Using Mac OS X in my IUB or IUPUI campus housing residence, what should I do if I'm having trouble connecting to the IUB or IUPUI campus network?

During move-in week only, students in the residence halls can use the red door tag to request additional help in connecting to the IU network. For more, see During move-in week, how do I get help connecting my computer to the IU network?

At Indiana University Bloomington and IUPUI, University Information Technology Services (UITS) is in the process of extending the new IU Secure wireless network beyond the common areas and into every student room of the residence halls. If IU Secure is not yet available in your IUB residence hall, you may operate a properly configured wireless access point (WAP) as an exception to the IT-19 Extending the University Data Network and IT-20 Wireless Networking policies from the University Information Policy Office (UIPO). Once IU Secure is available in your residence hall, this exception will no longer apply, and you will have to remove your WAP from the network. For details, see At IUB, if my residence hall does not yet have IU wireless network access, how do I configure a wireless access point?

If you're having problems connecting to the Indiana University Bloomington or IUPUI network with your Mac OS X computer from your campus housing residence, go through the following steps. If the solutions below don't help and you are having trouble with the network configuration on your computer, contact the UITS Support Center for your campus.

1. Check that you have correctly configured your computer's network settings. See In Mac OS X, how do I configure my computer to obtain an IP address automatically so I can connect to the IUB or IUPUI campus network?
   
   
2. Make sure you have registered your computer. For help, see At IUB and IUPUI, how do I register my computer?
   
   
3. If you are in a double or triple occupancy room, you should have more than one data jack; try another data jack. If the computer can access the network on a different data jack, then the previous data jack is the likely source of the problem. Contact the Support Center to report the problem with the data jack.
   
   
4. Make sure that your network cable is firmly seated in the data jack and the network adapter. The connecters on network cables are much like those of a common telephone cord (although the network cable heads are slightly larger). To ensure that the plug is set firmly in the slot, insert the connector until you hear a slight snap.
   
   
5. Make sure your cable is the correct type and is not defective.
   
   
   • IUPUI: In the Campus Apartments on the Riverwalk, you may use a commercial Ethernet cable. At IUPUI Ball Residence Hall, you must use a proprietary Ethernet cable that you can purchase from the IUPUI Housing Office, 405 Porto Allegre Street, Suite 170, Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
     
     
   • Indiana University Bloomington: If you live in non-Greek campus housing, you will find an Ethernet cable attached to the wall data jack. IUB Greek housing residents may purchase an IU proprietary Ethernet cable. For more, see At IUB, where can I purchase an Ethernet cable?

   If the cable is not working, test it on another network-connected computer. If, after switching cables, the other computer still connects to the network, the problem is not the cable. If the other computer is no longer able to access the network, then the cable is defective.

6. If you are using a software firewall, turn it off and see if you are able to access the network. Consult your documentation for instructions on how to use your firewall. If you are using the firewall built into Mac OS X, see In Mac OS X, how do I enable or disable the firewall? If this does not solve the problem, make sure that you re-enable the firewall. If you are able to connect with the firewall disabled, contact the UITS Support Center. You should always keep the firewall on your computer enabled.
   
   
7. Make sure your Ethernet port is active and given highest priority for connecting to the network. From the Apple menu, select Location and then Network Preferences... . In the network preferences window, next to "Show:", select Network Port Configurations. Make sure the box is checked next to your Ethernet port (probably labeled as Built-in Ethernet), and then drag it to the top of the list. Once you've done this, click Apply Now.
   
   
8. Check to see if you have a rogue DHCP server on your network. To do this, first find out if you're getting an IP address from the DHCP server. For instructions on finding your IP address, see How do I determine my computer's IP address? To determine if a rogue DHCP server is likely and what to do if it is, refer to What is a rogue DHCP server, and how can I tell when one exists on the IU network?
   
   
9. Reinstall your operating system software and try making a connection again. For instructions, see How do I install or upgrade Mac OS X?
   
   
10. Talk to your neighbors and ask if they are having similar problems. Problems with the network as a whole will typically affect all or most users within an area.

Also see:

• In IUB and IUPUI campus housing, how can RITS help me connect my computer to the campus network?
• In IUB campus housing, how can I connect my Mac to my RTC's network printer?
• What are some IP addresses that might indicate I have a network problem?