Getting Started with Your Computer at Dartmouth

If you have questions, please contact the IT Service (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office.

 

Overview: Getting Started

There are two ways to connect to the Dartmouth Network: Ethernet (wired) and wireless. If you are living or working on campus, Ethernet is the recommended method because it is faster and more reliable than wireless or a modem. Ethernet jacks are marked with a blue plastic tab or dot in a box mounted on a wall in your room or office.

All Macintosh computers manufactured in the last several years have built-in Ethernet capabilities. Many Windows computers — and all Windows computers purchased through Computer Sales and Service — have an Ethernet port on the back or side of the computer that can be connected directly into the Ethernet jack with an Ethernet cable. Refer to the owner’s manual for specific Ethernet port locations.

If you do not have a network card in your computer, you can purchase one from Computer Sales and Service in 171 Carson Hall (646-3249).

Dartmouth has made changes to its wireless network infrastructure in 2008, including a new secure wireless network. In order to connect to the Ethernet network, you need to register your computer. See Network Registration for more information.

In order to get connected to Dartmouth Secure, our preferred wireless connection, please see the following instructions:

If you are unsure of the type of network connection on your computer, contact the IT Service Desk at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office. They will need to know the exact model of your computer.

Connecting Your Computer to the Ethernet Port

  1. Ethernet ports look like a standard telephone plug, but are slightly larger (eight wires instead of four). Locate the network port in your room or office. The active Ethernet port is the one identified by a blue plastic tab or dot.
  2. In College spaces with IP phones, your phone may be connected to the Ethernet port on the wall. Your computer could then be plugged in to the other jack on the IP phone (labeled "10/100 PC") or you could connect your computer to another active Ethernet port in the room or office.
  3. Plug the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port in the wall or the "10/100 PC" IP phone jack. Be sure it snaps into place and fits securely. Warning: A telephone cable (typically having 2 or 4 wires showing on the connecting plug instead of the 8 wires of an Ethernet cable) will plug in, but will not work.
  4. lanport With your computer turned off, plug the Ethernet cable into your computer. The Ethernet port on your computer will be marked with the <- - - >symbol and or have LEDs next to it.
  5. Turn your computer on.

 

 

Configuring Your Windows XP/Vista Computer

Note: These instructions apply to students. If you are a faculty or staff member, please see Setting Up Windows XP/Vista for the Dartmouth Network.

Windows Vista

Note: The following instructions for Windows Vista refer to the default Windows Vista interface. If you have changed your copy of Windows Vista to use the Windows Classic View interface, the instructions will be slightly different.

  1. The first step is to register your computer on the network. To do this, with your computer plugged into an Ethernet port on the Dartmouth network, open a web browser. You will be prompted to enter a description of your computer, then click Continue. Next, enter your DND (BlitzMail) user name and password, then click Login. Once you see a window that tells you your registration is complete, close your web browser and wait two minutes. Registrations are good for one year. You'll receive an e-mail a few days prior to the expiration of your registration reminding you to re-register.
  2. Next, from the Start menu, click Control Panel, then System and Maintenance, then System. Under the heading Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings select Change settings. Click the Change... button to the right of To rename this computer or change its domain or workgroup, click Change. In the Computer Name field, enter the first initial of your first name, then your last name with no spaces or periods (e.g., JDoe). Click the button next to Workgroup. Enter the workgroup for your dorm. If you don't know the workgroup for your dorm, see Work Groups for Windows Computers. Click OK twice. Close the System Control Panel window.
  3. Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet, then the Network and Sharing Center icon. Click the Manage network connections task on the left side of the window. Click to select Local Area Connection, and then right click and choose Properties from the menu choices. Make sure that Client for Microsoft Networks appears in the This connection uses the following items: box. If it is not there, install it by clicking Install, Client, then Add. Click Client for Microsoft Networks, then click OK. Check the box that appears to the left of the Client for Microsoft Networks listing if one does not already appear there.
  4. Click Client for Microsoft Networks to highlight it, then click Properties. Change the Name Service Provider to Windows Locator. Click OK.
  5. Check to see if Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) appears in the This connection uses the following items: box on the Networking tab. If it is not there, install it by clicking Install, Protocol, then Add. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then OK. Check the box that appears to the left of the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) listing if one does not already appear there. Click OK.
  6. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then Properties. Make sure Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically are selected. Click OK, then click Close to close the Local Area Connection Properties window.
  7. Restart your computer. Log on using the administrator name and password you established for your computer.

Windows XP

Note: The following instructions for Windows XP refer to the default Windows XP interface. If you have changed your copy of Windows XP to use the Windows Classic interface, the instructions will be slightly different.

