Important Information for Incoming Students

Students arriving on campus for the first time are certain to have many questions about all aspects of the Central Washington University experience. In order to ease the trasition to campus life, Resnet Support has compiled the following list of crucial items that students must be aware of in order to access the internet on campus through Resnet.

Wireless Routers

Personal wireless routers are not allowed on Resnet, for the following reasons:

• Unsecured or improperly secured threaten CWU network equiptment and other Resnet users.
• The integrated firewalls in many routers marketed towards SOHO (small-office, home-office) applications have been known to cause network disruptions through inappropriate implementations of networking protocols.
• The number of wireless frequencies are limited. Having many wireless routers in a condensed area such as a residence hall will lead to interference with other devices.
• Wireless signal saturation will interfere with CWU's wireless expansion projects and ability to deploy wireless access into the residence halls in the future.

Minimum Computer Requirements

Resnet support recommends that before making a purchasing decision you review the ITS Computer Recommendations. Most computers with a network card are able to access the Resnet network, however, computers not meeting recommendations from ITS are only eligible for technical support at the discrecion of Resnet support staff on a case-by-case basis.

Minimum Security Requirements

Every computer that accesses Resnet must adhere to the minimum security requirements. Machines failing to meet these requirements may be able to access the network for a time, however, computers that are disabled for any violation of the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) will not be allowed access to the network until the minimum security requirements are met.

Anti-virus and Definition Files

We strongly encourage you to install anti-virus software and update the definition files (files that help detect new viruses) frequently. Definition files can be set to update automatically or manually. However you decide to update your definition files, you will need to update them once a week in order to keep your anti-virus protection effective. Anti-virus software is a great method to protect your computer system.

We recommend Avast, AVG, Bit Defender, McAfee, or Norton. However, remember that any anti-virus software is better than none.

If you desire a free anti-virus product, we recommend using Avast. AVG and Bit Defender also offer a feature-limited free version.

Remember: if your computer is spreading viruses, your internet access will be disabled.

Spyware

Spyware is software that is installed surreptitiously onto a computer. 'Spyware' is a general term, and is not limited only to software which performs espionage. Spyware can be installed through security holes in a system, through websites, or even by piggybacking with legitimate software. Spyware is without question the largest security threat on Resnet.

Frequently Asked Questions about arriving on campus

What do I need to bring to campus?

In order to have as quick and painless of a Resnet setup experience as possible, we ask that everyone review the minimum computer requirements, to make sure that your computer meets both the minimum hardware requirements, and also that it has sufficient antivirus and antispyware protection.

In addition, you will want to make sure that you arrive on campus with the following:

• A network (category 5) cable. 30 feet is sufficient for most purposes; Students living in some of the larger or more oddly-shaped rooms may benefit from having a longer cable.
  • You may also wish to invest in cable ties of some sort to hang the cable with if you need to run it around the edge of a room to the other side. 3M makes some adhesive clips which work very well for this purpose.
• All of the original materials that came with your computer. This includes CDs, manuals, and warrenty information.
  • In some cases, Resnet or other university staff when giving technical support may recommend reinstalling the operating system. Without the disks that came with the computer, this cannot be done. Note: Resnet and other university staff are not able to provide reinstallation support. If a reinstallation is required, you will be referred to another support vendor.