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| Residential Networking (ResNet) | |
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A Computer Guide for Lycoming Students Any student who has a computer is encouraged to bring it to campus. You can use it as a standalone machine or you can use it to access services on the Internet as part of the ResNet program Residential Networking - ResNet Internet Access for
Commuter Students What computer, what software, and who should I buy from Additional Information and Links The Residential networking program Every residence hall on the Lycoming College campus is fully wired for network access. This means that any student with a computer meeting a minimum set of standards, who has paid the monthly Residential Networking Access Account fee and attended the introductory GroupWise/Internet Explorer workshop during orientation, may access the complete suite of Windows based Internet services. The access account fee is $15.00 per month and may be contracted for by filling out a Residential Networking Access Account Application, available in the Residence Life Office, the Telecommunications Office or in the Office of Communications Technology (IT).
Your Residential Networking Access Account will allow you to use, from your room, special software provided by the IT, to send and receive Internet mail (campus and worldwide), to access the Lycoming College World Wide Web (http://www.lycoming.edu) site, as well as other World Wide Web sites. These resources are being incorporated into classroom discussions and homework assignments on an ever-increasing basis. The connection from your room will be over an Ethernet network that allows you unlimited access at any time. The campus network gives you access to speeds of up to 10 million bits per second on your Ethernet network connection, far exceeding the dial in access of the typical 56000 bits per second modem connection.
World Wide Web (WWW) access using Internet Explorer: World Wide Web, or Web servers, use hypertext links to join pieces of information together in separate HTML-based (hypertext markup language) documents located either at the same site or at disparate sites. WWW is loosely analogous to chapters in a book. As part of your Residential Networking access the College will load Internet Explorer as the WWW browser on your computer, assuming you do not already have access to it E-mail: Every student at Lycoming College will receive a free e-mail account. To receive an e-mail account you must fill out an Application for E-mail Account and attend an Introductory GroupWise/Internet Explorer session. 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 e-mail 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 mail.lycoming.edu Newsgroups: Using newsgroups you will have the ability to be part of a large virtual community of users interested in a particular topic. Each group takes the form of a large bulletin board where members post and reply to messages, creating message threads. Nearly 10,000 groups are replicated to all servers, so that group members may tap into the discussion from any newsgroup server. FTP: (File Transfer Protocol) Allows a user on one computer to access, and transfer files to and from, another computer over the Internet. As an alternative to having the IT set up your system for ResNet, you can choose to do a self install. If you do not have Internet Explorer loaded, you will be instructed to do so. Assuming that you have submitted your ResNet application to the IT and therefore have a network jack active in your room you may choose to perform a self install over the Web. For more information and the complete set of instructions visit http://www.lycoming.edu/acad/ How do I get my Computer on the Network? Step One For an IBM
compatible computer using Windows 95,98, NT or 2000 You must purchase a 3COM 10/100 Fast Etherlink network card (must be a 3COM branded card not a 3COM compatible card) 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 you bring it to campus, by your local computer dealer or consultant. Installed and configured means that the software to setup the
card will have been run and the card will appear active in the
system Control Panel, under the System Properties-
Network Adapters, with the proper interrupts and IRQ’s
identified, when the machine is presented to the IT for network
configuration. This will save you time and should make
configuring your machine for network access much easier. {The
IT will not install these network cards in student machines
because of issues involving liability.} Please see picture,
below.
If you cannot find this card locally, several vendors who are listed in the section “Who can I buy these systems from?” can supply you with this card. If this is not an option, you may contact 3COM directly, by phone at 801-320-7777 or via the world wide web at www.3com.com For an IBM compatible laptop computer using Windows 95,98,
NT or 2000
If you are using a laptop as your residence hall computer the minimum specifications outlined in section five apply, similar to the desktop models. You must purchase a 3Com Megahertz LAN Ethernet adapter PCMCIA (assuming your laptop has the appropriate slots available) card for 10BaseT connection to twisted pair cable, not to connect to a coax cable. You must have the card installed and configured in your laptop, by your local computer dealer or consultant. Installed and configured means that the software to setup the card will have been run and the card will appear active in the system Control Panel, under the System Properties-Network adapters with the proper interrupts and IRQ’s identified, when the machine is presented to the IT for network configuration. If you can not find this card locally, several vendors who are listed in the section “Who can I buy these systems from?” can supply you with this card. If this is not an option, you may contact 3 Com directly, by phone at 801-320-7777 or via the world wide web at www.3com.com For an Apple Macintosh If you are using a Macintosh as your residence hall computer, and want to connect it to ResNet, it can be no less than a Centris with an Ethernet connection. If you are installing an Ethernet card in your Macintosh the card must be a Farallon card with connection for 10BaseT. The card will vary depending on the type and model of Mac. If you are installing a Farallon Card, you will not need a transceiver. If you are using a Macintosh with a built in ethernet connection, you may or may not need a transceiver. If you cannot find this card locally, several vendors who are listed in the section “Who can I buy these systems from?” can supply you with this card. If this is not an option, you may contact Farallon Computing directly, by phoning 800-344-7489 