  1. The first step is to register your computer on the network. To do this, with your computer plugged into an Ethernet port on the Dartmouth network, open a web browser. You will be prompted to enter a description of your computer, then click Continue. Next, enter your DND (BlitzMail) user name and password, then click Login. Once you see a window that tells you your registration is complete, close your web browser and wait two minutes. Registrations are good for one year. You'll receive an e-mail a few days prior to the expiration of your registration reminding you to re-register.
  2. Next, click Start, Control Panel, Performance and Maintenance, then System. In the System Control Panel window, click the Computer Name tab. In the Computer Description field, enter your name and the location of the computer (e.g., John Doe’s Dell in 25 Berry). Click the Change... button to the right of To rename this computer or join a domain. In the Computer Name field, enter the first initial of your first name, then your last name with no spaces or period (e.g., JDoe). Click the button next to Workgroup. Enter the workgroup for your dorm. If you don't know the workgroup for your dorm, see Work Groups for Windows Computers. Click OK twice.
  3. Click Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet Connections, then Network Connections. Right-click Local Area Connection, then Properties. Make sure that Client for Microsoft Networks is found in the This connection uses the following items box on the General tab. If it is not there, install it by clicking Install, Client, then Add. Click Client for Microsoft Networks, then click OK. Check the box that appears to the left of the Client for Microsoft Networks listing if one does not already appear there.
  4. Click Client for Microsoft Networks to highlight it, then click Properties. Change the Name Service Provider to Windows Locator. Click OK.
  5. Check to see if Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) appears in the This connection uses the following items box on the General tab. If it is not there, install it by clicking on Install, Protocol, then Add. Click Microsoft on the left side of that window, then click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then OK. Check the box that appears to the left of the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) listing if one does not already appear there. Click OK.
  6. Click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then Properties. Make sure Obtain an IP address automatically and Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically are selected. Click OK twice to close the Local Area Connection Properties window.
  7. Restart your computer. Log on to your computer using the administrator name and password you established for your computer.

Configuring Your Macintosh Computer Running Mac OS X

  1. The first step is to register your computer on the network. To do this, with your computer plugged into an Ethernet port on the Dartmouth network, open a web browser. You will be prompted to enter a description of your computer, then click Continue. Next, enter your DND (BlitzMail) user name and password, then click Login. Once you see a window that tells you your registration is complete, close your web browser and wait two minutes. Registrations are good for one year. You'll receive an e-mail a few days prior to the expiration of your registration reminding you to re-register.
  2. Next, select System Preferences from the Apple menu or the dock.
  3. Click the Network pane and ensure that the Location field shows Automatic. You may need to click the Lock icon in the lower-left corner to make changes if the lock is closed.
    • If your computer is using Mac OS 10.3 (Panther) or Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger), select Built-In Ethernet in the Show field. Click the TCP/IP tab.
    • If your computer is using Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard), click Built-In Ethernet from the list on the left side of the window.
  4. Select Using DHCP in the Configure or Configure IPv4 field.
  5. Click the Apply Now or Apply button at the bottom of the window, then close the window.

Personalizing Your Macintosh Computer

You will need to personalize your computer when you first set it up. Be sure to use a name that is unique to you. This allows us to easily contact you to help with any network problems your computer may have.

From the Apple menu or dock, select System Preferences, then Sharing. In the Computer Name field, enter the name of your computer (e.g., JADoe). Close the Sharing window.

If you have questions, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office.

Installing Your Dartmouth Software

There are several software applications that Dartmouth students typically use and are supported by Computing Services. These include BlitzMail for e-mail; Internet Explorer, Safari, or Mozilla Firefox for Internet connections; Microsoft Office for productivity tools (word processor, presentation program, spreadsheet); and Symantec AntiVirus for virus protection.

If you purchased a new computer from Dartmouth, these applications have already been installed.

If you purchased your computer elsewhere, or brought one from home, you may need to install the software yourself. You can download the core Dartmouth software, utilities, and documents from the Web. This should be relatively quick if you have an Ethernet connection to the Dartmouth network, but will be slow via a modem connection. To download the software, go to Core Dartmouth Software Downloads.

A more complete list of the hardware and software that Computing Services supports can be found at the Supported Hardware and Software Web page.

If you brought your own computer and want to purchase the Microsoft Office suite of applications, contact Computer Sales and Service at 646-3249.

Using BlitzMail

Once you have BlitzMail installed on your computer, you will be able to send and receive e-mail at Dartmouth or through the Internet. Dartmouth creates a BlitzMail account for all new students, faculty, and staff and assigns a default password.

Your e-mail address (and your DND name) consists of your first name, your middle initial, then your last name, separated by periods, followed by @dartmouth.edu. For example, if your name is John A. Doe, your e-mail address is John.A.Doe@dartmouth.edu. Be sure to use your full name when giving people off campus your e-mail address. Doing this will ensure delivery of all your electronic mail during your tenure at Dartmouth. Nicknames may not be or remain unique, so we can only guarantee mail delivery to e-mail addresses using your full DND name.

