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The Information Services department provides a variety of support and wireless network options to Westminster University faculty, staff, and students.

All incoming students must have access to a laptop computer. Westminster will only support devices that are running on the latest 2 operating systems (Example: Monterey and Ventura or Windows 10 and Windows 11). Due to their inability to house and support all necessary features, tablets and Chromebooks currently receive limited support from Information Services.

Requirements and Support

Hardware

  • Must be a laptop, netbook, or another mobile platform that meets the operating system requirements.

  • Must be able to operate for a minimum of 3 hours on battery. This allows students to work on battery power for the duration of a single class period.

  • Must have a webcam and microphone either embedded or as an add-on.

  • Must be able to connect to the wireless network using 802.11 standards.

Virus Scan

Virus scan software should be installed and up-to-date. Microsoft Security Essentials is recommended.

To support the institutional mobile computing initiative, the Information Services department has established the following service priorities.

  • To the extent possible, Information Services will provide academic software to faculty and students both remotely and on campus via a remote desktop interface. Some software is restricted via licensing agreement and will not be made available (example: Adobe Creative Cloud). Additionally, software that requires specialized hardware or is incompatible with the remote desktop interface will not be available.

  • Information Services will verify the configuration and availability of the remote desktop interface and wireless access on campus. Individual computers are the sole responsibility of the owner and it is their responsibility to connect them to both the wireless and remote desktop interface. However, Information Services will provide instructions that cover the most common connection configurations.

Connecting to the Wireless Network and/or Westminster Anywhere

If you need support to get your laptop connected to the wireless network, you can bring it to the support desk on the main floor of Giovale Library. You can also call the support line (801.832.2023), where you can receive assistance or make an appointment to meet with a full-time staff member Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. by submitting a help desk request.

Using Laptops in Your Courses

Plan Ahead

The Information Services department encourages you to let your students know beforehand that laptops and/or the remote desktop interface will be used in class. At the same time, you should encourage students to make sure their devices are working properly before class. Students can call the support line (801.832.2023), submit a help desk request, or visit the support desk on the main floor of Giovale Library if they need assistance.

Classroom Technology Support

You can request to have an Information Services staff member attend a class to verify that all students can connect to the wireless network and/or the remote desktop interface. Classroom technology support can take up to 1 hour of class time depending on the number of students and computer equipment. If you would like to schedule a classroom support session, call the support line (801.832.2023), submit a help desk request, or visit the support desk on the main floor of Giovale Library.

The support desk is the best place for you to come with any technical problems. The desk is located on the main floor of Giovale Library and is staffed by student technicians who are available anytime the library is open. If a student technician is unable to help, you may be directed to meet with a staff member. Staff members are available Monday–Friday from 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Wireless

Westminster offers 4 ways users can connect to the university's wireless network.

The Westminster network is an encrypted network that allows the user to configure their computer to automatically authenticate to the network each time they connect.

The WestminsterGuest network is open with no encryption. This network is available for guests and visitors on campus and requires someone with a Westminster University email address to approve the access as the sponsor. Guests and visitors with no Westminster University affiliation will be required to show Valid ID for network access.

Many consumer devices can't use WPA Enterprise encryption. Examples of these types of devices are video game consoles and networked digital media players. RecNet is a WPA PSK (pre-shared key) that will allow these types of devices to connect. Below are the instructions on how to connect:

  1. Go to the Help Desk Portal
  2. Select the "Get IS help" request
  3. Title the request "RecNet Request" or something similar
  4. In the description box, include your device type and your device's MAC address
  5. You will receive the password to the WiFi network through the ticket which will go to your Westminster email

Eduroam (education roaming) is a secured wireless network that allows students, staff, faculty, and alumni of an institution to use their home institution's wireless credentials to automatically access wireless networks at other participating institutions without needing a guest account. Eduroam is offered in over 40 countries worldwide and is only in the early stages of development in the United States. This documentation describes the services and connection methods as they are intended to perform. However, in practice, you may encounter occasional difficulties at this or other locations until this new service becomes more established. We anticipate the standardization of the service will improve in the U.S. over time.

If you are visiting from another eduroam participating institution, use your home institution's log on credentials (if your device did not already connect). If you need help or support, you will need to contact your home institution to obtain setup instructions for your particular institution.

Please note you will need to enter your full Westminster email address rather than just your username when connecting to Eduroam. For example, abc1203@westminsteru.edu as opposed to abc1203.