Get a firewall.  You can find very good ones for free, not the least of which are the free firewalls built into Windows XP and Vista. Regardless of which you use be sure to turn it on, and this will help keep you from getting cracked (most people call this being hacked, but the proper term is cracked) and having your computer used for purposes you didn't intend. Please read the information at  http://www.lycoming.edu/ITS/softwaredownloads.html.

Run windows update regularly.  Keeping your machine up to date with all of the patches from Microsoft protects it from being exploited by someone using known security flaws in the Windows operating system. Please read the information at http://www.lycoming.edu/ITS/softwaredownloads.html.

ITS will monitor network activity and initiate appropriate action to control infection. ITS has the right and responsibility to disconnect any student computer on ResNet that is found to be an infecting agent.  A “best effort” approach will be instituted to notify the student prior to any disconnection.  Such a disconnection is an emergency action.

The student will be contacted immediately and ITS will work with the student to solve the problem.

Purchase Options

As the prices of laptop computers drop, we strongly urge students to consider the purchase of a laptop.  The laptop vendor we as a college recommend is Dell.  We recommend the purchase of a laptop because of the portability and availability of wireless connections to students in:

Snowden Library - ground floor, 1st through 4th floors
Academic Center - Pennington and Bell Lounge
Academic Center - B & C section classrooms and labs, both 2nd and 3rd floors
Heim Science - Ground floor, expanded coverage on 1st and 2nd floors
Wertz - main dining area, Jonas, and Shultz dining rooms
Wertz - Burchfield lounge, Jack's Corner, 2nd floor Student Program area
Long Hall - Board Room
All computer lab areas - AC3, AC5, Heim, B200, B201
Main quad - area closet to Chapel
All Residence Halls

Below is a list of local vendors and contacts that we have used in the past. Some of these vendors maintain special pricing and support programs for Lycoming College students. Contact any of these vendors and identify yourself as a Lycoming College student.

Micro One: contact Nick Schneider at: nicks@microone.com
1417 East Third Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Voice: 570-321-7500 fax: 570-321-8600

Dell Computer - www.dell.com

Apple CampusDirect
www.apple.com/education/store
1-800-877-4433 ext. 723
Apple Computer, Inc.
2420 Ridgepoint Drive
Mail Stop 198-HED
Austin, TX 78754

*Be prepared to verify that you are a student by copying your student ID.

Do I need a Printer?

If you want the convenience of printing in your room there are several options available. Several good choices exist including ink jet and laser printers. Prices can range from less than $ 200 to well over $ 500. As long as you are using campus standard software you can always print in the public labs.