NOTE: In those instances where two people have the same first name, middle initial and last name, we expand the middle name to differentiate between the two accounts (e.g. John Alan Doe and John Adam Doe), or append the department or class year to the account name (e.g. John A. Doe 10 and John A. Doe 12).

Your default password is normally set to a randomly generated series of characters. This information is sent to your on-campus (Hinman) mail box or to your home if you are a commuting student. If you do not receive your password mailer from Computing Services, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, or call your department's IT support office. To have your password reset, you must have your Dartmouth ID or some other picture ID with you.

Changing Your DND Password

The first time you sign on to your BlitzMail account, you should change your password to something private. Your Dartmouth Name Directory (DND) password is the key to your BlitzMail account and to other resources on the Dartmouth network. It’s a good idea to change your password periodically to ensure privacy.

Select BlitzMail from the Menu bar, then Edit DND Entry. Click the Change Password button. Enter your current password in the Current password field, then press the [Tab] key. Your password appears on the screen as bullets so that someone looking over your shoulder cannot see what you entered. Enter your new password, press the [Tab] key, then enter your new password again to verify you entered it correctly. Click OK or Change Now. Close the Edit DND Entry window.

Your new password should be something hard for others to guess, but easy for you to remember. Do not use your birth date, personal names, nicknames, initials, or words in the dictionary. Use only letters and numbers in your password (no symbols, etc.).

There are specific rules to which your password must conform in order to be accepted as a valid password. These rules will make it much more difficult for someone else to guess your password.

A mixture of numbers and upper- and lower-case letters is strongly recommended. The rules are:

  • It can only include numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, or the following special characters: . - _ ( ) & + * " " ' @ ! % / \ ? : = ~ #  
  • It must be at least seven, but no more than eight characters in length;
  • There can be no more than four characters in sequence (e.g., 12345 or abcde are not allowed);
  • It must contain at least five different characters (e.g., 2a3a2a3a only contains three different characters, so it is not allowed);
  • It cannot be a word found in the dictionary (e.g., password);
  • It cannot be a reversal of a word found in the dictionary (e.g., drowssap);
  • It cannot be a word found in the dictionary, plus one additional character either before or after the word (e.g., xalgebra or algebrax);
  • It cannot be a word found in the dictionary with numbers substituted for look-alike letters  (e.g., passw0rd or pa55word); and
  • It cannot be a word found in the dictionary, minus any punctuation, symbols, or numbers  (e.g., oclock or soninlaw).

One of the easiest way to create a secure password is to use a phrase instead of a word - this is known as a passphrase.  To create a passphrase, select the first character of each word in the phrase and substitute numbers where logical. For example, while  Henry5 is not a good password, the phrase Once more into the breach, dear friends, which when modified to 1mi2tbDF, is a strong one. The addition of the multiple characters makes this that much harder to break (please do not use this example as your own). Using a passphrase instead of a simple password can be both easy to remember and secure.

If you have questions, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office.

Learning to Use BlitzMail

Explore BlitzMail by reading, composing, and sending messages to your friends. Online help is available on Macintosh computers by selecting BlitzMail from the Menu bar, then BlitzMail Help. On Windows computers, click Help from the Menu bar, then Contents.

Printing on the Dartmouth Network

Dartmouth provides public printers for students to use. Printers are located in the Berry, Kresge and Feldberg libraries, in the Collis Center, and in the Brace, Little and MacLane dormitories. A complete list is available on the Computing Web site; see Where Are the GreenPrint Release Stations (Printers)? 

For more information about installing and using GreenPrint on your computer, see GreenPrint.

Print jobs are held for a minimum time (currently 24 hours). If you do not release your print job from the GreenPrint queue before the time has expired, the print job is removed from the print queue. You will need to resubmit it. Please conserve resources and paper whenever possible.

If you have questions, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office.

Using a Public Printer

For instructions on installing the GreenPrint client on your computer, select one of the following:

Once installed, you will be able to print to the GreenPrint Release Stations.

Connecting and Using Your Own Printer

Refer to the manual that came with your printer to make sure it is properly attached and configured for your computer. If you have questions, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office. The consultants will do their best to assist you. They do not know about all possible printers, so it will help if you have your printer manual handy.

Getting Help

If you are a student and you encounter problems with your computer, you should contact the Student IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 (Press 2) between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Friday. The IT Service Desk is closed Saturday and Sunday. Hours vary by term.

The Student IT Service Desk is staffed by knowledgeable students and full-time professional staff who have experience in getting connected to the Dartmouth network, using the standard applications, using the public printers, and configuring computers. If you are having a hardware problem, they can direct you to where you can get help.

If you are a faculty or staff member in an academic or administrative departments and have questions, please contact the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and select from the options provided, send electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or call your department's IT support office.