Preparing for ResNet
Introduction
The ResNet program is a joint effort between Student Housing and Information Technology to provide a high-speed internet connection to all residents in the residence halls at UC Merced. ResNet plans to provide IT Help Desk services to assist students in getting their computers connected to the network, but there are a few simple things you will want to do before arriving on campus to ensure that you can get connected.
What to bring
To connect to ResNet, you need the following things:
- A computer with an installed 10/100 Ethernet card. Most computers purchased within the last couple years will already have an Ethernet card pre-installed; all Macintosh computers made after 1995 are Ethernet ready.
- A standard 25' category 5 (CAT5) Ethernet patch cable with RJ-45 connectors.
- Bring all of the CDs that originally came with your computer, the network card, and any other devices that you may have. Having them handy may solve many system troubles to begin with. Sometimes a reinstall of the software that came with your machine is all that is necessary.
Buying a network card
If you need to install a network card on your computer, we suggest you use a high-quality, name brand network card to ensure a problem-free connection. We advise against using cheap, low-end network cards, as they are often difficult to set up properly and may cause problems for our network.
Although the University of California does not endorse any of the following manufacturer's products, ethernet adapters produced by the following manufacturers can be considered name brand: 3Com, Asante, Kingston, Netgear, Xircom, Cisco, LinkSys, D-Link.
Purchasing a new computer?
If you are buying a new computer, please see our new computer recommendations.
Looking for help?
We offer a number of tutorials and FAQs available in the Guides & FAQs section.
If you have any questions, problems, or comments, please contact the IT Help Desk via email at helpdesk@ucmerced.edu, via phone at 209.228.HELP (4357), or visit them in the Classroom and Office Building room 132A.