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Students who bring computers other than those recommended sometimes have problems getting their computers connected to the Dartmouth network, even when the computer appears to meet our specifications. In some cases, these problems could not be resolved, and as a result, those systems did not meet the computer ownership requirement. You should not assume that because you are bringing a relatively new, brand-name computer that it will meet the computer ownership requirement. Resolving problems on systems not supported by Dartmouth may require time and money — and leave you without a computer in the meantime.
If you choose to purchase a new or used system from a source other than Dartmouth, you should carefully consider what you buy. If you want to purchase something other than what’s being recommended, you can pre-order it from us and pick it up at Computer Sales and Service, or you can wait until you get on campus to make your purchase. You can also order something from an outside vendor, but it will not be preconfigured for our network, and you will have to purchase a CD with Dartmouth’s software package and install it yourself. You will also need to separately purchase basic commercial software, such as Microsoft Office and Symantec AntiVirus (available at educational discounts at Computer Sales and Service) and install them yourself.
Also we only support the specific computer models we recommend: Macintosh computers running Mac OS X and the Dell line of computers running the Windows Vista Ultimate edition or Windows XP Professional. If you buy or bring a personal computer other than one of the recommended models, you will need to take your computer off campus for warranty repair and support.
If you purchased your computer elsewhere, you must contact the incoming student computer hotline to discuss your options and to find out about our standards for network interface cards and other key components. Call the incoming student computer hotline at 1-603-646-1104 (from the U.S. or Canada) or 1-866-720-7567 (from outside the U.S. or Canada; the call is toll-free).
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