Information Technology

Campus Computing Resources for New Students

Computing Services: What New-to-Rice Students Can Expect

The division of Information Technology (IT) provides a range of services to students, which are covered briefly below.

If you are planning on bringing your own computer, read the section below “Preparing Your Computer Before Coming to Rice University.” By following these security precautions, your machine will be less likely to become infected with viruses, worms, and other types of malware.

If you are not bringing your own computer, don't worry. You'll have access to computing labs all over campus (including one in each residential college) with PC, Macintosh, and Unix workstations. You can print to campus printers for a small fee (automatically charged to your Rice account via the Cashier's Office). Laser printers, color printers, plotters, transparency printers and others are also available to any student with a NetID.

E-mail Account »

Your email can be read using a variety of programs (including over the web at http://webmail.rice.edu). You can use your NetID as your email address. For example, if your NetID is yourname, your email address would be preset as yourname@rice.edu. However, you will also be allowed to have up to three email "aliases". One is set to your name (i.e. Peter.K.Choo@rice.edu), but you can set the others however you like. This being said, it is important to remember that you will log in to email and other accounts with your NetID, not with an alias.

Apply

When you arrive on campus, you will be able to apply for your NetID and NetID password. Most undergraduate students will do this prior to arriving on campus, but it can also be done as part of their Orientation Week activities. If you do it on your own, you can visit http://apply.rice.edu/ from a computer connected to the Rice network.

Your NetID will allow you to apply for and manage your Rice computer accounts and data.

Email

Your e-mail address should be set up automatically, but by applying for a NetID you will be provided with an alias e-mail address of NetID@rice.edu.

You can check your e-mail from your own computer from Rice's WebMail system. You can configure an e-mail client like MS Outlook or Mac Mail to use the POP3 protocol, which will download your mail locally, or the IMAP4 protocol, which will leave your mail on the server so that you can access it anywhere. Consult the FAQ for more information about accessing your e-mail. If you are having difficulties setting up your email, contact the Help Desk.

File and Web space

Accounts also provide space for personal files and web pages. You can transfer files to and from your account using secure copying mechanisms. You can download a secure file transfer program from http://software.is.rice.edu/. Your file storage quota on Owlnet is 100 MB.

If you fill your 100 MB to capacity, you can request more space by visiting http://helpdesk.rice.edu. However, requests for quota increases will not be honored unless you have made every effort to reduce your usage first.

You can also create your own web page on Owlnet, which will have the address http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~NetID/. You can do this by creating a directory called public_html in your Owlnet home directory and storing a file called index.html in that directory. For more information, visit http://www.rice.edu/web/quickhome.html.

Preparing Your Computer Before Coming to Rice University

Before You Buy

If you are buying a new computer system, check out the recommendations at:

Following these recommendations will ensure that your system will work well in the Rice environment and that consultants will be able to offer technical support and advice.

Shopping now? As a Rice student, you are eligible for Rice-specific discounts through the Technology Marketplace.

Already Own a Computer?

If you have computer you are considering bringing to Rice, be sure it meets our minimal standards so you'll be less likely to encounter problems using it in the Rice environment.

Be Sure to Bring

Wireless

The campus wireless network is expanding but not available in every building across campus. Wireless connectivity is available in the commons areas of the colleges. For more information, see

Wireless routers are not supported and not encouraged at Rice.

Securing Your Computer

When you arrive at Rice, before you actually plug into the campus network, check with your College Computing Associate (see Computing and IT Help above). You also need to make sure that you have followed these security measures to protect your computer from viruses, worms, malware, spyware, etc. If your computer becomes infected and is spreading malware, your network port will be deactivated until your system has been cleaned up and then inspected by a CCA.

Windows Update

  1. Apply all updates to the Windows Operating System (available at http://windowsupdate.Microsoft.com).
  2. If running Windows XP, install service pack 2.
  3. Set a secure administrator password on your system.

