ITSS home : Network : Wired Ethernet access

ITSS provides basic network/Internet access to most offices on campus and to every residence hall room (one port per student). Basic access provides a 10Mb connection to the UMD network and beyond, including the UMD web server and web-based University applications such as PeopleSoft, course registration and the library card catalog.

How do I request wired network access?

Faculty and staff:

Network connections (Etherjacks) in faculty/staff offices are activated on request only. You may request a network connection by completing the appropriate online request form at: Network and Telephone Service Requests.

Students in the residence halls:

You do not need to request access. Each residence provides one live network connection (Etherjack) per student. Additional connections are not available.

How do I request a Fast Ethernet connection?

ITSS can provide Fast Ethernet (100Mb) service to the desktop in most office buildings on campus, with some restrictions. Certain conditions need to be met before Fast Ethernet service can be installed, including: a Fast Ethernet card in your desktop computer, Fast Ethernet wiring in the building to your room, and Fast Ethernet equipment in the nearest connecting point to the backbone.

Another consideration is the speed of the computer on your desktop. Fast Ethernet requires both a fast compute chip (CPU), and a fast interconnect (bus) speed, otherwise your increase in speed may be minimal.

The last consideration is that ITSS needs a minimum of 12 connections per closet. Since the boxes in the closets are often shared between departments, proximity of those asking for fast ethernet is important. If you or your department is interested, please contact Dan Burrows (8846 or dburrows) for more details.

Fast Ethernet is not available in the residence halls.

What is the cost for wired network access?

Faculty and staff:

There are one-time labor fees and monthly service fees associated with installing a network connection. See Rates and Fees for details.

Students in the residence halls:

There are no additional costs associated with your network connection.

How do I configure my device for wired network access?

To access the wired network, you will need a 10/100Mb Ethernet adapter and RJ45 Ethernet cable. You may also need to make a few configuration settings on your computer. For details, please see:

• Windows 95/98/ME users
• Windows 2000 Professional users
• Windows XP Professional users
• Macintosh users

How do I access the wired network?

How you access the wired network depends on where you are located.

Faculty and staff offices

Ethernet jacks are turned on by request only. Once the jack is "live," plug in your Ethernet cable.

NetReg:: Depending on your location on campus, you may need to register your computer via our NetReg system to gain full network access. NetReg is an automated network registration system that is used to register unknown computer hardware before granting full network access. For details, see: NetReg: What is it?.

Residence halls

All Ethernet jacks are "live" in the residence halls. However, you will have limited network access until you register your computer. Once you have registered, you will have full network access. See Connect & Register for details.

Classrooms/public jacks

You must log in to the authenticated network to gain access in classrooms and other public areas. To authenticate:

1. On your wireless device, open any web browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer)

   The following authentication window should be displayed:

   

2. Type in your University Internet ID and password, and press the LOGIN button.
   • Windows 98, 2000, ME and XP computers: You will be prompted to run the QuickStart security tool (as shown below) if you have not done so recently. Run Quickstart and follow any online instructions regarding problems. When you have successfully run QuickStart, re-open any web browser.
     
     
   • All other computers: You are not required to run QuickStart but should secure your computer following these guidelines: Desktop Computer Security Check.
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3. Once you have successfully authenticated, you will be granted access to the network as shown below:
   
   

When you are finished using your wireless connection, please return to https://port.d.umn.edu, and select the LOGOUT button to close your connection (you will be automatically logged out after 90 minutes of inactivity).

Can I put my own hub/router on the wired network?

No. Network infrastructure must be carefully deployed and must be secured against intrusion. Because of these and other issues, customers may not install hubs, routers, or other access points (including wireless hubs) on the Univeristy network. This includes offices and the residence halls. For details, see: Policy on access to the UMD network.

What are the security requirements for my computer?

Computers, networks and electronic information systems are essential resources for accomplishing the University of Minnesota's mission of instruction, research, and service outreach. The University grants members of the University community shared access to these resources in support of accomplishing the University's mission.

These resources are a valuable community asset to be used and managed responsibly to ensure their integrity, security, and availability for appropriate educational and business activities. All authorized users of these resources are required to use them in an effective, efficient, and responsible manner. (See: Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources.)

Anti-virus software: Computer viruses represent a substantial risk to the University community in terms of time, money, and potential data loss. Desktop and personal computers, including laptop computers, connected to the University network are required to maintain and use an up-to-date version of anti-virus software. (See: Standard: Anti-virus.)

To meet this need, the University provides a free site-licensed copy of Norton Anti-virus software. For details or to download a copy, see: Norton Anti-virus Software

Operating system updates: If critical patches and updates are not applied on a regular basis, computers on the University network risk being vulnerable to various worms, viruses, Trojans, and direct hacker attacks. To protect against these risks, computers attached to the University network must be regularly maintained including the application of critical security patches. (See: Standard: Security Patch Application.)

For details on how to scan for and apply these updates, see: Using the Windows Update Service.

To automate the process, see: Using automatic updates.