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Configuring Your Computer to Access the Internet
from Muhlenberg College Residence Halls

Introduction
This guide details how to configure your PC or Laptop to access the Internet via MuhlNet from a residence hall. Please have someone from your IT review the following information, and seek their approval and assistance in making any changes to your PC / laptop.

Caution
Before you make any changes to the configuration of your PC or Laptop, you should contact your IT department to ensure they approve of these changes and to seek their assistance and advice. Please refer them to this page.

For some situations, your IT department may want you to leave your PC's settings alone to avoid problems. Labs are available for your use.

Information / Advice for IT Staff
The campus network offers a 10/100BaseT Ethernet RJ-45 jack for each bed in the residence hall. Your participants will need to provide a standard Cat 5 cable - typically a 3 to 5 meter cable will suffice.

You should ensure any laptops / workstations brought by attendees have current anti-virus software installed. This ensures the workstation is protected from viruses in e-mails and files which are swapped between the participants.

Basically all you need to do is configure the workstation's TCP/IP binding to their Ethernet NIC to use DHCP to obtain and IP address and DNS information automatically. No HTTP or SOCKS proxy is required. Internet connection sharing must be disabled, it will interfere with other workstations using the network - it is typically installed and enabled by default on computers sold for home use. We have NetWare servers on campus, if you use NetWare and have a Novell Client installed, you may need to tell your participants how to bypass the Novell login.

The network offers access to NetWare servers via IPX 802.3. You will NOT need to configure IPX access. However, if the workstation already has a Novell client installed, it will see the MUHLENBERG NDS tree. In this case you will need to instruct your participants how to bypass the Novell login. For Windows '9x, you can typically choose Cancel when prompted to login to the Novell network. For Windows NT / 2000 with Novell Client 32, you can choose the "Workstation Only" checkbox to bypass the Novell login.

Internet Connection Sharing, as provided with Windows 2000, XP, and Me, MUST BE DISABLED. If enabled, the PC will attempt to hand out IP addresses via DHCP to other workstations on the local network and act as a router for these workstations. This will interfere with other workstations.

The Workstation should be configured to automatically obtain an IP address and DNS information. The campus network will assign a private IP ( 192.168.x.x ) to the workstation and fill in the DNS info automatically. The private network connects to the Internet through NAT and transparent HTTP proxy. The workstation should NOT be configured to use an HTTP or SOCKS proxy.

If you provide hard IP address assignments, be sure to have your participant record the IP settings prior to reconfiguring TCP/IP to use DHCP. We will have no idea what the original settings were once they have been modified.

Because the workstations connect via NAT, services like VPN's, PC based videoconference software like NetMeeting, or any other service which acts as a server, will not work properly. NAT requires no special workstation configuration. Workstations connected to the campus network will not have resolvable DNS host entries.

Before you begin

Many computers will be configured to use the proper settings already, so you might as well give it a try before reading any other directions. Just plug your PC or Laptop into the network jack in your room ( looks like a wide phone jack ) using a network cable. If you turn on your PC and you can access the Internet and e-mail and so on, then you don't need to do anything... you can skip the instructions below... you're done!

Configuring Your PC

Before you make any changes, please write down ALL of the original settings you are about to modify so these can be restored by you prior to leaving. It may be a good idea to have the approval of your IT department before making any changes. Refer them to this page if there are any questions.

Configuring Windows '95 and '98 and Me

You may be asked for the location of the Windows '95 / Windows '98 CD ROM during this procedure. Be sure you know where these files are located BEFORE you begin. Normally these files will be located on your computer – typically the folder is C:\Windows\Options\CABs. If Windows asks for these files, and you cannot comply, you may corrupt your network configuration, requiring your PC to be serviced by your IT staff. Ensure you know where these files are before you begin.

Begin with Network Neighborhood and check properties. From the Network Control Panel, check the Configuration Tab. Identify which adapter is your Ethernet jack. You will find an entry which reads: "TCP/IP -> {the name of the adapter}" This is the entry to be modified.

If at this point you are confused, or cannot locate the entries indicated, you should Cancel and contact your IT staff for assistance.

Once you have found the proper "Binding" entry for TCP/IP to your Ethernet adapter, check the properties. Under the IP Address tab, make sure ‘Obtain IP Address Automatically’ is selected. If this is selected, you’re done! Just plug your PC into the wall and you should be able to get to the Internet.

If Obtain IP Address Automatically is NOT selected, you will see a set of numbers specified. You need to write these down. Be sure to write down the name of the field and the corresponding value. You will need these to reset your configuration after the conference.

Select the Obtain Automatically option and the other fields will gray out. Click OK to save the changes in the TCP/IP properties. Click OK to save changes in the Network Control Panel.
You may be prompted to specify the location of the Windows CD-ROM. You MUST specify where the Windows CAB files are located. If you Cancel, your Network Configuration may be corrupt, requiring your IT staff to fix it.

Reboot your PC and connect it to the network jack in your room.

Configuring Windows 2000 / XP

You may be asked for the location of the Windows 2000 / XP CD ROM during this procedure. Be sure you know where these files are located BEFORE you begin. Normally these files will be located on your computer. If Windows asks for these files, and you cannot comply, you may corrupt your network configuration, requiring your PC to be serviced by your IT staff. Ensure you know where these files are before you begin.

Start at My Network Places and check properties. Select Local Area Connection. Identify the "Internet Protocol(TCP/IP)" item from the Local Area Connection and check the properties. Select the IP Address Tab. If at this point you are confused, or cannot locate the entries indicated, you should Cancel and contact your IT staff for assistance.

If both "Obtain IP Address Automatically" and "Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically" are selected you’re done! Just plug your PC into the wall and you should be able to get to the Internet.

If either option is NOT selected, you will see a set of numbers specified. You need to write these down. Be sure to write down the name of the field and the corresponding value. You will need these to reset your configuration after the conference.

Once you have written down the information, select both of the "Obtain Automatically" options, the other fields will gray out. Click OK to save the changes in the TCP/IP properties. Click OK to save changes in the Control Panel.

You may be prompted to specify the location of the Windows CD-ROM. You MUST specify where the Windows CAB files are located. If you Cancel, your Network Configuration may be corrupt, requiring your IT staff to fix it.

Reboot your PC and connect it to the network jack in your room.