July 28, 1998 News from Residential Technology (ResTech) Dear Student, Welcome! Whether you are returning to UVM, just enrolling, or are transferring, the enclosed information will pertain to you. Please take the time to review it, and save it for future reference. This fall we are implementing a number of changes in our Residential Technology Program. These changes involve three important areas of technology on campus: telephone, cable television and computer services. Telephones. Please bring a standard analog telephone (Cordless phones using digital signaling should work. A minimum of 25 channels is recommended). You may wish to coordinate with your roommate(s) since there is just one telephone jack and phone number for each room. There is no fee for basic service (includes greater Burlington area), and long distance charges (through AT&T) are applied on an "as used" basis. Monthly statements for long distance charges are mailed to your campus address and billed to your student account. Information on Phone Mail Instructions (students receive a free 5-message phone mail box) is available on the WEB (http://www.telcom.uvm.edu), or at your complex main desk. If you requested a long distance access code on your Room Contract, an envelope containing the code should be in your mailbox upon arrival. If you did not make this request, or if you are unsure, please check with Sue Comette (x63472, or e-mail sue@telcom.uvm.edu). Problems with your telephone connection should be reported to your main desk. Cable Television. Residential Life is pleased to offer cable television service to all on-campus students this year, at no additional fee. It is expected, however, that this service will not be operational upon your arrival. Therefore, please be patient and do not call the ResTech Office. We will inform students when service is activated (possibly through a mailing or broadcast phone message). You can expect this to happen around the end of September. As with telephones, there is just one cable television jack in each room. Therefore, it is advisable that you coordinate with your roommate(s) regarding bringing a television/VCR to campus. If you do bring a television/VCR, be sure to bring the instructions on how to program your equipment! The Residential Life cable service will provide approximately 46 channels. Information on this service may be found on the WEB (http://reslife.uvm.edu/matv) or at the ResTech Office (contact information at end of letter). Students having difficulty with their television/VCR connections are advised to contact the ResTech Office. Report damaged television cables or jacks to the ResTech Office. NOTE: TV coax cables will be attached to the jack in each room. DO NOT bring or buy your own television cable! DO NOT remove the existing cable in your campus room! If your television is not cable-ready, you may purchase a 75 Ohm balun from the ResTech Office for $1.00). Computers. UVM's network offers 10Mbps speed (megabits per second - much faster than a typical modem!), and uses separate wiring than the phone system. Being "on-line" does not in any way affect telephone use. The network is a 10BaseT twisted pair (TP) Ethernet network, with RJ45 interface. Each single room has one data port. Each double or triple has two. Should the need arise for a third data port in a triple room, the ResTech Office can provide a special (loaner) adapter for the academic year. Missing or damaged loaner adapters will be charged to your student account. ~ Requesting a Computer Connection… If you checked on your Room Contract that you would like a connection then you are all set. If not, or you are not sure, fill out an on-line form at http://reslife.uvm.edu/resnet, or call Residential Life, 802-656-3434. The fee is $70 for the entire academic year, unlimited use. ~ If I buy/bought a computer from UVM's Microcomputer Services Depot… Distribution of these systems will be during the first week of September. Details will be in your mailbox upon arrival. At distribution, informational handouts will explain how to connect the parts and pieces, and how to get started. Computers purchased from the Depot will have built-in hardware for access to the network, and be ready to use on the network upon pick-up at your specified location. For questions or additional information including the most up-to-date pricing, visit http://www.cit.uvm.edu/mcsv/, e-mail depot@uvm.edu, or call 802- 656-3067. ~ If my computer was connected to UVM's network last year… Information explaining how to reconfigure your system for use on campus will be at your complex main desk. If necessary, you may contact the Computing & Information Technology (CIT) Helpline (x62604, or e-mail helpline@uvm.edu). Computers that were on UVM's network last year should still have the network adapter installed. Be sure to bring the network cable back to campus with you. ~ If I bring a computer that has not been set up for UVM's network… When purchasing a new computer, request that a 10BaseT Ethernet twisted pair (TP) adapter with an RJ45 interface be installed if your computer does not already come with one. (If you already own a computer, you may purchase the adapter separately and install it yourself.) Be certain that your computer has the appropriate expansion slot for the required network adapter. All the information you need to become connected will be available at your main desk, or on-line at http://reslife.uvm.edu/resnet. NOTE: The following hardware/software requirements vary if you are enrolled in the School of Business Administration or Computer Science/Electric Engineering. Please contact your school directly if you need additional information. Hardware… Listed below are the minimum requirements & types of adapters and cable that UVM supports: IBM Compatible Macintosh Desktop: 486, 66MHz processor, Windows 3.x, 95 or 98 68040 or PowerPC processor Laptop: Pentium processor, Windows 95 or 98 System 7.1 or higher 16 MB RAM 16 MB RAM 50 MB free hard disk space 50 MB free disk space Desktop: one free ISA slot Desktop: Expansion slot if required for the adapter Portable: one free Type II PCMCIA slot Portable: One free Type II PCMCIA slot (if required) Check with Dealer to see if adapter required. Desktop Adapters: 3COM® 3c509b-TPO ISA Desktop Adapters: Farallon® (ask dealer which type) Portable Adapters: 3COM® 3c589d-TP PCMCIA Portable Adapters: Farallon® TP PCMCIA Cable Specifications (for connecting to the wall jack): MUST BE TIA568B Compliant (NO FLAT SATIN) You may purchase a cable at the ResTech Office for $10.00 in either a 25' or 40' length. Software… You will want a web browser for "surfing the net". Also, FTP and Telnet are useful for connecting to UVM's Library and other servers. Your complex main desk will have information on how to obtain the supported UVM Internet software, free of charge. If necessary, the CIT Helpline can assist (e-mail helpline@uvm.edu, or call x62604). Below is a list of supported software (for further information, visit http://cit.uvm.edu/softsupport): Windows Macintosh Microsoft Office Microsoft Office for Macintosh Lotus SmartSuite ClarisWorks /Apple Works / FileMaker Pro World Wide Web: Netscape Communicator, Navigator Electronic Mail: Eudora Light, Netscape Messenger Antivirus: Dr. Solomon's Antivirus Toolkit ~ Setting Up An E-Mail Account… Once you are a registered UVM student, you may set up your account at any time (even from home with a modem connection) by following the on-screen directions at http://cit.uvm.edu/account. The process is completed overnight, and you will receive an e-mail notification of your account information. Networked Computer Labs: Waterman Building, Living & Learning Complex, Simpson Hall, Bailey Howe Library. For all questions regarding use of your software, or problems connecting to the UVM network, please call the CIT Helpline at 802-656- 2604, or e-mail helpline@uvm.edu. The ResTech Office is located at the base of the main stairway, 107 Southwick Building, Redstone Campus. Office hours are from 8-12, 1- 4:30 M-F (802-656-3808, or e-mail ResTech@uvm.edu). During Opening Weekend, office hours will be from 10-2 both Saturday and Sunday. ** Use of UVM's network constitutes agreement to appropriate usage/policies (http://cit.uvm.edu/policies). ** Purchases made through the ResTech Office will be applied to student accounts. RtoFA98_Ju28.doc