Technology on Campus

Transcription

1 What computer(s) can I bring to campus? Technology on Campus Most students bring their own computers to campus and connect easily to the Residential Network (ResNet) in their dorm rooms. In order to connect, these computers must meet the following minimum requirements: Windows OS Macintosh OS Windows 8 or better Apple OS or better 80 Gb Free disk space (The more the better) 80 Gb Free disk space (The more the better) 8 Gb of RAM (The more the better) 8 Gb of RAM (The more the better) Anti-virus software that runs continuously. An Ethernet Port or A Thunderbolt to Ethernet Adapter In addition, we ask that: o You have an understanding of your computer s warranty and what it covers o Your computer is virus free o Your computer has all security patches installed o Your computer is in good working order o You bring all power cords, a power strip and an Ethernet cable. Can I purchase my computer through Assumption? o We provide links through our website to the Dell and Apple websites, which offer an educational discount on computers and software for students, faculty and staff. **Note: All purchases are through a third-party, and there is not a physical computer store on campus. Assumption College does not handle refunds or returns on any hardware or software purchased using the Computer & Software Store.** Do I need anti-virus protection? o Anti-virus software is not required if you are bringing a Mac/Apple computer, however we do recommend that you use a virus protection software such as Sophos. If you are bringing a PC/Windows computer, you must use anti-virus software. If you have already purchased anti-virus software, please feel free to continue to use your version. If not, the College will provide it at no cost. Call the Helpdesk at for more information. How do I connect my device once I m on campus? o You are able to plug your computer into an Ethernet connection, and/or use the wireless network. What support do I have once my computer and I are on campus? o RCC (ResNet Computer Consultant) Student Support ResNet support is a trained staff of students who support student residential networking. They are trained to network functioning computers, configure wireless network connections and install ResNet software (anti-virus software and web browsers). On move-in day, RCCs will be assisting in dorms helping students get connected. They will be going from dorm to dorm to make sure everyone is connected. During the first week of school, they work exclusively on assisting students with connecting their machines to the network.

2 o IT Helpdesk (IT Center, Rm. 130) After the first week of school, you can call the IT Helpdesk ( ) for help. Student RCCs can help on an as-available basis with many of the common software issues that arise with today s computers. Other issues may be referred to professional IT staff. Anything that we cannot assist a student in fixing will be directed to a repair center. Students are responsible for their own machines and are responsible for any charges affiliated with a repair if it is not covered by the warranty. Where is wireless internet offered on campus? o Wireless network access is available in all campus buildings, including all residence halls. Wired (ethernet) access is also available in dorm rooms. Can I bring my own wireless router? o No, wireless routers, hubs, or switches brought from off campus are not allowed on the network. Rather than improving wireless speed, these devices degrade the College s wireless performance for everyone. What if I have more devices than network jacks in my room? o If your dorm room does not have enough network jacks for all roommates, you may sign out an Ethernet hub at the Information Technology table in the Plourde Recreation Center on Move-In Day or thereafter at the IT Helpdesk in IT Center, Rm How do I get my other devices connected? o We can provide generic instructions to assist you in connecting other devices (phones, tablets, gaming units) on our network. Call the Helpdesk for instructions for connecting your devices ( ). Please note that every manufacturer and software version has some differences, and you may need to contact the manufacturer if you have difficulties. o There are some devices that we do not support and that do not work on our network. They are wireless printers, Internet televisions, and media devices like Slingbox/Tivo and Chromcast. o Additionally, the IT&MS Department reserves the right to restrict any device that may be a liability for the network (i.e., "Jailbroken", high bandwidth use or modified mobile devices). Can I use wireless streaming devices like Chromecast on campus? o No. As new technology and devices become available often those new devices work with a wireless internet connection. What most people don t know is that those devices such as Chromecast or Apple TVs are designed to run on a home-based wireless network system. On campus, because we have an enterprise wireless network, not a home wireless network, those devices will not work. The wireless system on campus is meant to be used with desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. All other devices should be used with a wired connection. What if I need help connecting on Move-In Day? o On move-in day, our ResNet students (RCCs) will be assisting in dorms helping students get connected. They will be going from dorm to dorm to make sure everyone is connected. What if I don t have a computer? o Assumption has 4 designated computer labs and 8 computer classrooms, equipped with PC, Mac or dual-boot computers. The d Alzon Library also has numerous desktop and laptop computers available for student use.

3 Do I need a printer? o Students may bring their own printers, but the printer must be plugged into your computer. Wireless printing does not work in the residence Halls. In the IT Center labs, classrooms, and the D Alzon Library there is a print management system called Houndprint. To print, users need their Assumption username and their Assumption ID. When a document is printed users will be prompted for their username. The print request will be sent to a Houndprint release station where the user will swipe their school ID to release the print job to that printer. Printouts are held in the print queue for up to 60 minutes and can be accessed from any Houndprint station. Black and white printouts are free. What software is available for student use? o Students may go to the Assumption online computer store to purchase software for their own computers at a discounted price. Assumption lab and classroom computers offer Microsoft Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) and approximately 200 different standard and educational software products such as: Adobe Creative Suite CS4 (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), Avid, Mathematica, SPSS, and more. What about P2P (Filesharing)? o Assumption College restricts illegal file sharing software such as Bit-torrent, gnutella, edonkey and Kazaa. Illegal sharing of copyrighted material is not allowed and will actively be monitored and stopped. Students who participate in illegal file sharing can and will be prosecuted if their computer is identified as sharing copyrighted files. P2P also consumes excessive amounts of network bandwidth making the network slower for all users. Do I need a phone in my room? o Yes. If you live in a residence hall, either you or one of your roommates must bring a wired phone with you, and it must be plugged into the beige or white telephone wall jack (blue wall jacks are for computers). In addition, all wired phones allow you to make free, unlimited local calls, and we offer voic upon request. Why do I need a landline phone? o All wired phones connected in residence halls are linked to our 911 system, which tells Assumption s Public Safety Department where you are calling from. This is critical in an emergency! Are there cell phone providers on campus? o We have AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon cell towers on campus. Where can I find more information about technology on campus? o For more information about technology services, including instructions and acceptable use policies, go to the My.Assumption portal and look under IT&MS Services. What type of TV will work with the cable service provided in the dorms? o Only TVs with a Clear QAM tuner in them are able to view the service. Many TV models have a Digital ASTC tuner when they need a Clear QAM tuner to work on campus. We recommend that you search online by the make and model of your TV or reference your TV's owner s manual for specific model information to find out what type of tuner your TV has. Please refer to the my.assumption.edu Portal for further information about the channel line up. o Please note students must bring the remote for their TV to be able to connect it to the cable service provided in the dorms.

