Student Computers

WPI Residential Network (ResNet)
Computer recommendations
Purchasing a Computer from Dell or Lenovo
Things to Consider
Operating systems and desktop software

Support

WPI ResNet

Every residence hall room at WPI is wired for a 10/100Mbps Ethernet connection to WPI's local campus-wide network and, by extension, to both the Internet and Internet2. This means you do not need a modem. To connect a computer to the WPI ResNet, an Ethernet card is required. Computers designed for the business and scientific communities have these Ethernet cards as standard equipment. If you plan to purchase a computer before coming to WPI, please choose a business-class computer that meets the minimum configuration detailed below, not a computer designed for home use with just a modem. To ensure the system is configured and operating properly, be sure to have the Ethernet card installed and tested. After your arrival, the WPI Helpdesk can assist you in properly configuring your network via the Residential Network Signup Form. Ports are activated at a speed of 100Mbps. For more information about networking at WPI, check out the Internet & Network page.

Computer Recommendations

Students are not required to buy their own computer at WPI as the campus is equipped with many computer labs containing computers of various platforms with a wide range of accessories and software available for student use. If you plan to purchase a new computer before coming to campus, the following configuration should meet your needs throughout the next four years at WPI.

Newly Purchased Desktop Systems	Newly Purchased Notebook/Tablet Systems
Intel Core 2 duo /AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core or higher 3GB of RAM minimun* 250GB hard drive Flat panel monitor 10/100 - Ethernet adapter (RJ-45) network card DVD+/-RW drive Windows Vista^*	Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Turion 64 X2 Dual Core 3GB RAM minimum* 160GB hard drive LCD capable of 1024x768 Integrated Network card and Integrated Wireless 802.11a/b/g card (must support WPA2-Enterprise) DVD+/-RW Windows Vista^*

Note: Students who are enrolled in the IMGD program should get a system with a Dedicated graphics card (e.g. Nvidia or ATI) as opposed to an Integrated Graphics Chip (e.g. Intel)

* : 32-Bit versions of Windows cannot address more than 3 GB of RAM. In order to use 4GB of RAM or more you must have a 64-bit operating system. Please note we have not tested all academic software on Vista 64-bit, and cannot guarantee that the software will work correctly.

^*Please note: The WPI Microsoft Campus Agreement entitles all students to one copy of Windows Vista Ultimate Edition so you can save money by purchasing a computer with Windows Vista Home Basic and then upgrade once you arrive on campus. Get more information at www.wpi.edu/+CLA.

Macintosh

Macintoshes work on our campus network but much of the academic software that is used here is only available on the Windows or Unix platforms. However, we offer a terminal server that is available to Mac users for remote application use. Our Microsoft Campus License Agreement does allow you to install Microsoft Windows via Boot Camp on Intel based Mac OS X 10.5 computers. However due to inconsistent driver support, many applications may not function properly. Video intensive applications will not function within Parallels or VMWare Fusion. These configurations may not receive full support for all applications.

If you plan to bring an older computer, we suggest it have at least the specifications listed below. Please note that, depending on your usage, a computer meeting these specifications may not serve you adequately past your first year or two at WPI. For students enrolled in graphic design or modeling classes, a system meeting the specifications below may not meet requirements to use required software. However, please note that public labs are available for student use that support required classroom software.

Minimum-Requirements - Desktop Systems	Minimum-Requirements - Notebook/Tablet Systems
Pentium IV 3GHz - any class 2GB RAM 80GB hard drive DVD/CD-RW 10/100 - Ethernet adapter (RJ-45) network card Windows XP	Pentium IV or Pentium M -any class 2GB RAM 60GB hard drive DVD/CD-RW 10/100 Network card Windows XP
Minimum-Requirements - Macintosh Systems
PowerPC G5 or PowerPC G4 (1.4 GHz or faster) 2GB RAM 80GB hard drive DVD-ROM/CD-RW 10/100 Ethernet adapter (RJ-45) network card Mac OS X 10.4

Purchasing a Computer

Currently, special pricing deals for computers meeting these specifications have been arranged with Dell Computer. Be sure to check out Dell's Promotion Page (PDF) for special offers.

We have also arranged for special pricing on select models of laptops and tablet PCs with Lenovo,the company that has bought the IBM ThinkPad laptop and tablet PC line.

If you have questions or need advice regarding what to purchase, feel free to email helpdesk@wpi.edu or call 508-831-5888.

Things to Consider

A note on storage media

All of the PCs in the campus computer labs are equipped with CD-Rewriteable drives and some of them have DVD rewriteable drives. These storage media come in handy if you wish to work on your files in public clusters. However, you can also use secure file transfer and network file shares to store your data on remote servers; this lets you access your files from any computer connected to the Internet. Each student at WPI gets 750MB of storage space on our UNIX server. Another convenient storage option is the USB memory key (also called disk-on-key, pen drive, etc.). These come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 64MB up to 4GB or higher. They aren't intended to be used as a backup device but are handy for transferring files between computers and are small enough to be carried on your keychain.

