Student FAQs - Technical Support

How do I contact technical support?

The Information Commons is the main technical support group for students at CUMC. You can call extension 5-Help (212-305-4357), email 5help@columbia.edu, or stop by the help desk on the 2nd floor of the Health Sciences Library.

What are the hours for technical support?

The Information Commons is open approximately the same hours as the Library; we do close 15 minutes earlier each day and have shorter hours on Sunday.

Fall and Spring Semester:
Monday through Thursday 8am to 10:45pm
Friday 8am to 7:45pm
Saturday 10am to 10:45pm
Sunday noon to 7:45pm

Summer Semester:
Monday through Thursday 8am to 8:45pm
Friday 8am to 5:45pm
Saturday 10am to 5:45pm
Sunday noon to 6:45pm

If you have arranged to drop off or pick up a laptop for advanced troubleshooting please see important guidelines below.

What is CUbhis eSupport?

CUbhis offers eSupport, a tool that allows us to remotely connect to your computer - with your consent - to make the troubleshooting process faster and easier. eSupport allows us to see what's on your screen, control your cursor and type on your computer. This eliminates over the phone instruction and the wait involved with having a technician come out in person.

Once connected:

• You'll be able to see any work the technician is doing on screen
• There will be a chat window where you can exchange instant messages with the technician
• You'll still be able to use your mouse and keyboard (though for troubleshooting purposes it's best to not interrupt!)
• There will be a button on screen that you can select to cancel the connection at any time.

Your computer must have network connectivity in order to use eSupport. Currently it can only be used to troubleshoot Windows based computers. Simply follow the instructions on the eSupport page to connect.

Can I bring my computer to Information Commons if I need help?

If you are simply trying to connect to a resource such as wireless or the Ninja printers, please be sure to review our web site and the documents at our Printable Tutorials page. We've posted tutorials for a number of commonly requested services.

If you'd still like to bring your computer in, we are unfortunately not able to accept desktops at the service desk, due in part to building security requirements. Laptop users are welcome to bring their computers to the Information Commons, however advanced issues may require special arrangements. Initial troubleshooting and diagnosis can be performed (though during busy periods we may not be able to look at your computer immediately) but the following will apply if the issue cannot be resolved quickly:

You will be given a ticket number and arrangements will be made for a field technician to continue working on the problem.

• Laptops
  1. After initial troubleshooting has been performed and you have been advised to bring in your laptop, it can be dropped off Monday through Thursday between 8am and 7pm.
  2. After you've been notified that the work was completed, your laptop can be picked up Monday through Friday between 8am and 7pm.
  Do not attempt to drop off or pick up a laptop without having first made arrangements with a technician.
• Desktops - a technician will make an appointment to work on any desktops in campus housing that require advanced troubleshooting.
  

Can a technician assist me in connecting my computer to the network?

Students must follow the detailed instructions in order to connect their personal systems with CUMC's Residential and Wireless networks; there are also handouts on how to connect that can be picked up on the 2nd floor of the Health Sciences Library or printed from our Tutorials page.

The vast majority of students are able to configure their computers without trouble by following these instructions on their own. If you have any questions or problems while trying to connect, you can contact the Information Commons at extension 5-Help.