Visitors

No, it is not necessary to bring a computer to campus. During the 2003-2004 school year, about 85% of the students had registered a computer for network access in their rooms. The remaining 15% and a good portion of those with computers in their rooms made use of the public and departmental labs. We have more than 158 computers for general use (such as e-mail, online research, and writing papers). Including the departmental and special purpose computers that students have access to, we have more than 480 computers available for students to use. This is a ratio of 1 computer for every 5 students.

Denison provides free laser printing for academic purposes in every public and departmental lab. Bringing a personal printer is not necessary, but some students find it convenient.

Denison's labs are about 70% PC and about 30% Macintosh. Students' computers generally reflect those percentages, though it changes each year. Our first recommendation is that students check with the Department of their major. If the student is undecided or the Department does not have a firm recommendation, the student should purchase whichever type of computer he or she is more comfortable using. The computer labs will generally provide whatever additional resources are needed for any project.

Laptops have the advantage of being portable and taking up less space. They do, however, cost more, are not as powerful as desktops, and carry some extra security concerns. Denison's environment supports both laptops and desktops equally, so the decision should be based on your budget and personal preference.

Although Denison does not sell computers, Apple and Dell both provide educational discounts. Once a student is assigned a Slayter box number in July, the Slayter mailroom will hold packages for that student until he or she arrives on campus. Thus, a student may order a computer and have it shipped directly to Denison, eliminating some computer shipping hassle.

All of the labs are available during normal building hours (8am to 11pm). Departmental lab hours vary due to class schedules and lab monitoring hours, but many departments can assign keys to department majors so that they can work in the labs anytime. Fellows 101 - our largest public lab, with 46 computers - is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The software on each public computer is updated at least once or twice a year. The computers in each of the labs are replaced about every fourth year.

Denison currently maintains fiber optic cable lines for a total of 60 megabits per second throughput. Thirty-six megabits per second are dedicated to Internet, while 1.6 megabits per second are dedicated to internet 2 traffic. These lines are shared between the Denison webpage and email server, as well as the more than 400 faculty and staff and more than 2000 students.

Because of the popularity of Napster, Kazaa, and other file-sharing programs, we have implemented a bandwidth management tool that allows us to prioritize down the types of traffic that can be identified as non-academic. Web browsing and normal file downloads all have equal priority on our Internet connection; however, file-sharing programs are restricted so that they can only use a certain portion of our total connection bandwidth. This effectively allows file sharing, but makes it very slow, since many users are trying to use a smaller connection.

We were forced to make a decision about file sharing when it became apparent that these programs could completely saturate our internet lines and make the connection unusable for more legitimate academic purposes. Our policy allows us to identify types of Internet traffic that are seldom used for academic purposes and restrict them so that the remainder of our Internet traffic can flow at a reasonable rate.

Each dorm room on campus has one Ethernet port for each student that will live in the room. Our campus is connected with both an Ethernet network and a wireless network, both of which are completely separate from the phone system. All computers must have an Ethernet card and an Ethernet cable to connect to the network. Denison provides a 14-foot Ethernet cable to all students who register their computers.

Once you arrive on campus, you can visit the Help Desk in Fellows hall and pick up an Ethernet cable and a BigRedDisc, which contains valuable information and troubleshooting tips. If you experience no problems, you can connect by simply running the BigRedDisc on your computer before plugging in your ethernet cable and following its instructions.

All of the recommended computers from Apple and Dell come equipped with Ethernet cards. Almost all manufacturers offer this as an option, so if you are not buying from Apple or Dell, make sure your machine has an Ethernet card or Network Interface card.

Yes! Denison's campus is now 95% wireless, so connecting from virtually any location is possible. We also offer what we call NOMAD (Network Open Multiple Access Device) ports in several locations around campus, including the library and Slayter student union. You can find the full list here. Your computer must be registered in a dorm room at least 24 hours before being using one of these NOMAD ports.

The Help Desk is open seven days a week during the school year to help with basic problems or direct you to the proper person for more complex issues. Computing Services addresses student problems related to the campus network, computer labs, email, and other Denison-provided services. Network problems that the Help Desk cannot resolve are sent to a Student Network Consultant (SNC), who are available Saturday to Thursday from 5pm to 7pm at the Huffman and the Curtis Service Centers. Laptops can be brought into the service centers. If the student has a desktop, the SNC will schedule an appointment to come to the student's room. Most problems will be resolved in less than one week. If necessary, the SNC will direct the problem to the network engineer or someone else who can help.

Computing Services does not repair student computers or attempt to solve problems related to the operating system or other software. Problems related to hardware, software, or operating system can be addressed by someone on our referral list. Computing Services maintains this list for the community's convenience; we do not certify or endorse anyone on the list.

If your computer breaks and you believe your problem is related to the campus network, your email, or another Denison service, please contact the Help Desk in Fellows (x6395). If the problem is related to the hardware or software on your computer, start by visiting the Support Center, calling your manufacturer's tech support, or contacting someone on our referral list.

Denison has had few, if any, laptops stolen from locked dorm rooms. To protect your computer, never leave it unattended and always lock your room if you are not present.

Yes, each student is assigned an e-mail account in August of his or her first year.

Each student is given ample space on the email server in addition to 100MB of space on our Novell server. If this space is not sufficient for a student's academic needs, then an increase in storage space can be requested by emailing the HelpDesk (helpdesk@denison.edu).

Other specific applications are available depending on class enrollment. For example, Computer Science students can install Microsoft Visual Studio to complete programming assignments, while Psychology students can use certain statistical programs for research assignments.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft Office 2004 for Macintosh, and Macintosh OS X are also available at the library for a 3-day loan.

Many professors use e-mail to communicate with students. Some also use Blackboard, Denison's online courseware application.

No, Denison does not offer classes via the internet at this time.

At this time, registration is still completed by visiting the Registrar's Office on the 2nd Floor of Doane. However, DU Self-Serivce may facilitate online registration in a few years, and the Registration Database, Course Catalog, and Schedule of Classes are published on the web.

All of our network servers have up-to-date virus protection, but our Internet connection allows students to connect to unsecured servers. Therefore, Denison has purchased a license for McAfee Anti-Virus software and requires every student to install it on his or her machine.

APC, Tripplite, and other companies manufacture units (for around $50) that contain batteries to allow your computer to stay on for a certain period of time once the main power goes out. This gives you time to save any open documents and shut down the computer properly. This will extend the life of the computer and its parts and safeguard you against losing unsaved changes to important assignments.

The Support Center provides additional resources that students use to protect their computers.