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UNL ResNet

How to Connect 2009

Get Connected to the Internet in your UNL Residence Hall

  • No routers, hubs or switches

    Do not bring a router (wireless or wired), hub or switch into the residence halls. It will cause conflicts on the University Network and will get your network connection shut off. This is an Information Services Networking policy and is necessary to protect the integrity of the network.

    Wired connection and registration
    Use a network cable to connect your computer to any of the gray network jacks in your room. All jacks are active.

    You need to provide your own Ethernet cable. If your desk space is across the room from the Ethernet ports, you probably need a 25 foot cable. If you don't have one, they are available for purchase at the Computer Shop. Use the Ethernet cable to connect your computer to one of the network jacks in your room.

    Turn on the computer and open a web browser (preferably Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari.)

    You should be immediately directed to the "Residence hall registration" web page. If not, put http://reshall-registration.unl.edu/ into the address bar of your browser. Click 'Next'.

    The first page you see explains the University's policy regarding illegal downloading of copyrighted material. Once you have read the policy and understand it, click 'Next'.

    The registration page will then ask you to download and run the scanner.

    The scanner will check your computer to see that you have an antivirus program installed and that your security patches are current. The two biggest reasons the scanner will not run are if your firewall is set too high (Norton Internet Security especially), or your default browser is something other than Internet Explorer or Firefox (AOL's browser is especially troublesome).

    You may have to temporarily disable your firewall and/or set your default browser to IE to get the scanner to work. The scanner will open a new window in your default browser and give you a report of what it found.

    If you do not have an antivirus program installed, there will be a link to the University-licensed Sophos download site. You'll need to download and install the free Sophos antivirus software before the scan can continue.

    Once you've gotten past the antivirus portion, the scanner will check for vital Microsoft patches, if applicable.
    We require all Windows XP computers to have Service Pack 2 installed.

    If you don't have this installed already, you can check out a Windows XP Service Pack 2 install CD at your front desk. (Students with non-English versions of XP, contact the I.S. Computer Help Center at 472-3970.)

    There are a limited number of CDs available and the install will take some time, depending on the speed of your computer, so please return the CD to the desk as soon as you're done so others can use it.

    Once your computer has the required minimum patch level, you will be required to log in using your My.UNL (Blackboard) ID and password.

    The ID will be something like 's-firstinitiallaststnamenumber' and your password will be the 8 digit 'NU ID' on your N-Card, unless you've changed it in Blackboard already.

    Once you're logged in, you will be instructed to wait 45 minutes and then reboot your machine.

    With the impact of 6,000 returning and new students attempting to connect to ResNet during fall move-in, the server may need 45 minutes to an hour to complete your registration. After that time, you should reboot your computer. You should now have full network access.

     

    Wireless Network Access - connection and registration

    All Residence halls have wireless network access.

    • NOTE: Abel Hall is in the final stages of remodeling and is in the process of being configured for wireless access. Abel should have wireless access available sometime in September 2009.

     

    If you're already registered for wireless elsewhere on campus, you should be able to connect to UNL-AIR in the residence halls.

    To register for wireless in the residence halls you'll need to know your Wireless Network Card Address (also called the MAC or hardware address.) Instructions for that are at http://resnet.unl.edu/wireless_MAC.php. You'll also need to find a computer already connecting to the network, such as in a computer lab. Once you have your MAC address, go to http://wireless-reg.unl.edu/. Log in here with your My.UNL (Blackboard) ID and password. Once logged in, click on "Register a card." The next page is "Wireless card information." Carefully type in the hardware address and then click 'next'. Confirm the address is correct and click 'next' again to submit the registration. You should be able to connect wirelessly in about 10 minutes. Once you register for wireless in the residence halls, connect to UNL-AIRYou should be able to connect elsewhere on campus as well (such as in classrooms, libraries, the Unions, etc.) via UNL-AIR.

    Help, questions, advice?

    If you have questions or non-computer devices to connect to the network, please first check the ResNet web site, http://resnet.unl.edu/.

    • If your questions are not covered there, call us at 472-3535. Walk-in help is available at the ResNet office, located in the Abel/Sandoz Welcome Center. We will be open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Thursday, August 20th through Sunday August 23rd. Starting Monday August 24th, we will be open regular hours as posted on the website.

    If you have problems logging into the "Residence hall registration" page, call the I.S. Computer Help Center at 472-3970. They can look up your My.UNL login and, if necessary, reset your password. If you have any other problems with the registration process, call ResNet at 472-3535. We're here to help.