Connecting Your Computer
Getting Started About us The residential network at WTAMU is maintained by WTAMU Networking Services. About the network The residential network provides Internet access to the McCaslin Hall apartments and the following residence halls on campus: Conner, Cross, Guenther, Jarrett, Jones, and Shirley. Stafford and Cousins halls are provided Internet access via cable modems leased from Cox Communications. The residential network is connected to the Internet via a ten megabit-per-second (10 Mbps) connection also provided by Cox Communications. The network connections in the residence halls are standard 10/100 Base-T Ethernet using RJ-45 connections. There are outlets for each resident per room. Getting connected In order to connect to the residential network, your computer will need a standard Ethernet card installed. In addition, you will need an Ethernet cable with RJ-45 connectors. WTAMU does not provide cards or cables for the residents. Most computers purchased within the last three years will already have Ethernet cards installed. You should make sure your computer has one and that it is functioning properly (i.e. the correct driver is installed) before you attempt to connect your computer to the network. Ethernet cables are readily available at most electronics stores. The length of cable you will need can be anywhere from 3 to 25 feet, depending upon the residence hall you reside in and where in the room you prefer to set up your computer. For instructions on how to set up your computer to use the residential network, please refer to the WTAMU Residential Living Internet Connection Guide, which is available at the front desks of each of the residence halls. You may also get a copy of it at the Residential Living office. You can also download a copy here for reference: WTAMU Residential Living Internet Connection Guide
Using the network
All residents should be aware of the rules and policies governing the use of the residential network at WTAMU: Cox Communications High Speed Internet Acceptable Use Policy WTAMU Rules for Responsible Information Technology Usage The residential network, like all of the information technology resources provided at WTAMU, is to be used primarily for educational purposes. In order for all of the residents to be able to effectively use it, disproportionate use of the network must be restricted. We don't look to see what each person is doing on the network unless there is a potential violation of university rules and laws. However, we can and will identify those users whose activities may be preventing other residents from effectively using the network. There is no harm in occasionally accessing large files (in fact, we encourage all users to download whatever updates, patches, etc. are necessary to keep their computers secure), but sustained heavy use prevents others from using the network. What to expect As stated above, WTAMU's residential network connection to the Internet is only 10 Mbps. That's a lot of bandwidth for a few people, but not for all of the residents living on our campus. If you were to divide that connection up evenly for each resident, it would come out to less than half the bandwidth of a modern, dial-up Internet connection. However, even during moderate use, a typical user's connection on the residential network will be faster than dial-up, and will more often be closer in speed to an average home broadband connection. The key thing to remember is that the residential network is a shared resource. Contact Us If you have any questions about the Residential Network, please ask your Resident Assistant or Coordinator, or contact the Residential Network Administrator by email at resnet@wtamu.edu. | 