Notebooks

Many students choose portable computers because of their mobility. We recommend that you consider whether a portable computer will suit your lifestyle and needs. The mobility is appealing, but if you anticipate long hours of word processing or surfing the net, you may wish to consider an external monitor and a keyboard/mouse at your primary location.

Portables are also vulnerable to theft. The WPI Computing and Communications Center offers the following suggestions to protect your computer equipment:

Do not leave notebooks unattended.
Record your notebook's serial number, as well as the hardware address printed on your Ethernet card.
Purchase a notebook security cable or some type of alarm or security system for the notebook.
Register your system with WPI Campus Policeâ€™s STOP anti-theft program

Wireless networks

All buildings on campus, including academic buildings, Gordon Library, the Campus Center and residence halls are now equipped with wireless networking. For a complete list of locations please see the Wireless Networking page. In the Library and Campus Center, you can borrow a notebook with a wireless card to use while you're in these buildings. If you are considering purchasing a wireless card to use on campus, be sure that it supports WPA-Enterprise or WPA2-Enterprise. Our wireless network supports 802.11g as well as the older protocols of 802.11a and 802.11b. If you are purchasing a new notebook, we recommend getting a wireless card that can take advantage of 802.11g. Our Network Operations department has wireless cards available for sale.

Please also note that while we do not prohibit devices other than computers from connecting to the wireless network, such as gaming consoles or smart phones, many of them do not support the certificate based WPA2-Enterprise authentication we require. More information can be found on the Wireless Networking page.

Extended Warranty

WPI cannot repair student owned computers, as in many cases this will void the manufacturers warranty. For this reason, WPI recommends that students purchase an extended warranty (at least 3 years) and in many cases recommend on-site coverage with accidental damage. This will ensure a higher probability of and faster repair to a students systems. This may be called many things depending on the manufacturer, for instance Dell's accidental damage service is called CompleteCare™.

Backup Storage

WPI offers student 750MB of personal, backed-up, network file storage. This is intended for academic use, however does not allot for all personal data such as music libraries. For students that wish to keep all their data backed up, WPI suggests USB external hard drives available from many vendors. While WPI cannot suggest a specific make model, we recommend finding a name brand device that has a warranty comparable or better than that of your system. Some vendor warranties may cover external devices if purchased at the same time as the computer, however please read the terms of your warranty carefully.

Operating systems and desktop software

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is supported by the Computing and Communication Center. If you have an older version of Windows you would like to upgrade you should take advantage of the WPI Microsoft Campus License Agreement to upgrade your system.

Windows XP

Windows XP with SP3 is supported by the Computing and Communications Center.

Macintosh OS X 10.4 and 10.5

Macintosh OS X 10.4 and 10.5 are supported by the Computing and Communications Center. Unfortunately, a majority of academic software packages are not available for the Mac OS X platform which limits the amount of support that can be provided. Mac OS X upgrades for personally owned computers are not available through the CCC.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office 2007 is supported at WPI. This suite of software, along with other general use programs, is installed in all of the campus computer labs. If you have Office 2003, you will be able to upgrade to Office 2007 once you arrive on campus through the Microsoft Campus License Agreement. Office 2007 will work with WPI systems.

Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh is supported at WPI. If you have Office 2004, you wil be able to upgrade to Office 2008 once you arrive on campus through the Microsoft Campus License Agreement.

Campus License Agreement

Through our Microsoft Campus License Agreement, WPI students are allowed to purchase for a nominal fee and install many Microsoft products, including Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office and Visual Studio, on a personally owned system for academic use. Please refer to the WPI Microsoft Campus License Agreement Web site for a list of the available products as well as information on how to obtain the software. Many other software programs can be installed via WPI's network

Antivirus software

Another important piece of software that you will need is some type of antivirus software. We have licensed McAfee VirusScan to install on all computers on the WPI network. Most new computers come with a trial version of anti-virus software. You do not need to purchase the full version but you should install McAfee as soon as you arrive on campus. Please uninstall any current antivirus program before installing a new one.

Support

The WPI Helpdesk website is loaded with information about a wide variety of computer related topics. Please check it to see if you can quickly find a solution to computer problems you may be having. If you have any questions about the computer systems at WPI and you don't see the answer on the webpage, please e-mail helpdesk@wpi.edu. The Helpdesk will also answer general computing questions and provide assistance for supported hardware and software. For help with personally owned computer systems, it is generally best to check with the computer vendor for help,especially if the computer is still under warranty. Whatever your question, the Helpdesk will try to direct you to the best place to get the answers you need. Call them at 508-831-5888 or email them at helpdesk@wpi.edu for assistance.

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Last modified: Aug 23, 2009, 14:29 EDT