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Today is Friday, May 16, 2008
Home > GatorNet > GatorNet Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This list of Frequently Asked Questions is provided to help students who may have additional questions that
are not answered in other pages.
What is GatorNet? In 1998 the residence halls were wired allowing the students to connect directly to the college network and the Internet from their rooms via high-speed Ethernet connections. Two years later the college owned houses were wired. Students connecting to GatorNet will have access to the World Wide Web (WWW), email, Usenet newsgroups, and FTP. What will I need to connect to GatorNet? Students wishing to connect to GatorNet must have a personal computer with an Ethernet network card installed. Intel based computers running Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP are supported. Other computer types can be used but are not supported by the GatorNet office. The computer must meet an established set of minimum hardware, software, and ethernet card requirements to connect to GatorNet. Remember these are minimum requirements:
What will I need to purchase if already own a computer? In addition to needing a computer that meets the established GatorNet requirements (see above), you will also need a Microsoft Windows supported Ethernet network card and an RJ-45 network patch cable (straight through type) to connect to the network. Network patch cables and Ethernet network cards are available for purchase on campus from Computer Showcase. How do I connect to GatorNet from my room? This GatorNet web site offers information and guidance on setting up a computer for connection to GatorNet. Printed documentation is also available at the Help Desk (111 Murray Hall). The basic steps are:
Will I need a modem? The connection to GatorNet will not require a modem or telephone line since connections made to GatorNet are direct Ethernet connections. These ethernet connections offer greater connection speeds than modems. What if I live off campus? Students living off campus should bring a modem if they want access or they may purchase one from our on-campus reseller (Computer Showcase). This does not apply to students living in college owned houses. Several local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Allegheny/Alltel Internet Service provide dial-up graphical Internet services at discounts to Allegheny College students. Call the Help Desk or visit Allegheny College's dialup information Web site at http://help.allegheny.edu/tutorials/OffCampus.php for more information. What if I do not have a computer? The Office of Educational Technology (OET) maintains and operates computer clusters located around the Allegheny campus. The clusters contain Pentium-based computers and will allow students to save their work to 3½-inch floppy disks and to their network account. The clusters are located in the Hall of Advanced Biology, Carr, Quigley, Ruter, Carnegie, Gator's Den (24 hour computer lab located in Caflish) and Murray Hall. What about other hardware and software? Most current PCs can successfully be connected to GatorNet. We will make an effort to assist students but cannot guarantee that all computer models will be able to use this service. Allegheny College requires Trend Micro OfficeScan for students who want to connect to our network and provides it at no charge to these students. We recommend FTP software such as AceFTP and for email we recommend Eudora. We also recommend Microsoft Office products as that is what we use in the computer labs around campus. Can I connect to GatorNet if I own a Macintosh computer? Yes, you can still connect to GatorNet if you have a Macintosh computer. However, we only provide "limited support" for Macintosh computers. A general Macintosh setup guide is available on this web site and a basic information handout is available from the Help Desk. "Limited support" means we will do what we can to get the Macintosh computer connected but will only spend a reasonable amount of time to do this. Don't worry though, we have never had a case where we are not able to get a Macintosh computer connected to the network. Can I purchase a computer through Allegheny College? Allegheny College does not sell computers to students. Students have the choice of purchasing computers before they arrive or from our on campus reseller. Computer Showcase is a private company that operates within the Allegheny campus (108 Murray Hall) and has discounted prices available to students. You can contact them at (814) 332-6225 or check their web site for more information. What are the student's responsibilities?
GatorNet is administered and maintained by Technical and Network Services (TNS). Inquiries concerning GatorNet should be directed to the following: GatorNet Web Site: http://help.allegheny.edu/gatornet Email Address: help@allegheny.edu Help Desk: 111 Murray Hall, (814) 332-2755 |