Connecting your computer to the Residential Housing Network

The Residential Housing Network (ResNet) uses 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connections. IP addresses and other configuration information is assigned automatically via DHCP. To enable your connection for full use, you need to register your computer and agree to comply with CSM's Computing and Networking policies. It is your responsibilty to be informed about current and future computer and network policies. Current copies of these policies can be found on the web at http://www.mines.edu/academic/computer/policies.

If you are running a Windows operating system, please make sure that you have a virus checker loaded and running. CSM has a campus-wide license for virus checking software that is available free of charge to students (http://www.mines.edu/academic/computer/software/virus). If you do not have your own copy of similar software, please download this virus checking software and download new signatures often.

In addition to virus checking software, we strongly encourage the use of host based firewall software. And, finally, please note that it is always a good idea to backup your computer prior to connecting it to any network and to continue to do backups on a regular basis.
    To connect your computer to the network, do the following:
  1. If you do not have a patch cable or you need help configuring your computer's networking settings, you should go to your residence hall front desk or Student Life if you live in Mines Park or a Greek house, to obtain information packets and/or a patch cable.

  2. Configure your system network settings for DHCP. This may be referred to as "automatically determine my IP address" or similar in your system's configuration options. The following are generic steps to setting up DHCP on your computer:
      1. Configure TCP/IP on your ethernet NIC. (On Windows systems, Control Panel-> Network )
      2. Set to obtain your IP address automatically (DHCP).
      3. Set to obtain the DNS Servers automatically.
      4. Set to obtain gateway IP address automatically
    Your IP address, DNS servers, and Gateway IP address should be obtained from the DHCP server. Do not put values in for these.

    For additional help on setting your computer to DHCP, pick up a reference sheet from the computing center front desk, Student Life, or the residence hall front desk.

  3. Connect your computer's network port to a network jack on the wall (these are red).

  4. Reboot your computer and start a web browser. If the ResNet Registration page does not come up, go to http://resnet.mines.edu and follow the registration instructions on the web page. The DHCP Registration Form will ask for your information. Fill in the requested information and use your slate(e-mail) username and password or username and EKey at the bottom for verification.

  5. It may take up to 10 minutes for your registration to take effect. If you are not able to access the Internet after this time, reboot your computer. You may not have the same ip address every time that you turn on your computer.

  6. Troubleshooting
    1. Do you have a link light on your Ethernet NIC? If not, ensure that your network cable is plugged in to your network card and the correct port on the wall. Is your patch cable a good patch cable? Does your computer get a link light on a different port on the wall?
    2. Ensure that you are obtaining your IP Address, DNS Servers, and Gateway Address dynamically. Check that these are set to be obtained automatically and that no values were entered for them.
    If the above checks do not fix the problem, pick up a reference sheet from Student Life, the residence hall front desk, or the computing center front desk for troubleshooting network connection problems.