So you want a network connection... You came to the right place.
This guide will help you get all the pieces in place so that you
can get on the WPI network with minimum of fuss.
What You Need
WPI provides networking services to faculty and staff on campus.
There are a few things that you need to complete in order to get a
computer on WPI's network.
You must register the network card to obtain an IP address.
You must request network outlet activation.
Your department must pay any activation fees that are required.
Faculty and staff on any campus requiring a network connection for
a permanent (non-portable) computer will need to register the computer
for the building in which it resides, request a network outlet
activation, and submit an account number to Network
Operations for the activation fee.
Registering a computer for use on the Academic Network
To register a new computer for connecting to the WPI Network in
your office or lab, you will need to get the Hardware MAC Address from
your wired Ethernet card (see Finding your Hardware
MAC Address if you need help) and then register this Hardware MAC
Address on the Network
Registration page.
Select "Building: Range" from the IP
Range list, where Building is the name of the
building where you intend to use the system, and
Range is the name of the department,
organization, or other designation that most closely matches
the intended use of the system and click Continue.
Note: A computer registered in a building other than the
one in which it is residing will not work on the network.
For laptops and other portable devices, select "Portable:
Mobile Wired Systems" from the IP Range list and click
Continue. You will be able to plug this device into
any available active outlet in any Academic or Administrative
building. Desktop computers and other non-portable devices
are not to be registered as portable.
Choose and fill in a Hostname for the system, or
leave this field blank to allow NetReg to assign one
automatically.
Select the computer's Operating System from the
list.
For your own record keeping purposes, you may enter the
Model and Serial Number of the system.
Select the correct Affiliation for the system.
Normally, this is the department or organization that owns the
system, or "Privately Owned Machines" for personal systems.
This allows the IT administrator of the chosen department or
organization to view and edit this record in NetReg.
Click the Continue button.
After submitting changes, you must wait 30 minutes
before they take effect.
You MUST configure your system to use DHCP to obtain its IP
address. Using BOOTP or entering an IP address manually is not
allowed and will not work.
If you need to change any information at a later date, simply visit
the Network Registration page and
click on the Hostname of the system you wish to modify. Change
what you need to change and submit the form.
Note: Any changes you make do not take effect until
approximately 30 minutes after the form is submitted. Connecting a
computer prematurely will cause network difficulties.
Now that your computer is registered you will need a place
to plug it in. Choose an available network outlet in the room
and note the number on the wall plate and the color of the
jack. The network jacks are red, white, and blue. Grey jacks
are telephone outlets. Contact netops@wpi.edu with this
information and the WPI account number to which you wish to
charge the activation fee. There is currently a one-time
outlet activation fee of $200. In some cases, such as a
computer being moved between rooms or a department having a
surplus of drops purchased, there may not be a charge. Network
Operations will contact you either in person or by email to
let you know when the drop is active.
Faculty and staff who wish to use laptops or portable devices on
the Wireless Network need to register
separately for this service. There is no fee for wireless
registration. It is recommended, however, that all devices maintain a
registration for wired access to the network, if possible, in addition
to a wireless registration, since the wireless network is provided for
convenience only and will never have the same speed, availability, or
reliability as a wired connection.
Registering a computer for use on the Wireless Network
Select the computer's Operating System from the
list.
For your own record keeping purposes, you may enter the
Model and Serial Number of the system.
Select the correct Affiliation for the system.
Normally, this is the department or organization that owns the
system, or "Privately Owned Machines" for personal systems.
This allows the IT administrator of the chosen department or
organization to view and edit this record in NetReg.
Click the Continue button.
After submitting changes, you must wait 30 minutes
before they take effect.
You MUST configure your system to use DHCP to obtain its IP
address. Using BOOTP or entering an IP address manually is not
allowed and will not work.
If you need to change any information at a later date, simply visit
the Network Registration page and
click on the Hostname of the system you wish to modify. Change
what you need to change and submit the form.
Note: Any changes you make do not take effect until
approximately 30 minutes after the form is submitted. Connecting a
computer prematurely will cause network difficulties.