Applies to: Desktop and laptop computers
Platform: Windows, Macintosh, Chrome OS
Affiliation: Instructors/Employees
Platform: Windows, Macintosh, Chrome OS
Affiliation: Instructors/Employees
A checklist for instructors and staff to follow when reconnecting their university-owned computer to the campus network after a long period of leave or remote work.
Note: Before you begin, know who your departmental IT support staff are so that you may contact them with questions you may have.
1. Connect your computer workstation
- If you are bringing a computer and devices back to the office, connect your computer, monitor, docking station, keyboard, mouse, network cable, and all other devices and cables.
- If you left your computer in your office, double-check the cable connections to make sure that everything is still connected before turning your computer on.
Missing parts, cables, or need assistance connecting your workstation?
Contact your departmental IT support staff.
2. Turn on your computer and log in.
- Press the power button on your computer, monitors, and everything else that requires power to ensure that they turn on and start up properly. Check the batteries of your mouse and keyboard if they are wireless.
- Log in to your computer. This may take a moment if you have not logged in on campus in a while.
- Can't log in? Contact your departmental IT support staff.
Note: Your computer may have a lot of updates to catch up on, and may require several restarts. Check out our Getting your computer ready for time-sensitive tasks best practices article. Contact your departmental IT support staff with questions.
3. Verify your connections
- Open a web browser (Chrome, Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox) and go to a familiar web page to ensure that you can browse the internet.
- No internet connection? (jack broken, inactive, etc.) Submit a work order.
- Need to register your connection? See instructions for registering a wired connection or a wireless connection.
- Connect to your file shares, including your departmental and personal network drives, to ensure you still have access
- Can't connect to your files? Contact your departmental IT support staff.
- Print a test page to your departmental and personal printer(s)
- Can't print? Contact your departmental IT support staff.