Step One - Purchasing the Proper Equipment

The equipment that you need depends where you will be living. The residence halls with direct-wired connections are-

• Johnson Hall
• Kennedy Hall
• Olliff Hall
• Sanford Hall
• The Southern Pines Complex
• The Southern Courtyard Complex
• Watson Commons and Pods
• Winburn Hall
• Eagle Village

The residence halls with wireless connections are-

• Brannen Hall
• Hendricks Hall

Direct-wired Connections
To connect from a direct-wired residence hall, you will need to have a computer with a-

1. Standard ethernet card - We do not have a list of ethernet cards that we recommend; most cards work well on our network. Many computers already have ethernet cards installed. The easiest way to see if you already have a card is to look for a port on your computer itself - where you plug in the cable. It looks like a telephone port but is a bit larger. Another way to determine if you have an ethernet card is to right click on your My Computer icon and look under Device Manager to see if there is a Network Adapter listed. If you do not have an ethernet card, check with the University Store (http://www.gsustore.com, 912-681-5181 or 800-861-7059) for prices and options.

2. Standard ethernet cable - You will need a CAT5 Network cable to connect your computer to the wall jack. Note: it looks like a telephone cable but is thicker and has a larger connection on each end. If you do not have an ethernet cable, check with the University Store or the Housing office for prices and options. Cables come in various lengths and colors. Do not use a cable over 25 feet long.

Once everything is connected, restart the computer and skip to Step 2.

Wireless Connections
To connect from a wireless residence hall, you will need to have a computer with a compatible wireless card. Following, is the list of recommended cards to purchase.

Our wireless network in the resident halls is 802.11b. Cards that are 802.11g should work if backwards compatible for 802.11b. All wireless network cards should meet the following requirements:

• 128-bit Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP)
• 802.11b compliant
• WiFi compliant - look for it on the box
  

The cards listed below work the best on our network, hence we recommend these. If you wish to use another card, IT Services will assist you in setting the card up but we do not assure functionality. We cannot guarantee that other cards will work; some work well and others do not.

Desktops

1. Belkin 802.11 Wireless USB Network Adapter
   http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201523&pcount=&Product_Id=122761

   The Belkin USB card works very well on GSNet across various operating systems. The connection remains at a steady speed, even when network traffic is high

2. Motorola Wireless USB Adapter WU830G
   http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/wu830g/default.asp?s=Section=home_networking

   The Belkin USB card works very well on GSNet across various operating systems. Less expensive than the above Belkin USB card, however this card has not been tested in a high-traffic environment.

Laptops

1. Linksys PCMCIA Wireless G Card
   http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=33&scid=36&prid=642

   Fully tested for compatibility with the residence hall access points, this 802.11g card will allow for students to take their laptops to other wireless locations across campus when these connections become available.

2. Motorola PCMCIA Wireless G Card
   http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=247542&prmenbr=126&bcs_cgrfnbr=230509

   Less expensive than the above Linksys laptop card, however this card has not been tested in a high-traffic environment. Its backwards compatibility allows for its use in the residence halls as well as other locations on campus when these connections become available.

3. Cisco 350 series PCMCIA
   http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/wireless/ps4555/ps448/index.html

   The Cisco 350 series card works very well on GSNet across various operating systems. The connection remains at a steady speed, even when network traffic is high. The Cisco 350 series card is the most expensive of our recommended cards.

4. Each of the USB cards listed above, under "Desktop", can also be used on your laptop.

Once you have purchased the proper equipment, you will need to complete the next step:
Step Two - Installing and Setting Up Your Ethernet Card