Getting Connected Checklist
For this course, you will need a modern processor computer with disk space and memory
to spare, a PID (which is used as your e-mail address), an ethernet IP (or SLIP)
address, and software. VT students can take care of most of these items during Fall
Express Check-In at Squires Student Center (Commonwealth Ballroom). Much of the
information on getting connected at VT is linked off of the VT Computer Requirements Web site.
- Activate your PID (Personal IDentification) at Tech Connect Check-In (Computing Center
section) or at one of the Computing Centers service locations (120 Burruss, 4th floor
Ambler Johnston, 220 Hutcheson, or 5 Hillcrest). You must show your student ID.
- If you have a Windows or Macintosh system, pick up the full Internet services software
at Express Check-In (Computing Center section). If you get the software at Express
Check-In, it is free. However, you can go to 220 Hutcheson or Newman Library Tech Connect
(second floor Media Center), anytime during the semester and pick up software in exchange
for usable high density diskettes.
- On-campus users need a Network Interface Card (NIC). The VT computing center has posted ethernet card recommendations.
- Off-campus students will need to purchase a modem. The VT computing
center has posted modem
recommendations. Off-campus students will also need a Student Telecommunications modem
pool account.
- If you live in an apartment with Ethernet, you need to contact the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) office to get your IP
address and to get your Ethernet activated.
If you cannot get connected you can contact 4HELP and perhaps either plan on using
a Computing Center lab machine or consider dropping the course.
Students should possess either a UNIX workstation, a Macintosh (PowerPC class) or a MS
Windows (Intel Pentium 200 MHz processor or better) computer with at least 32 meg of
primary memory, and at least a 100MB of free hard disk space and a CD-ROM.
- Macintosh Labs Detailed Instructions (This file is in
PDF format and requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader application. Please note that this file
was created by another Tech Instructor [Dr. M.B. Oliver] for her Communications course. We
gratefully acknowledge her permission to use this document.)
Non-Va Tech Students
Non Blacksburg students will need to establish an account with an Internet Service
Provider (ISP). Yahoo
has an extensive list of ISPs. ISP will have their own support staff to help customers
get connected Typically ISPs will require customers to go through a setup procedure to
establish a SLIP (Serial Line Interface Protocol) or Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) modem connection to their
modem pool. Charm Net has a good listing of sites
with SLIP/PPP connection information. Yahoo has collected together a comprehensive
listing of sites with information for people getting
started with Internet connections.
Author: Judy Watson
& Dwight Barnette
Curator: Computer Science Dept : VA TECH © Copyright
1994-1999.
Last Updated: 5/17/99