Connecting Your Computer to the Campus Network

The academic campus network uses 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet connections. Connections are available to Mines faculty, staff, and students. Most rooms on campus have at least one data connection. In order to connect your computer will need an Ethernet network port. Most modern computers come with these pre-installed (An Ethernet port looks like an oversized telephone jack). If you don’t have one, you can purchase an ethernet card from almost any computer store for approximately twenty dollars.

The networking group assigns Internet Protocol ( IP ) addresses to computers in two ways. These methods are known as static and dynamic. A static address insures that your computer will always be found in the same “place” on the network. If you are configuring a Mines owned machine and your device will be providing network services ( file sharing, printing, etc.) we recommend a Static IP address. If you are a student, or you are using a laptop, we recommend a dynamic adderss. Using dynamic addresses allows your computer to move easily from one network to the next, getting its settings without intervention on your part.

If you will be using a static address, you need to register in advance so that we can process your request and send you your address.

If you will be having your IP addresses and other configuration information is assigned automatically via DHCP, you need to register your computer, but you can do so after completing the steps below.

In either case you must read and agree to comply with Mines’ Information Technology policies. It is your responsibility to be informed about current and future computer and network policies (https://www.mines.edu/policy-library/information-technology/).

You will need to have anti-virus software running and definitions kept current. See https://it.mines.edu/software-title/antivirus/ for more details.

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.

Also, it is extremely important to keep your operating system software up to date. Almost all operating system vendors provide free software patches to protect your computer from the latest security threats. For the latest updates, users of Microsoft Windows should go here, while Macintosh users should go here. For users of other operating systems, please visit your software manufacturer’s web site.

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 contact your regular support group (Mines Service Center at x2345 on campus or 303.384.2345, User Experience & Support Services — formerly Client Support Services, etc.)
  2. Please visit our settings page to determine how best to configure your network settings, based on your choice of a static or dynamic IP address.
  3. After you have finished configuring your network settings, connect your computer’s network port to a network jack (these are blue) on the wall using an ethernet patch cable.
  4. Reboot your computer and start a web browser. If you have a static IP address, you should be able to access the network immediately. If you will be using DHCP and have not completed the network registration form, one should appear when you open a browser. After registering for DHCP, 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.
  5. Troubleshooting
    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?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.