Q. How does the whole connection process work?
You can register from your room using the computer you would like to
register. Simply follow the steps below. If you have questions
or run into any problems, check our list of frequently asked questions and/or contact your Resident Computer Consultant (RCC). Every
residence has one or more RCCs who are your first line of support.
- Plug your computer into your in-room network jack.
Make sure you use an Ethernet (Cat5) cable and plug into the RED jack, not
the white (phone) one. If you don't have one, Ethernet cables are
available at the Stanford
Bookstore. You CANNOT register using wireless.
- Open up a Web browser and go to the Residential Computing Web
site.
When you try to go to any Web site, you should be automatically directed
to the Residential Computing In-Room Network Connections page at http://rescomp.stanford.edu/inrooms.
- Click on "Begin the registration process" to register your
computer.
The link is on the side bar and at the bottom of the main inrooms page. You will be brought to the beginning of the Residential Computing
registration process where you will be asked to download and run the
Stanford Computer Health Check Tool before being allowed to register your
computer for use on the residential network.
- Download and run the Stanford Computer Health Check Tool (HCT).
This tool will run a number of security checks on your computer, including
checking for the latest security patches, searching for malicious
software, making sure you are running some type of virus protection
software, and making sure you are running an automated update process.
The tool will direct you to required and recommended software updates and applications. Once
your computer passes, the HCT will automatically notify Residential
Computing and you will then be allowed to register your computer.
- Click on "Exit" once your computer has passed the HCT and continue
to registration.
A Web browser will open and you will automatically be brought to our
registration forms. Once you have logged in with your SUNet ID and
password and confirmed your identity, click on "Submit a New Connection
Request."
- Complete the registration form.
Be sure to include all of your hardware Ethernet addresses, including for
your wireless card if you have one, and make sure you don't switch your
wired and wireless address. For help finding your hardware Ethernet
addresses, follow this step-by-step guide.
- Click "Submit."
The system will attempt to process your registration automatically. If
unsuccessful, your registration will be forwarded to your RCC. If
successful, you will be shown a confirmation message. Remember to wait 15
minutes and then restart your computer. After this, you should have a
working Internet connection!
You can also register your computer from the cluster or any other
computer that is not the one you are registering and that is connected to
the Internet. To do this:
- If you're running MacOS X, Windows 2000 or XP, make sure you download and
run the Stanford Computer Health Check Tool (HCT) on the computer you
are registering. This tool is available at http://rescomp.stanford.edu/healthcheck/
and will run a number of security checks on your computer, including
checking for the latest security patches, searching for malicious
software, and making sure you are running some type of virus protection
software. The tool will also allow you to correct any deficiencies. Once
your computer passes, the HCT will automatically notify Residential
Computing and you will then be allowed to register your computer.
- Look up the hardware Ethernet address(es) of the computer you would
like to register. For help finding your hardware Ethernet address(es),
follow this step-by-step guide. Make
note of this information. If you have a wireless card and would like to
include it in your registration, make sure you note the hardware Ethernet
address for the wireless card as well.
- Look up your jack number in your room. Your jack number usually looks something like this "1.1 128*2A" and should be located on the wall on your Ethernet connection jack. Make a note of this information.
Once you have this information, register from the cluster or other
computer as described above in steps 3 through 7. If the system was able
to automatically process your registration, you should be able to return
to the computer you just registered, wait 15 minutes and then restart the
computer. After this, you should have a working Internet connection!
Q. How do I disconnect my computer/in-room network connection?
A. To disconnect your in-room network connection, use the same online form you use to register or update your connection. After verifying your identity, click on the computer you would like to disconnect under "Update/Disconnect/Reconnect." If you are sure you selected the correct computer, click on "DISCONNECT ME" to disconnect your connection. Your disconnect request will be forwarded to your RCC for processing. Your RCC may not be able to process your request right away and your connection may continue to work until she does.
Q. I registered my computer and the system said it was successful-- why doesn't my connection work?
A. While the system is able to register your computer automatically,
the network database takes approximately 15 minutes to update. Be sure to
wait 15 minutes AND then restart your computer. If your connection
does not work after several hours, contact your RCC for help.
Q. I just got a new computer and want to replace my old computer. How do I connect it to the network?
A. If you are simply replacing your old computer, you can update your existing registration by replacing your old computer's information with your new computer's information. Do not disconnect your old computer's connection and create a new registration for your new computer.
Q. How do I register my Xbox/wireless-enabled PDA/other non-standard network device?
A. Although you may not consider your non-standard network device a "computer,"
for all intents and purposes, it is because it requires an IP address to get
onto the network. Therefore, you should register it as you would a second or
third computer.
Q. I just moved to a different residence/room/apartment
on campus. What do I need to do about my in-room network connection registration?
A. If you are moving back onto campus after, for example, living off-campus
or being away for the summer, and your computer has been registered with us
before, you should simply reconnect your disconnected registration. You can
do this by going to the registration forms and instead
of submitting a new registration, simply reconnect one or more of your disconnected
registrations. Even if you get a new computer, you can simply reconnect an old
registration and just update it to reflect your new computer's
information (effectively replacing the old registration rather than creating
a new one).
If you are moving during the year, you should update your registration information
by going to the registration forms and instead of
submitting a new registration, simply update your existing registration(s) to
reflect your new location.
Updating your registration when you move helps us keep our records up-to-date
so that we can give you better service and manage the network more efficiently.
Also, remember that if you're changing residences or apartments, your
RCC may also change. To be sure, check the RCC
directory.
Q. How do I get onto the wireless network? Can I set up my own
wireless network?
A. When you register your computer, be sure to include the
hardware Ethernet address of your wireless card along with the hardware
address for your regular (wired) Ethernet card. (If you have already
registered your computer, you can simply update your registration.) By
registering your wireless card address, you will be able to access the
wireless network on campus, including some residences that have
University-provided wireless access. For a map of wireless locations at
Stanford, click
here.
If you residence does not have wireless access, you can also set up
your own wireless access point (WAP). Be sure to check "Yes" when asked
during registration if you have a WAP. Although most do not, if your WAP
needs its own IP address, you can include its hardware Ethernet address in your registration.
(Either include this information when registering your computer or return
to the registration forms and uodate your
existing registration.) Make sure you turn off DHCP and NAT on your WAP.
For information on how to set up and configure
your own WAP, click
here.
If and only if you do NOT plan to use your wireless-enabled computer in your
residence, but want to be able to use it in the libraries, the main
Quad, etc., you can register the hardware address of your wireless card
with the local network administrator for your academic department or by
filing at HelpSU. For more
information on how to do this, click
here.
For more detailed information on wireless networking,
please visit our Wireless FAQ.
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