Help with wired connections

How do I obtain a new IP address?

To obtain a new IP address, click here.

What’s the IP address and/or hostname of the machine I’m currently on?

Click here to see it.

Help! I can’t reach a certain web site! Is the network down?

Try reaching www.google.com or www.cnn.com. These are two reliable sites that are almost always up. If you can reach CNN or MSN, then the problem is with the web site you are trying to reach, which is beyond our control. The people running that site might have taken it down for maintenance. Please be patient and try the site again later.

My network connection is down! Did you move to a new building?

If you moved from the Chem 73 building to Vagelos Labs (IAST), you will need a new IP address.
Did your connection work before and not now? See if it’s really the connection. Have your lab partner plug her laptop into the port to see if the network connection is truly inactive. If her laptop works, then there’s a problem with your machine or your network cable. If you plug your machine into a port that never had an active connection, that would be the reason why you don’t have an active network connection. Locate the nearest active port or hub, carefully measure the distance from your desk to that port or hub accounting for hanging the wire over bookcases and across pipes, and we will provide you with a cable of at least that length.
If you need help connecting the cable, we can assist you there as well. If you really did have an active connection before that is not working now, provide us with the wallplate ID of the port and we will get our networking folks look at it. The wallplate ID is the white label on the yellow box or wallplate in your wall where your network and phone lines come out of.

Can I get a port activated?

Yes. For some areas with an existing wallplate and available but inactive ports, we can have a new port activated for you. Click here to request a port activation.
As of 2006, we no longer encourage the use of minihubs/switches in the department due to the large number of accountability problems they cause. If there is not an available wallplate in the area you would like to situate your computer or printer, please see me and we’ll discuss and explore possible solutions and timeframes. We do not advocate stringing wires between rooms as ISC prohibits this.

Help with wireless connections

Please see the SAS Computing website for help with AirPennNet (the Penn Wi-Fi network).

For instructions on how to connect your printer to the network, click here.

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