Network Browser

We recommend installing and using FireFox since it is less prone to spyware and adware. Go to: http://www.mozilla.org

Virus Protection Software

Rice requires all PCs to use anti-virus software in order to connect to the network. To ensure that your computer doesn't have any problems on the network, it is recommended that you install TrendMicro's PC-Cillin, which can be found here. Macs do not require the installation of anti-virus software, but all computers will need some form of Clean Access to connect to the network. When you first open a web browser after connecting to the network, you will be prompted to install and log in to Clean Access. Note: the Clean Access program does not monitor your online activities or view your files; rather, it makes sure that you computer is adequately protected from viruses and malware before you connect to the network. For more information on Clean Access, click here.

Spyware and Ad-aware Software

Spyware is software made by publishers that allow them to snoop on your browsing activity, invade your privacy, and flood you with pop-up ads. If your PC is running slow, if you have lots of spam, or you have downloaded music, chances are that you could be infected with spyware. Numerous freeware programs are available online, and can be found on sites like www.downloads.com, etc.

Computing Rules and Regulations

Students using Rice computing facilities and services (including the campus networks, labs, and software) are required to observe Rice and Owlnet policies and procedures, as well as state and federal laws governing computer use. View these policies online (http://www.rice.edu/IT/about_it/policy/ and http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/policy/). Violations can have severe penalties. Prohibited activities include: commercial usage, sharing accounts, network games, copyright infringement, obscene materials, spamming, harassment, unduly increasing network load (MP3 sharing, games, spam) and more.

Wireless Access »

Wireless access is available in many places around campus, including the first floor of Fondren Library, the Rice Memorial Center and Ley Student Center, and many of the college commons areas. If you have a laptop computer with a wireless card, you can set your computer up in any of these areas and be connected to the Internet wirelessly. Consult the Wireless Network page for more information.

Remote Access »

If you need to access the Rice network from off-campus, you can use a Rice Level 3 dialup account. You can also acquire Internet service from a local ISP (modem, cable modem, or DSL). If you use another ISP and want to get access to Rice resources that require you to be connected to the Rice network, you will need to use the Rice VPN. Contact the Help Desk for assistance.

More About Remote Access

Computing and IT-Related Help

If you have a computing question or problem, you can request help from the consulting staff at IT. Student Computing Consultants (SCCs) are student consultants who live in each college and are paid by IT to help their fellow residents with problems. During your first week at Rice, SCCs will be around to help new students connect their computers to the campus network. During the semester, SCCs have office hours where you can stop by and see them. You can also request help via e-mail (helpdesk@rice.edu).

The Help Desk is another campus computing resource. In fact, if you have computing questions before you come to Rice, you can contact the Help Desk at 713.348.HELP (4357) or helpdesk@rice.edu. The Help Desk hours are: Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Short Courses are another service that can help you use computers more effectively. These 2-to-3 hour classes train you on the basics of working with operating systems or using software applications. Classes are free and taught during the day or evening; the schedule of courses can be found here

Computer Labs »

Computer labs are located around campus. Most labs have primarily one type of workstation (UNIX, PC, or Mac), but some have several different types. Others have special equipment like scanners. Except for teaching labs, these labs are unlocked during business hours and are accessible after business hours using your RiceID card.

Mac/PC

The Mac and PC labs are located primarily in Mudd and Fondren Library, although there are small labs in buildings around campus. To use these lab workstations, you need to log on with your NetID username and password .

Most labs have at least one printer either in the lab or nearby.

UNIX

UNIX labs are located in many buildings around campus; each college has a small UNIX lab. The workstations use your regular Owlnet password. Many people find the command-line interface that these computers present to be intimidating at first, but eventually become comfortable using it. Many classes at Rice use software that is installed on the UNIX workstations, and those classes often provide introductions for the use of the interface.

Software »

Rice provides a number of useful software packages that students can use on their personal computers. Software can be downloaded from http://software.is.rice.edu/. The offered software includes anti-virus programs and virus updates. Take advantage of these offerings! If you do not keep your anti-virus software up to date, you may be susceptible to data loss and system corruption.

