|
Provided for you is a list of the most frequently asked questions about
ResCom. This covers a large portion of the most common questions
we answer in regards to our services and basic support. Please
continue reading to see if we could answer any of your questions!
Penn State Related:
What is an access ID?
Network Related:
What is an Ethernet card?
What kind of Ethernet card should I buy?
Where can I buy an Ethernet card?
Will a telephone cable work with an Ethernet
card?
What is the difference between a dial-up connection
(modem) and an Ethernet connection?
How do I find my Ethernet address?
Do I have to register my Ethernet card
with ResCom?
How do I get connected to Penn State's
residential network?
What do I type in when it asks for incoming and outgoing
email servers?
May I switch data ports in my room?
Why is my internet not working?
What are the dial-up phone numbers?
What is a computer network?
Why does ResCom not setup or support network neighborhood?
What
is an access ID?
A Penn State
Access ID is an username and password given to students at
FTCAP or arrival seminars. Students use this Access ID to sign onto computers in the
computer labs, log into webmail, and especially for registering an Ethernet address
to obtain internet access in the Residence Halls. You must have a
PSU Access ID to obtain the internet on campus.
If you do not have an Access ID,
you will need to follow the procedures at a "Signature Station"
in the designated computer labs.
Any questions regarding your access account or where to locate a Signature
Station should be directed to a ITS
(Information Technology Services) lab consultant or the ITS helpdesk. Click
here for ITS contact information.
top
What
is an Ethernet card?
An Ethernet card physically connects your
computer to the residential network. Ethernet has the capability to
communicate over
the internet much faster than a modem and is mostly used for high-speed
applications. The residential network utilizes Ethernet to
connect to the internet with high-speed components so students can send
and receive e-mail, perform research for class studies and surf the net.
top
What
kind of Ethernet card should I buy?
Residential
Computing recommends purchasing any Ethernet card
with a 10-based-T connection. The residential
network communicates only at 10 megabits. Any 10/100 megabit or gigabit card
should work on our
network but all cards communicate at 10mb only.
Please be
inspect your computer for an Ethernet card, or built-in port before
purchasing one. If you are unsure, we recommend you contact your
manufacturer to ask if your model has one pre-installed.
top
Where
can I buy an Ethernet card?
Ethernet
cards can be purchased at any local computer store and do not need to be
purchased at Penn State University. However
cards can be purchased on campus at the MOC (Microcomputer Order Center,
or Penn State Computer Store). The
computer store is located in 12 Willard Building (West Campus).
Waiting
to purchase a network card until you arrive on campus may result in a
delay of 1 - 4 weeks upon arrival.
If you would need to purchase a new card, ResCom recommends having the
card purchased and installed properly, and registering for a conneciton
as well before
arriving on campus. Visit the ResCom Online Ethernet Registration
Database web page to register.
top
Will
a telephone cable work with an Ethernet card?
No. An Ethernet cable is
thicker with larger connectors that look similar to a phone cable. Ethernet cables usually have the words "CAT
5 Ethernet Cable" written along the length of the cable. Always
consult with a sales person if you would need to assurance of correct
cabling.
top
What
is the difference between a dial-up connection (modem) and an Ethernet connection?
A modem is a device that communicates over
the telephone and is used to connect a computer to the internet or another
computer. Today's modems communicate
at 56 Kilobytes. An Ethernet connection is a network connection to the Internet that
is available while your computer is turned on. The Ethernet connection
communicates at 10 megabytes. That is about 100 times faster than
the modem. Keep in mind connection speed is affected by the traffic over the network.
top
What
is an Ethernet address?
The Ethernet adapter or Physical Address is a unique 12-digit number
that it used for identification on a network.
Every networking card is assigned a unique address when they are manufactured and can not be
physically changed.
top
How
do I find my Ethernet address?
Please refer to Step 2 from the
Internet
Connection Setup section of the ResCom website.
Do
I have to register my Ethernet card with ResCom?
If you wish to obtain internet access in the residence
halls, Yes. Registering
is the
first step to get connected. Refer to "Online
Ethernet Registration Database" on the ResCom
web page to complete registration.
top
How
do I get connected to Penn State's residential network?
We offer two
options.
1. Use
our
Internet Connection Setup web
page to get connected right away.
2. Visit
your local ResCom desk and receive printed information from the staff OR
schedule an appointment for a room visit. During the
rush periods you may experience delays.
top
What
do I type in when it asks for incoming and outgoing e-mail servers?
The
incoming PSU e-mail server is email.psu.edu
The outgoing
PSU e-mail server is smtp.psu.edu
Please be sure to enable SSH for both incoming and outgoing servers.
top
May
I switch data ports in my room?
You cannot
simply switch your Ethernet cable to another data port in your room.
Each computer is assigned to a specific port. If you were to try
another port, it would not work. If you would like to request
having your assigned port switched to another (supplemental rooms have
multiple locations), you may either specify the port during initial
registration or contact ResCom to receive further instruction.
top
Why
is my internet not working?
The most common
scenarios encountered when a student's connection appears to be not
working include:
- Mistyped IP,
Subnet Mask, Gateway and DNS
configuration
- Mistyped
Ethernet Physical Address upon registration
- Accidental registration of Wireless Physical
Address
-
Incorrectly installed Ethernet card
- Defective Ethernet cards
- Bad or wrong cable being used
- Data jacks
showing excessive wear and tear (broken jack in wall)
- Penn
State Network experiencing temporary outage (extremely rare)
If you are still
having a problem with your Ethernet
connection, visit Tech Support on our website or try contacting your
local ResCom office. Please make sure your computer is on and you are
ready to try a few suggestions that may be given over the phone if you
call.
top
What
are the PSU dial-up phone numbers?
Note: For students using dial-up on campus, they must dial these
as an off-campus number. This involves dialing an "8" before the number.
863-2222 Main modem line. 56K X2 Compatible
869-2222 Secondary modem line. 56K X2
Compatible 863-7777 Third modem line. Older line. Not recommended for
56K / 56K X2.
top
What
is a computer network?
A
computer network is defined as two or more computers connected together
using network cards and cables to communicate with and share resources
with each other. Resources can be printers and hard drives to name a
couple. A computer network can be small or can get very
large.
top
Why won't ResCom setup
or support network neighborhood?
ResCom
management has decided not to support this feature of networking in
the residence halls. We believe that the network neighborhood feature
promotes the propagation of viruses and encourages software and music piracy
among students in the residence halls. As we eradicate viruses for
students and rebuild their computer from scratch we find that, most of the
time, the cause of the virus is from email and sharing files through the
network neighborhood with friends. When asked what do you share with
friends, the answer is usually MP3 files.
top
Can't find your question here? Visit
the other FAQ sections or visit Tech Support! |