Step Two After your Residential Networking Access Account Application has been received by the IT, our office will contact you to schedule an appointment to have your computer configured for network access. Depending upon the configuration of your computer and the time of year that you apply, the length of time required to complete this process can vary. If your application has been received before you arrive on campus for fall semester and you have set up an appointment during our "configuration days" at the beginning of the semester, your machine will be ready in short order. However, if you call during the semester with a computer that you want to have configured for network access, we will need to schedule your configuration based on staff availability. Step Three Bring your computer (CPU, no monitor or keyboard) with its technical manual to the IT at your scheduled appointment time. The IT is located below the Snowden Library in the Academic Center. At this point a staff member of the IT will load the appropriate software and give you a 10BaseT network patch cable. You will be shown how to plug your computer into the data jack in your room and your machine will be ready to access the Internet services. Before you receive your e-mail address you must attend the GroupWise/World Wide Web workshop. Connection Fees: There is no fee for attaching your computer in the Residence Halls to the campus network. If, however, you suspend your Residential Networking Access Account and then choose to restart, in the same academic year, you will pay a $15.00 reconnection fee. 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? Expand ability? Speed? Is there financing available? As the prices of laptop computers drop, we strongly urge students to consider the purchase of laptop. The laptop vendor we as a college use is IBM and the IBM Thinkpad. We recommend the purchase of a laptop because of the portability and future availability of public ports. The College does not recommend a specific vendor or computer brand desktop computer. Over 90% of the computing that is done on campus is based on using IBM or IBM compatible computers. However, some Art classes incorporating computers are taught using both Power Macintosh computers and Windows NT workstation in the A-5 Graphics lab. Desktop publishing classes in the Communications and English Departments 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 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. If it is an IBM or IBM compatible the computer must meet these minimum specifications:
You must purchase a 3COM 10/100 Network card (must be 3COM not 3COM compatible) 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 Step 1 under “How do I get My Computer on the Network,” If it is a Macintosh, the computer must meet these minimum specifications
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 If you are in the market for a new computer our recommendation would be the following. Although this is not the least expensive configuration, in the long run, we believe this is the best value. We would caution against the purchase of any strip down model in the $1000 range, because these computers are not designed to function well in a network environment (such as Resnet). We caution against the purchase of any Packard Bell computers.
Optional
At least a one year on site warranty- Several of our recommended vendors offer on site service contracts at the time of purchase or as post purchase option. For your own peace of mind it is best to purchase some kind of protection plan for your computer. The IT does not offer repair services. If you are in the market for a new Macintosh computer our recommendations would be the following:
Optional
Lycoming College will be placing purchase orders for several new IBM compatible machines for our computer labs and faculty/staff offices twice a year in October and March. For 30 days after this date our selected vendor will maintain our purchase price on these units, and make the price available for all students, faculty and staff. To find out more about this program e-mail caravagg@lycoming.edu or call 570-321-4153. Apple users please refer to the next section under the "Apple Campus Direct" The Office of Communication Technology (IT) does not
recommend a specific vendor, however, below is a list of 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. Leading Electronics: contact Brandon Fitzsimmons brandon@leading-electonics.com 120 East Third Street Voice: 717-323-5095 fax: 717-323-5181 Professional Computer Solutions
(PCS):
contact Steve Drake sdrake@pcsstores.com 673 East Third Street Voice: 717-321-0333 fax: 717-321-9575
Computerland: contact: Chris Trayer ctrayer@sunlink.net 1736 East Third Street Voice: 717-327-9000 fax: 717-322-2200 Apple CampusDirect Apple Computer, Inc. *Be prepared to verify that you are a student by copying
your student ID 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. Microsoft Office is the current campuswide standard. The Windows based spreadsheet software adopted, as a standard at Lycoming is Microsoft Excel, the database standard is Microsoft Access. Keep in mind that all software is available for use in the public labs. You should not buy any specialized software for specific courses until you have enrolled in the course and been advised by your professor. Some software is available from your local vendors at special educational discounts. Educational Discounts are available at Software Express at 1-800-850-3720. They specializes in educational sales, you may also reach them at www.swexpress.com/student.nsf For more details contact caravagg@lycoming.edu or call 570-321-4153
If you are a student living off campus without access to Resnet, and would like to access the World Wide Web, via modem, a program has been instituted by Lycoming, in cooperation with PowerNet an Internet service provider located in Williamsport, PA. For a monthly charge of $12.95, you may access the Internet via modem at speeds up to 56k. PowerNet can be reached by calling 1-800-366-0331 or 570-321-0333 or via the web at http://www.pcspowernet.com/. Other providers both local and national can also provide you with similar access. Step One Step Two Step Three Upon receipt of your application PowerNet will forward to you a CD with specialized installation instructions for Lycoming College users for configuration of their software on your computer. If you have any questions about if or how you can have your
computer attached to ResNet, call the Director of Academic
Computing, Steve Caravaggio, at (570) 321-4153 or e-mail him at caravagg@lycoming.edu
for further assistance. Any questions or problems email caravagg@lycoming.edu or call 570-321-4153
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