Are the computers in the N.D. London Centre connected to the Internet?

The London Programme moved in July 1998 to a newly renovated building at 1 Suffolk Street. A major part of the renovation included wiring the building for a computer network, in much the same way that the residence halls at Notre Dame were wired for ResNet just a few years ago. All computers in the building are connected to both our internal network and the Internet.

The London Centre computer network is not an integrated part of the Notre Dame network, but computer support staff in South Bend and in London strive to make it very easy for both locations to exchange information. You will notice some differences, but they are minor and it will not take you long to adjust to the way things are in London.

Will I use my same email address? How do I set-up my email?

You will use your standard Notre Dame email address. Family and friends can continue to send mail to you as they always have, and you will retrieve it while in London.

The best option for sending and receiving e-mail is to use ND WebMail. If you choose to use Eudora, Netscape, or Microsoft Outlook you will not have your saved e-mails when you return to South Bend and anyone else using the same computer will be able to read your e-mail. Engineering students working on Unix machines can use SSH to send and receive their e-mail. Instructions for each of these options will be made available to you when you arrive in London.

Where are the computer rooms? What kinds of computers are available? How many are there?

There are six computer rooms in the building. Rooms B.05, 1.07, 3.08, 3.10, and 4.11 are open to undergraduate students. Room 1.07 has ten Sun Workstation computers running Solaris 9 and is used primarily by Engineering students. Room 3.10 has sixteen Dell Computers running Windows 98. Room 3.08 has six Dell Precision 220 workstations running Windows 98. Room 4.11 has nine iMacs running OS 9.1 and X. Room 305 is for use by Law students only and is locked until the law students arrive in October.

In each computer room there are computers which have scanners and zip drives attached. All of the computers are networked to Hewlett Packard Laserjet printers.

There is also one library reference station and copy station in the undergraduate library. Some library resources (such as the electronic card catalog for the University of London library) are already bookmarked in Netscape and Internet Explorer. This machine is not to be used for e-mail or general internet browsing.

Bring your N.D. student ID card to London. You'll need it to enter the building and to gain access to the computer rooms.

What software is available?

The Windows computers have Corel WordPerfect Suite 8, Microsoft Office 2000, AOL Instant messenger, Yahoo Messenger, FTP, as well as the same selection of Internet applications that are available in South Bend. The Windows computers are currently running Windows '98 but will soon be upgraded to Windows 2000. The applications on these machines will also soon be upgraded.

The Macintosh computers in room 4.11 have Microsoft Office '98 and the standard set of Internet applications as well as Corel Wordperfect, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fetch. The Macintosh computers are currently running OS 9.1 a migration to osX and office X is also underway.

When are the computer rooms open?

The computer rooms are open whenever the building is open. The building hours are currently:

Can I access my files in my NDAccess (afs) space?

It is recommended that you use sshFTP or Fetch to transfer files to and from your NDAccess filespace. Considering the tremendous distance involved and the succeptibility of data to become corrupt, these are better options than connecting real-time with your account in South Bend.

If you've never used FTP before you can get an on-line document for FTP for Windows at http://www.nd.edu/~doc/Windows/. Look for the document called W2615 WS-FTP. Macintosh users can find an on-line document for Fetch at http://www.nd.edu/~doc/Mac/. Look for the document called M2615 Fetch.

There are other options for using local network space. These options will be explained after you arrive in London.

Should I bring a laptop computer to London?

A survey of students who recently studied in London noted that most students thought laptops were very useful, since laptops equipped with network cards can plug in to the London network and access files, print to network printers, and send and receive email. Laptops come in handy when everyone has a paper due and the computer rooms are filled to capacity for long periods of time. If you have a laptop you can continue to work on your papers after the building has closed at 10 PM. With the aspect of portability and small in size, it is also handy to have your laptop when living in your flat.

If you bring a laptop to London please consider insuring it. Laptops are easy to steal and London is a big city with plenty of people who try to take advantage of tourists. Also, make sure you bring your power supply, Ethernet card and network cable.

What do I need to make the laptop computer I own work in London?

To connect your laptop to the network in London your laptop needs to a PCMCIA equipped with an Ethernet card. You need to buy an Ethernet adapter (card) that fits in the PCMCIA slot. These devices look like thick credit cards and they slide in the laptop. Check with your dealer, or the manufacturer, because some new laptops; especially Apple PowerBooks and Dell laptops come with an Ethernet card built in, so you may not need to buy anything at all.

