Student Network Consultants
SNCs main responsibility is to help with connection issues, but we will gladly try to answer any questions you may have. We may not be able to resolve the problem or answer your question, but we should be able to direct you to a resource that can.
Please contact the Help Desk at x6395 or come to the first floor of Fellows hall if you need help with your personal computer.
Have a laptop? Bring it with your power cable and your password.
Have a desktop? Bring any error messages and dates and times when you are available for an appointment.
Services
Computing Services hires, trains, and schedules students to work as SNCs and help other students with troubleshooting network connectivity problems. Because of liability concerns, the SNCs will be primarily "hands-off" other students' computers, but our detailed instructions and expert advise will help most students resolve most problems with their computers.
SNCs can instruct you to:
- Identify and resolve trouble with network interface cards (NIC) - the hardware that connects to the network.
- Resolve TCP/IP problems - the foundation of your network connection.
- Properly configure Internet browsers and email clients.
- Determine the network cable and network port are functioning properly.
- Identify and resolve problems connecting to the Novell services.
SNCs do not help with:
- Re-installing an operating system (sometimes the only solution), trouble with updates (follow all instructions careful to avoid such trouble), driver installation or problems.
- Hardware problems, installation, etc. These problems and instructions are generally best left to the hardware manufacturer. If you don't understand what they want you to do, let us know and we'll translate the best we can.
- Software - there are simply too many possibilities here and again, any problems and instructions are best handled by the vendor.
- Consultations regarding system upgrades - this is covered in other areas, but it is worthing spelling out here. While it may seem like we know everything, most of us aren't systems engineers. Something may have worked well for us in our experience, but Computing Services wouldn't be happy if we led you astray if even unintentially. Most computer vendors and local stores have experts who are happy to assist with this kind of thing and stand behind the information they give you.
- Selling hardware, software, or supplies. Try the bookstore - they say they have everything you could possibly need.