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Network
FAQs
The information technology
team at Florida Tech gratefully acknowledges the writers of these pages at Rollins,
Notre Dame, and Ithica College for allowing us to use their information as guidelines
for setting up these pages.
Why
would students want a network connection in their rooms?
Having direct access to
e-mail, library services, the Internet, and faculty information from the residence
halls increases the opportunity for learning since many colleges and world wide
resources become available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Note that you
can purchase an outside ISP service, although the connection speeds are significantly
slower than a direct connection in the dorm room.
When
will network connections be active?
Dorm network connections
are activated automatically after registering your machine at http://www.fit.edu/networks/ip and picking the Student Connections menu item.
What
should students do if they want a connection?
A student who will be bringing
a computer to campus should carefully read the Campus Network Student Users
Manual and the recommended minimum machine configurations. Email accounts are
available for pickup during orientation or afterwards at the Technology Support
Center in Q7 in the academic quad. Dorm network connections
are activated automatically after registering your machine at http://www.fit.edu/networks/ip and
picking the Student Connections menu item.
What
if my roommate and I both have a computer - can we both get a network connection?
Yes, however each person
has to establish personal accounts and provide machine registration information.
What
else do I need to use the network?
Aside from a computer with
the proper interface card, operating system and configuration, you will need
a patch cable, e-mail account, and machine registration, which can be completed
during orientation.
What
if I live off campus?
Once you move off campus,
it will be necessary for you to purchase Internet connection services. The Telecommunications
Office (x8002) can provide you with a list of local providers.
Personal
Computer (IBM-compatible)
Generally, PCs and Macs
purchased new in the last year should be compatible with the campus network.
Please see the computer
specification page at http://www.it.fit.edu/purchase.
Macintosh Computers
Please see the computer
specification page at http://www.it.fit.edu/purchase.
What
do I do if a problem arises after installation?
If you cannot perform a
function on the network such as access e-mail, check with someone else in
the
dorm and see if the problem is universal. Review you computer configurations
and make sure absolutely nothing has been added, deleted, or modified since
the install. Generate a service request through the Technology Support Center
home page at http://www.it.fit.edu/support.
At the page enter an Request
for assitance online or call the Technology Support Center
at 674-7284. To expedite your service make sure you have your correct e-mail
address,
dorm,
room, extension, when you will be available, and a detailed description of
the problem and any error messages generated on the computer. A technical
assistant
will contact you as quickly as possible. Most of the time the technical assistant
will work with you on the phone to solve the problem. Be prepared to
learn some
new and exciting things about your computer system.
If the problem requires
a visit, you must be at your location for us to service your machine. Appointments
have to be kept in order to provide the student population with expedient
service.
Limited resources will force you to go to the bottom of the list if an appointment
is broken. The Technology Support Center wants to help resolve your problem
as quickly as possible. If we fail to keep an appointment, please contact
us
and we
will
investigate
the circumstances.
What
if I don't own a computer?
Please see the computer
specification page at http://www.it.fit.edu/purchase.
What
is an Ethernet Card?
An Ethernet card is a communications
card installed in a personal computer to provide a connection to a high-speed
network. The Ethernet card provides a direct connection to the Internet in buildings
that have been wired to the campus network. A direct connection means that the
computer is connected directly to a jack on the wall of a networked building.
An example of indirect connection is a modem connection which communicates at
14,400 bits per second (bps) up to 53,600 bps. Ethernet communicates at 10,000,000
to 100,000,000 bps.
What
if my computer is stolen?
The college assumes no financial
responsibility for damages to or loss of personal property. If students are
not covered by their parents' personal property insurance policy, they should
check with any general insurance agency for detail s of securing such insurance.
A student is responsible for the cost of replacing a network card if it is stolen.
Who
is responsible for the security of data on individual machines?
Generally the administrator
or owner of the unit is responsible for data security. Please refer to the University
guidelines for Responsible Use Policy.
Electronic
Mail
Users of electronic mail
systems should be aware that electronic mail is generally not secure and is
extremely vulnerable to unauthorized access and modification. We recommend that
users change their passwords frequently to prevent unauthorized access to their
e-mail. Passwords should not contain any personal information, should include
both letters and numbers and should not consist of single words.
Responsibilities
of Users
The user is accountable
for adherence to Florida Tech policies and procedures (Acceptable Use Policy).
The user is accountable for adherence to Florida Tech policies and procedures
(Acceptable Use Policy). In addition, you are responsible for reasonable use
of the tools available for maintaining the security of information stored o
n each computer system. The following precautions are strongly recommended:
Computer accounts, passwords,
and other types of authorizations that are assigned to individual users should
not be shared with others.
The user should assign an
obscure account password and change it frequently.
The user should understand
the level of protection each computer system automatically applies to files,
and supplement it, if necessary, for sensitive or confidential information.
The computer user should
be aware of computer viruses and or other destructive computer programs, and
take steps to avoid being a victim or unwitting distributor of these processes.
Ultimate responsibility
for resolution of problems related to the invasion of the user's privacy or
loss of data rests with the user.
Who
is responsible for backing up data on individual machines?
Users should be aware that
a number of hardware and software problems can cause data corruption on storage
devices, such as hard disks or floppy disks. Each user is responsible for maintaining
backup copies of important data on a secondary media source.
If your computer fails and
the operating system or other software needs to be reinstalled, you must
use your original software disks to restore your system. If you do not have
original or backup software disks, you will have to repurchase software to restore
your system.
We cannot install or
distribute commercially licensed software without appropriate proof-of ownership
as described in the license agreement for each product.
Can
students continue to use software provided by Florida Tech after leaving FIT?
The software license agreements
that the college purchases to make network software available to the community
indicates that software may be used only by current students, faculty, and staff.
Following the terms of site licenses, when students, faculty and staff members
leave the University, they are required to remove the licensed software from
their computers.
Can
a student send e-mail to someone who subscribes to a commercial Internet provider
like AOL or Prodigy?
Students can communicate
with anyone who has access to the Internet with a valid Internet e-mail address.
Many commercial dial-up services provide Internet e-mail to their customers.
How
can I get online HELP?
Visit our virtual Technical Support,
http://www.it.fit.edu/support for
the User's Manual, which should help you
in: Requesting support (Request
for Support or email);
Installing and using network software; Downloading new software; Online tutorials
for common campus utilities; and Links to major technical manufacturers.
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Network Connectivity Guide