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 fuss.

What You Need

WPI provides networking services to students living on and off campus. There are three things that you need to complete to get a computer on WPI's network:

  1. You must register the network card to obtain an IP address.
  2. You must sign up for a network outlet.
  3. You must pay any activation fees that are required.

How to Get Connected

Off Campus and Commuter Students

Off campus and commuter students can register their portable computers for use with the WPI network. This will allow you to plug your laptop or portable computer's Ethernet port into active network outlets around campus in some areas of the library, labs, and common areas. You will not be able to use your computer in the Residential Network (see Residence Halls and Greek Houses). Wireless Network access is also handled separately.

Registering the computer for use on the wired Portable network

To register your laptop or portable computer 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.

  1. Find your Ethernet card's Hardware MAC Address.
  2. Go to the Network Registration page.
  3. Log in with your CCC Unix login name and password if you are not already authenticated with Pubcookie.
  4. Click [Register New Machine].
  5. Select "Portable: Mobile Wired Systems" from the IP Range list and click Continue.
  6. Choose and fill in a Hostname for the system, or leave this field blank to allow NetReg to assign one automatically.
  7. Enter the Hardware MAC Address you found above.
  8. Select the computer's Operating System from the list.
  9. For your own record keeping purposes, you may enter the Model and Serial Number of the system.
  10. Make sure the Affiliation is set to Privately Owned Machines.
  11. Click the Continue button.
  12. 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 ("Obtain IP address automatically"). 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.

Residence Halls and Greek Houses

Students living in Residence Halls can sign up for a permanent (for the duration of their residence) connection to the WPI network. The cost of a 10/100/1000 Mbps connection for one computer per resident in the Residence Halls is included in the housing fee.

Students living in those Greek Houses which have a current contract with WPI for network connectivity can also sign up for a connection to the WPI network. There are 10/100/1000 Mbps connections within each building, and a 150 Mbps wireless link back to the WPI campus. The network equipment and wireless link are maintained by WPI Network Operations, but the contract does not cover any maintenance to the internal Ethernet wiring (from each room back to the network equipment) in each Greek House. There are no per-resident fees assessed by WPI for the first (one) computer per resident, however there may be fees assessed by the Greek organization.

Additional machine registrations beyond the first, in either the Residence Halls or Greek Houses, can be purchased for an additional fee (see Hubbed systems). Wireless Network access is also handled separately.

Registering a computer for use on the Residential Network

To sign up for a connection in the Residence Halls or Greek Houses 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 the number and jack color of the network outlet that you want to plug into (see picture). This information will need to be registered on the Network Registration page.

  1. Connect to an available network outlet in your room. The network jacks are red, white, and blue. Grey jacks are telephone outlets.
  2. Open a web browser. You should be automatically redirected to the Network Registration page.
  3. Log in with your CCC Unix login name and password if you are not already authenticated with Pubcookie.
  4. You should be presented with automatically detected information about your system, including the MAC addres and building. Click Continue.
  5. Choose and fill in a Hostname for the system, or leave this field blank to allow NetReg to assign one automatically.
  6. Select the computer's Operating System from the list.
  7. For your own record keeping purposes, you may enter the Model and Serial Number of the system.
  8. Make sure the Affiliation is set to Privately Owned Machines.
  9. Click the Continue button.
  10. 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 ("Obtain IP address automatically"). 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.

Special Cases for Students

Here are some instructions for special cases that students living in on-campus Residence Halls or Greek Houses are likely to encounter.

Hubbed Systems
Students living in Residence Halls and Greek Houses are allocated a quota of one computer registration in the wired Residential Network. Students who wish to have a second or more machines on the wired Residential Network may purchase a Machine Registration Quota Increase and use an unmanaged hub or switch to connect multiple computers to a single network outlet, or they can use separate network outlets if available in lieu of a switch. Each computer must have its own unique Hardware MAC Address registered in NetReg so it can be assigned a unique WPI IP address. There is a non-refundable fee of $20.00 for each quota increase requested through NetReg. Once logged in, click [Purchase Machine Registration Quota Increase] and you will have a chance to confirm your purchase.

Note: Routers, Network Address Translation (NAT, also known as IP Masquerading and Internet Connection Sharing) devices, and other devices or software that allow computers with unregistered Hardware MAC Addresses to acquire network connectivity through the WPI network are never allowed on the WPI network under any circumstances. Managed switches and hubs (those that have their own Hardware MAC Address and have the ability to be assigned an IP Address) are not recommended since they may cause network difficulty due to the security implemented in the Residential Network.

Laptops and Portables registered in the Residential Network
Students living in the Residence Halls or Greek Houses who wish to plug a laptop or portable computer's wired Ethernet connection into outlets in the Campus Center, Library or labs around campus no longer need to register separately for this service. Once the computer is registered for use in the Residential Network, it will automatically work in all Academic and Administrative buildings, as well as any outlet in the same Residence Hall or Greek House where it is registered.

You MUST configure your system to use DHCP to obtain its IP address ("Obtain IP address automatically"). Using BOOTP or entering an IP address manually is not allowed and will not work.