Student Residential Network

All students living in residential housing on the Columbia University Medical Center campus have access to wired or wireless Ethernet network connections. Those who would like to use the networks must follow the Steps Required to Get Connected.

Overview

Bard Hall, Georgian, Tower I, Tower II, Tower III, 106 Haven, 154 Haven, and the E-Lounge are equipped with wired data ports, and are part of the CUMC campus network. Students at these locations are able to connect a properly registered and configured computer to the high-speed campus network. Wireless connections are also provided at the Library (LL1, Lobby, and 2nd Floor), Bard Hall's main lounge, and PH17.

Both Macintosh and Windows public computers are available at several locations on the Medical Center campus, however most students will find connecting their own computers and accessing networked resources from their rooms to be more convenient.

Student routers, hubs, gaming and many other devices are NOT allowed on the network - please see our FAQ for details. Connecting any of these devices without proof of appropriate, prior approval can result in an instant loss of network connectivity.

Here are direct links to the various forms that CUMC students need to use to register or change their information for network access at CUMC:
Be sure to completely read the Steps Required to Get Connected before submitting an online form!

• Request a Wired Connection - currently for desktop computers or any requiring a static IP only. All student laptops used on campus, and any student desktops located in Bard Hall housing*, can use this form.
  *Any student computer plugging into the wired network at this location that has not already successfully registered via the online form will automatically be directed to that form to register. Please see the FAQs and Bradford Policy page for more information regarding this method of registration.
• Delete Network Card - please fill this out for any computer or system you are no longer using on the CUMC campus; this includes any systems that have had their network card replaced. Please then use the Wired or Wireless forms to register a new system or card.
• Location Change Request - please use this form if you have moved from one student residence to another.

Steps Required to Get Connected

Following is a summary of what is required to connect to the Medical Center Network:

• You must be a resident of Bard, Georgian, Tower I, Tower II, Tower III, 390 Fort Washington, 106 Haven or 154 Haven to get wired Ethernet connections in the dormitories, except for wired Ethernet at the E-lounge or other valid places on campus, and wireless Ethernet connections on campus.
• You must to activate your Columbia UNI (email) account.
• You can get detailed instructions on connecting in a handout at the Information Commons service desk (2nd floor of the Library), or you can download a copy of "Connect to the Wired Network at CUMC" from our Printable Tutorials page.
• Verify that your computer has a working wired or wireless network interface card and, if using the wired network, that you have a "Cat 5" or network cable to plug your computer into the data port at your housing.
• You need to determine the "Hardware Address" of your network card(s); it may be printed on the card itself, or you can use these instructions to find it from your computer.
• For a wired (cable) connection on a desktop computer, you must submit the online Wired IP registration form. Your registration should be granted within 1 business days of correctly submitting the form, and you will receive an email with details on connecting. The public computers at the Library and other locations on campus can be used for submitting the form and checking email.
  NOTE: All student laptops, and any student desktops connecting to wired at Bard Hall floors 1 through 4, can now use this form to register and gain instant wired access after passing a quick (typically less than one minute) security scan on their computer. Please see the Bradford Tool FAQs for more information.
• Once you have received an email stating your IP request has been completed, plug your computer into the data port using your network cable. Most systems will connect automatically, but if your computer does not or you received instructions in the email that you need to take extra steps to connect your system and they did not work, please contact the Information Commons.
• Wireless connections must use the instructions on our wireless page to connect to the CUMC campus wireless networks.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
You can send questions via email to 5help@columbia.edu, call (212) 305-4357 (extension 5-Help), or stop by the Information Commons Help Desk at the 2nd floor of the Library. If you have followed all of the steps above and cannot connect from your housing, please call from your room while you are at your computer so we can troubleshoot why your system is not connecting there.

NOTE: Please do not contact CUIT (the Morningside campus technical support) with questions or problems pertaining to connecting to the network from CUMC Residence Housing and campus.

Please see the Student FAQs on the Residential Network for more information.

Computer Requirements

What kind of computer do I need to connect to the network?
If you have do not yet have a computer please see the recommendations and special offers available to CUMC students at http://www.cubhis.org/getting_started/comppurch.html

Vista is still not fully compatible with all Columbia, CUMC and NYPH resources and applications. We highly recommend that students use PCs running Windows XP Professional.