The software site also includes programs that make it easy to interact with the Owlnet UNIX servers from your room, such as Secure Shell and X-Win32. Using Secure Shell (SSH) allows you to log in to Owlnet UNIX machines and check your email or manipulate files. Using X-Win32, you can run UNIX applications remotely on a PC, which can be very convenient for using MATLAB and other Owlnet software.

Storage: http://www.rice.edu/it/data/index.html

In addition to the email storage space provided, Rice University provides enterprise calss (mirrored, high availablity, snapshot-capable disks) file storage.

Policy »

The Rice network resources are shared among students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Rice community, and must be respected. The Appropriate Use of Computer Resources (University Policy 832-99) establishes guidelines for proper behavior and specifies actions that are prohibited. Prohibited actions may also violate city, state, or federal laws.

Violations of the computing policy are taken seriously. They will be handled originally by resource administrators and then referred to the appropriate Rice judicial system (such as the Honor Council or University Court). Punishments may include suspension of user privileges (permanently or temporarily), deletion of files, disconnection from the Rice network, or other measures. Illegal activities will be reported to the proper authorities.

You should read the Policy so that you are familiar with its regulations. Among other things, it prohibits sharing accounts, chain e-mail, spamming, commercial use, copyright infringement, unauthorized access, and network gaming.

College Telephone Service

College residents do not need to sign up for local and campus telephone service. When you arrive on campus, the phone service will be active. However, you (or your roommate) need to supply the actual telephone for your room/suite. Each college room/suite has only one telephone jack. Telephones should be analog. Students wishing to use caller ID should select a telephone with this capability.

Telephone services include:

Phone Number

Each room/suite has an assigned telephone number (713-348-xxxx) that can receive direct-dial calls from outside Rice University . As part of the campus telephone system, rooms can receive or make calls within Rice by dialing only the four-digit campus extension (e.g. x5555 for Telecommunications).

Cost

A fee of $71 per semester is included in the required fees of each college resident for telephone line charges and associated features.

Long-Distance and International Service

Beginning with the 2007 school year, students can make unlimited local and domestic long distance calls for free. Rice and Resicom will monitor the student traffic to assure local and long distance calling falls within the Acceptable Use Policy.

For international long-distance service, students have several choices. They can obtain an account with Resicom (Rice’s service provider) by going to http://www.resicom.com to sign up and to view country rates. Students can also pick a carrier of their choice and use long-distance services through their assigned toll-free numbers or calling card. Purchasing prepaid calling cards from local retailers or utilizing your cell phone are other options.

Telephone Help

Students can contact Telecommunications at 713-348-5555 with questions or look on the College Telephones web pages for voice mail instructions, long distance rates, and other helpful tips.

More Information & Troubleshooting »

FAQ

Owlnet maintains a database of Frequently Asked Questions. If you have a problem, you should visit the FAQ and browse around to see if you can find the answer to your problem. If you don't find an answer, you can go on to file a problem report or look for one-on-one help (see below).

Problem

The IT help system (http://helpdesk.rice.edu) is a system that allows students to ask questions or describe issues that they have experienced so that IT staff can keep track of them and help to resolve them. You can request assistance either at the web page (recommended) or, if you are off-campus, by sending an email to helpdesk@rice.edu.

One-on-One Help

Undergraduates can also get individual help from their Student Computing Consultants (SCCs) or from the Help Desk at 713-348-HELP (4357).

The Help Desk also assists graduate students with issues of immediate importance.

Short Courses

If you want to learn more about a particular computing task, IT offers short courses of two to three hours on popular software programs and computing tasks. Visit the link for details and schedules. For the Fall 2007 semester only, we will not be offering Instructor Led courses, but we are still offering Instructor Supported On-Line courses.

Calendar

You can use the online calendar system to keep track of your time and to let others know when you're available. The calendar can be accessed from any browser at http://webcal.rice.edu. All undergraduates automatically have accounts created for them. The default password is the last 2 digits of your birth year, followed the last 4 of your SSN. Accounts created after August 15, 2007 will automatically use the NetID password.

For more information about the online Calendar system visit the Rice Calendar Project page.

 
 
 

 
  
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