4 Computer-related Purchases Purchasing Hardware (a computer) Assumption facilitates student computer purchases by negotiating discounts with certain computer manufacturers on your behalf; our current partners are Dell Computer and Apple, Inc. A standard discount covers all the manufacturer s products, while special discounts are negotiated on computers we believe will meet most students needs for four years. We provide you with a link from our website to Dell and Apple s educational discount sites. Please note that our Dell and Apple computer recommendations are for computers only (each computer includes the operating system and some minor applications). The only software application that we recommend your student purchase for his/her first semester is Microsoft Office (Office 2013 Professional for Windows users or Office 2011 Professional for Macintosh users). See Purchasing Software below. Apple, Inc. Apple provides a discount on sales to students, parents and friends of Assumption College. All Apple computers have Mac OS installed and will also run Windows (Windows must be purchased separately). To view the choices or buy a computer, you need to start by connecting to and then click on Apple Store. You should see Apple s products, and you can select and purchase from this page. Please keep in mind that, if desired, extended warranties must be selected as an option when ordering. Assumption does recommend that the extended warranty be purchased! The laptop model we recommend is detailed in the table below (p.4). Dell Computer Dell provides Assumption students, parents, and friends of Assumption with a discount for all purchases. In addition, we have negotiated a special discount on the laptop configuration that Assumption purchases for our faculty and staff use, and Dell is allowing students, parents and friends to purchase the same configurations with the same discount. The total discount on the laptop s model and configuration is. This configuration is detailed in the table below (p.4). This price includes a four year hardware warranty and Dell s Complete Care service, which covers accidental damage (spilled liquids, drops, etc.). To view the Dell choices, connect to and click on Dell Store. This will take you to Dell s website and identifies you as an Assumption customer. Discounts will be reflected in the prices you see on the various pages. (Also displayed is Dell s toll-free number as well as Assumption s member number. Both are important if you plan on speaking with a Dell representative.) Clicking the Recommended Business Systems link will display a webpage with the specially discounted laptop. Clicking the other links will display Dell s computer store and allow you to purchase any item that Dell sells. The prices that are displayed on these pages include the standard discount. Purchasing Software The standard software used in all Assumption offices and computer labs is Microsoft Office Professional. You are able to purchase software through the Assumption College link to the online software store. The online software store will issue you a username and password and send it to your Assumption account. Once you have that information, you may click on the link in the or visit and click on Software Store to log on and purchase your software. This discount is offered only through the online store; you will NOT receive this discount if you purchase the software from Dell, Apple or another retail distributor. Hardware Support after Purchase Assumption s technical staff are registered with Dell and can order general replacement parts, as well as offer supplemental help diagnosing Apple and non-dell hardware issues. If a computer purchased through the links provided on the Assumption website needs warranty repair, our staff can coordinate the repair process between the student and the vendor. We do not make hardware repairs on non-dell computers. We will be happy to supply a list of computer repair companies in the area. Students are responsible for any charges affiliated with a repair if it is not covered by the warranty.

5 Recommended Dell Laptop Recommended Apple Laptop Dell Latitude 15 E5570: $ Recommended Laptop Specifications: Windows 10, Professional, 64-bit 2.6GHz Intel Core i5-4310m 8GB Memory 500GB 7200 RPM hard drive 4 cell battery Four Year, Next Business Day, Onsite Warranty Four Year, Accidental Damage Service Apple MacBook Pro Cost: $1272 Safeware Cost: $348 Recommended Laptop Specifications: 13 MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Intel Dual Core i5 8GB Memory 500GB 5400 RPM hard drive Built-in 7-hour battery Three Year Apple Protection Plan for MacBook Pro *Please note, when purchasing the warranty for your computer, you are responsible for verifying that you are purchasing the correct warranty. Please review what the warranty covers before purchasing it. You are responsible for understanding the coverage of the warranty that you purchase. Students are responsible for their own computers and are responsible for any charges affiliated with a repair if it is not covered by the warranty. For best service we recommend that you purchase the recommended warranty only available through our site. Upgrade Options: Four Year Safeware Accidental Damage Insurance, add $ STRONGLY RECOMMENDED Note: Apple only offers a warranty on Apple parts; this warranty covers parts and labor during the warranty period. Assumption strongly recommends that you contract with Safeware ( for an Accidental Damage policy (listed above) for the duration of the MacBook Pro s use. *Please note, the prices for computers and software are subject to change. Visit the Assumption College Technology Store