Frequently Asked Questions
- Email (these FAQs are on the email log-in page)
- Computers & Printers
- Network
- Security
- myCourses (these FAQs are on the myCourses page)
- FAQs for Faculty and Staff (these FAQs are on the Faculty Get Started page)
Computers & Printers
What kind of computer should I buy?
CITS posts computer purchase guidelines to assist students in making that important decision.
Some colleges at UMass Dartmouth also make specific recommendations for laptop purchases for their students.
Should I bring or purchase a printer to go with my computer?
CITS recommends that you bring or purchase a printer. While printers are available in the computer labs, they can only be accessed from within the labs, so you have to save your file on a flash drive and bring it to the lab to print it. For advice on purchasing a printer, please contact Rob Roy at the IT Service Center, 508-990-9654 or Rob.Roy@umassd.edu.
Do I have to pay extra to connect to the Internet from my dorm room?
No, there is no additional fee required to connect your machine to the Internet from your on-campus residence as long as your computer meets the minimum requirements and has an Ethernet card.
Can my roommate and I be on the Internet at the same time?
Yes, there is one Internet connection available per bed in each of the residence hall rooms.
Can I use other email accounts on campus?
Yes. Although you will be given a UMass Dartmouth email account once you register for classes, you will still be able to use any other email accounts you already possess.
Please note: Official university correspondence, such as announcements about emergency closings or your COIN PIN number, will be sent to your UMass Dartmouth account, so it's a good idea to check it regularly. Your email can be forwarded to another account. To change your password or forward your email to an off-campus email address, visit: https://email.umassd.edu.
Network
How do I find out about wireless service?
Information about UMass Dartmouth's wireless network
Can I use wireless networking in my dorm?
UMass Dartmouth provides wireless service in designated areas on the main campus. These areas include the cafeterias, large lecture halls, common areas, etc.
Wireless networking map (PDF)
Can I set up my own wireless access point?
UMass Dartmouth does not condone or promote the use of personal access points in the residence halls. Rogue access points may not be secure and could allow unwanted access to the campus network. You are responsible for any and all traffic generated from the port that your computer is connected to. Anyone found to have set up a rogue access point will have his/her port disabled and will be reported to the Judicial Office.
I am a student at SNESL (Southern New England School of Law) and live in the UMass Dartmouth dorms. How do I get my computer on the network?
UMass Dartmouth has a self-registration system for residents to be able to register their own computers and get online. This registration system requires that the student have a UMass email account to be able to authenticate himself/herself to the network. SNESL students do not have UMass email accounts. They are required to come in to the CITS office on the 3rd floor of the Library and sign an Acceptable Use Form. They will need to know the MAC (media access control) address of the computer that they want to register on the network. Click here for instructions on how to find your MAC address.
Security
Should I have anti-virus software installed on my computer?
Yes. Under the university's Responsible/Acceptable Use Policy, each computer is required to have up-to-date anti-virus software actively running on any computer that is attached to the university network. The university has purchased a site license for Symantec Anti-Virus which allows every student, faculty and staff member to install it on his/her computer.
Faculty and staff should contact the IT Service Center at 508-999-8790 (x8790) if they do not have anti-virus software and want it installed on their university-owned machine.
Students can download the software by logging in at http://netreg.umassd.edu. Students should contact the Residential Technical Support Center at 508-999-8040 (x8040) if they have any problems or questions pertaining to the university-supplied Symantec Anti-Virus software.
What should I do if I think my computer is infected with a virus?
Faculty and staff members who think their computer may be infected with a virus should contact the IT Service Center at 508-999-8790 (x8790).
Students whose computers have been infected should contact IT Student Services at 508-999-8884 ( x8884) or Res Tech at 508-999-8040 (x8040).
My computer is infected with a virus. Why was my network connection shut off?
Your connection was shut off to help protect your computer and the computers of others on the network. Some viruses allow hackers to access the infected computer without the owner’s knowledge. Other viruses probe the network looking for other computers to infect which in turn can affect the speed of the network making it slow for everyone. You connection will be re-enabled once the virus has been removed.
