Frequently Asked Questions

"Do I have to bring a computer with me?"

"Which is better on campus, a laptop or a desktop?"

"Where can I get help if I have a computer problem?"

"Can I get a wireless network connection?"

"Are there computers I can use if I don't bring one?"

"What do I have to do to connect my computer to the network?"

"What computing gear should I not bring? Is a Netbook a good campus computer?"

"Does Macalester provide software, or do I have to bring my own?"

"When will I get a Macalester e-mail account? Will you give me other electronic account privileges?"

"What are the rules governing my use of Macalester's information technology resources?"

"What are my responsibilities in downloading music and movies?"

"Does Macalester provide telephone and voicemail service to on-campus students?"

"First-year Orientation starts on Move-in day - Friday, September 4. Can I get hands-on help registering my computer on the network that weekend?"

ITS Orientation for New and Incoming Students, Fall 2009

This page provides information for new and incoming students about Macalester's Information Technology Services office - what we do and how we can best help you. Read below to

• find advice about which computers and networked devices you should purchase and bring to campus;
  
• make sure you adequately prepare those devices to function on our network;
  
• form accurate expectations about our services and campus network, and
  
• get some basic information about your resources for assistance.

Macalester College does not require students to bring computers to campus. If you choose to bring one, Information Technology Services (ITS) makes these recommendations.

Computer Guidelines

• We recommend you bring a laptop for use at Macalester. Many laptops are as powerful as desktop computers and take up less space in your dorm room. We recommend Dell and Apple laptops, but other brands are fine too. Models made within the last year are usually good choices. Older laptops can be significantly less powerful and have less useful features. (However, laptops age faster, are more easily damaged, and are more frequently stolen than desktops.) Ultimately, the choice of laptop vs. desktop is yours.
  
• We recommend your computer run Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Windows XP Service Pack 3 or Windows Vista Service Pack 1. Other operating systems may not be compatible with our network requirements or provided software. The Help Desk may not be able to assist you in fixing problems with those operating systems.
• Make sure your computer has 1 GB of RAM at minimum. We strongly recommend 2 GB or more, especially if you run Windows Vista. RAM is a cheap way to greatly improve computer performance.
• Do not assume your dorm room will have wireless access. The Macalester campus has wireless in most areas, but not all. Make sure your wireless card supports 802.11b or 802.11g wireless networking and WPA2 authentication (most new laptops will support these features). If your computer does not support these standards, you may not be able to connect to our network via wireless.
• All dorm rooms have one wired network jack per occupant. A free Ethernet cable (used for wired network access, which is faster and not shared) can be picked up from the ITS Help Desk.
• Bring all the CDs and DVDs that came with your computer, including restoration CDs, software installation CDs, printer drivers and other hardware drivers. The Help Desk may need this software to assist with computer repairs.
• Make sure your computer is in working condition before you come to campus. Turn your computer on and run all software updates.
• Other things we recommend you bring to campus:
  • A laptop security cable.
  • A power strip with a surge protector.
  • A USB flash drive for easy data transfer.
  • An external hard drive is strongly recommended for regular computer backups.
• Do NOT bring wireless printers, routers and other networking devices to campus. We will block problematic devices from our network, and we do not provide support for most wireless devices other than computers.
• Netbooks are lightweight, low-cost, low-powered laptops. We do not recommend a netbook as your only computer, but they can make an excellent second system if you already have a desktop computer. Linux-based netbooks are not recommended.

Computer Registration

Before you can use the campus data network you must first complete a brief on-line registration process. If you want to access the network both wired and wirelessly, there are registration procedures for each network. The registration process will happen automatically when you physically connect your computer to the network. Registration has three goals:

1. Registration associates your computer's electronic address with you, in case we need to contact you about network problems.
2. Registration ensures that your computer has software running on it to protect your system from outside threats, like viruses and spyware.
3. Registration ensures that your system is not a threat to other computers on campus by being vulnerable to (or even currently infected by) viruses and spyware.

To this end, registration requires that you install all operating system updates and patches, and have up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. It is extremely important to install all updates when they become available. To save time during orientation, you should apply these updates before you come to Macalester (if you do not, registration could take an hour or even longer).

Registration on the wireless network, 'Macalester-Student,' requires an electronic 'key.' This key must be entered the first time you access 'Macalester-Student'; once you enter it, the same key remains active for the entire Fall semester 2009. This key was e-mailed to all students via the Student-Notification-L mailing list on July 28. If you have forgotten it, you can check the list archives, e-mail the Help Desk, or ask any ITS staff member during our Orientation sessions over move-in weekend. Please do not share the student wireless network key with people outside the Macalester community - doing so may put your personal electronic information at risk.