Check to see how much RAM (memory) your laptop has. You should have at least 64 megabytes of RAM, although 128 or 512 megabytes would be better. The newest version of Netscape and Internet Explorer use a lot of memory. Laptops with less than 64 megabytes of RAM can still be made to work, but you may become easily frustrated with download speeds. With only 64 megabytes of ram you will probably have to use an older version of Netscape or Explorer and some Internet resources may be inaccessible.

Have your Ethernet card software installed before you leave campus. If this is not possible, then your Ethernet card and your Internet software can be installed after you arrive in London, but if you've had them installed beforehand then you will leave the U.S. knowing that your laptop will work on our London network. Bring your network cable, or purchase one after you arrive.

Please do not bring a laptop with Windows 3.1, as it is not compatible with our system in London. Windows '98, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 are fine, as are Macs with System 8.6 or above.

If I buy a new laptop what do you recommend?

There are plenty of options when it comes to laptops, but generally you want to stay away from the retail based brands. Retail brands generally come with a shorter warranty and in an effort to drive down price, they will use the cheapest internal components. The Notre Dame Solutions Center has tested many brands and currently sells Dell, Gateway, Compaq, Apple and IBM brand laptops. I suggest checking with the N.D. Solutions Center to see what they are currently selling as adequate for ResNet. Any laptop that works on ResNet in South Bend will work on the London network.

You can see the current recommended sytems at:

http://www.nd.edu/~solution

More specifically, what kind of Ethernet card do I need to buy? What will it cost? Where might I get it installed? What will that cost?

Ethernet adapters vary widely in price. The Solutions Center sells Ethernet cards that are known to work reliably on the N.D. network. Since prices fluctuate I'd suggest that students call the Solutions Center for current prices. An Ethernet adapter for a laptop computer will probably be in the range of $130. Students can also purchase a card that has both a modem and an Ethernet adapter, sometimes referred to as a "combo" card, though these cards are much more expensive. PCMCI cards, i.e. Ethernet cards for laptops, are easy to install. Each residence hall has at least two Resident Computer Consultants who are trained to install Ethernet cards and ResNet software. They will not charge you for installation. The Service Center (next to the computer store) can install the card and software for you, but they will charge you an hourly fee.

We recommend 3Com for Windows computers and either Apple brand or Farallon brand cards for Apple Powerbooks, but other brands will work. If you already have a laptop with an Ethernet card, it can probably be configured to work on ResNet and therefore also in London. The recommended brands have been tested and we know that the N.D. ResNet installers work with them. If students would like to buy another brand they are free to do so, but we cannot guarantee that another brand of card will work. If they buy another brand of network card they should make sure they get one compatible with Ethernet & TCP/IP networks.

If I bring my laptop do I need to buy a power transformer?

Most laptops run on direct current and they have power supplies that convert normal alternating current to direct current. If you look on the power supply that came with your laptop you will see (probably in very small print) some specifications concerning an input voltage range. If your power supply indicates that it can accept an input voltage range from 100 to 240 volts, then you do not need a power transformer to use your laptop in London. In that case all you will need will be a plug adapter which lets you insert an American-style 2- or 3-prong plug on one side, and in turn plugs into a U.K.-style 3-prong outlet on the other side. In others words, the voltage is not a problem, but the difference in the shape of the electrical plugs is. You can buy this kind of adapter at any Radio Shack store, or you can wait and buy one in London at any pharmacy or electronics store.

If your power supply can only accept an input voltage range from 100 - 120 volts then you will need to buy a power transformer. These can most often be purchased at an electronics store or at an airport.

How do I connect my ResNet laptop to the London network?

If you have a laptop that you've used on ResNet you can use it in London. Most rooms have at least one active network port. Plug your network cable into any active network jack and boot up your computer. It will be assigned an IP address automatically and you'll be able to send and receive email and surf the web. With a few minor changes to your laptop's configuration you'll be able to use the network printers in the London Centre, and you will be able to access London network folder.

The University of Notre Dame London Centre is currently using a wireless networking system. Currently there are six ‘pockets’ where wireless services are available, each pocket has an effective radius of approximately 100 feet. The wireless card can be leased from the front desk at the London Centre for a charge of £60, which is refundable at the end of the semester provided you return the card in good working condition. The areas that currently have wireless service are the basement, the ground floor, the first floor library, the law library on the second floor and a small area on the fourth floor.

I have other questions that weren't answered in this handout. What do I do?

Write to me (Rich Jervis) at Richard.A.Jervis.1@nd.edu. I'll do my best to answer you right away.

August 29, 2003