Your new computer will probably come with a trial version of a virus scanner. It will expire in 30-90 days from the time you get the computer, so we recommend you uninstall it. Macalester College provides a professional-quality virus scanner to students for free. You can download it and other software we provide from http://www.macalester.edu/its/software.

Most game consoles and many handheld wireless devices (iPhone, iPod Touch) are known to work with our campus network. You may need to manually register these devices by contacting the Help Desk.

To register you computer, click here (you need to be on campus for this link to work).

ITS Help Desk

The Information Technology Services Help Desk is a resource for students with computer issues. They can assist you with registering your computer and other networked devices, with network problems, with virus and spyware issues and with account problems. They may be able to assist with other issues as time allows. The Help Desk can also diagnose problems so that you can seek out the right sources for outside help. The Help Desk is located in the Humanities building, room 314.

The Help Desk can answer questions relating to this document. You can contact the Help Desk at 651-696-6525 or e-mail them at helpdesk@macalester.edu.

Computer Labs and Facilities

General-purpose computer labs are located in Dupre Hall 253 and 353, the Humanities Resource Center, Kagin basement, Kirk Hall basement and the DeWitt Wallace Library. Most labs have a mix of Macintoshes and Windows PCs, and all have printers. Students may check out laptops for short-term use in the Campus Center and the Library. Many academic departments maintain computer labs for teaching and research, and set their own policies about access and use. For more information, please see www.macalester.edu/its/services/campuscomputerfacilities/departmentallabs.html.

Software

ITS provides a variety of software for student use. We encourage you to use any of the tools on our Software Downloads page, particularly the Symantec anti-virus application. Students may use the Microsoft Office suite on College-owned computers - however, if you want your own copy of Office, you will need to purchase it yourself.

E-Mail and Other Accounts

All students are provided with electronic accounts to access information resources. These resources include:

• 1600grand, Macalester's Web portal
• A Macalester e-mail account
• File storage space, both private and shared
• Moodle, our learning management tool
• E-mail distribution lists
• Online calendar
• Library resources and tools
• Space on Macalester's Web server for your own pages
• Networked software applications

Your unique username and password are the keys to these services. You will receive your Macalester username, initial password, e-mail address and Macalester student ID number in the mail over the summer. Your initial password is a randomly-generated 12-digit number. Please change your password to a unique combination of upper- and lowercase letters and numbers, and keep this password secret. (Keeping your password secure protects against unauthorized access to your private information.) To protect the integrity of your accounts, we will not give this information out over the telephone, by FAX or via other e-mail accounts.

Responsible Use and Related Policies

The Information Technology Responsible Use Policy generally states what the College expects of you as you utilize Macalester's electronic resources. Other policies regulating specific resources or behaviors go into more detail, such as our policies on alleged copyright violations and our response to compromised computers on the network. By using Macalester's electronic resources, you are bound by all policies and terms that govern those resources. See also the relevant sections of the Macalester Student Handbook, especially "College Policies."

While at Macalester, you will be expected to obey laws governing the use of copyrighted materials. Most especially, you should fully understand what you're doing if you choose to download music and movies from other users. If you do so illegally, knowingly or unknowingly, you open yourself to potential prosecution. Please note that there are also a number of legal download resources available. Using these is safe and often free. Educate yourself about downloading copyrighted materials, and where to find such materials legally, on the ITS Filesharing page.

Telephones and Voice Mail

Telephones and dial tone are provided in all College residence hall rooms. In College-owned houses used for student residences, one or two telephone lines are provided, based on occupancy. All Macalester students who live on campus can get a voice mailbox set up on the College system, by request. To request a voice mailbox, please e-mail Kelly Borke at borke@macalester.edu. Your request should include your name, your residence hall and room number, your Macalester phone number and your Macalester ID number. All student, staff and faculty contact information is accessible in the on-line Directory. If you have questions about Telecommunications services at Macalester, please see the Telecomm Web pages or call 651-696-6566.

Drop-In Orientation Sessions, September 4 and 5

Library and ITS staff will collaborate to offer hands-on orientation sessions in the DeWitt Wallace Library, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Friday September 4 and again Saturday September 5. We'll be happy to help you register your computer for wired and wireless network connection, make sure you can access your Macalester accounts, and generally get you off on the right foot. Additional help will be available through the ITS Help Desk over move-in weekend: the Help Desk will be open on Sunday, September 6 from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM, and may be open some hours on Monday, September 7 (Labor Day). Please call (651) 696-6525 for updates as we get closer to move-in weekend. Full details about ITS' assistance to students living on campus may be found on our ResNet pages, starting at http://www.macalester.edu/its/helpdesk/resnet.html. Meanwhile, you may wish to check out the Library's social networking site for incoming new students, at myinfoservices.macalester.edu.

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