Purchasing a Computer
While Yale does not have a computer ownership requirement for its students, most students decide to bring their own computers to campus. If you decide to purchase a computer, Student Computing has negotiated special pricing on pre-configured computer packages from Apple, Dell, and IBM. More information can be found at http://www.yale.edu/sc/buy_purchase.html. For any computer you purchase, we encourage you to meet or exceed the recommended computer specifications.
The most important consideration when purchasing a new computer is to include at minimum a three-year warranty. If possible, students should opt for a four-year warranty with on-site repair service to protect your computer from hardware failures.
Yale-licensed software for the following supported operating systems is available for download from the Software Download Site:
- Microsoft Windows 98 SE
- Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows XP Home
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Mac OS 9.2.2 and higher
- Mac OS 10.1.5 and higher
CAs are only trained to work with supported operating systems. Computing Assistants will attempt to support other technologies, but providing such assistance may take additional time and may be prioritized below problems with supported operating operating systems and devices. Information on computer purchases can be found at http://www.yale.edu/sc/buy_reco.html
For the 2005-2006 school year, Student Computing recommends that new computers meet or exceed the following:
- a PC with a Pentium 4 or M processor; a Centrino notebook; or a Macintosh with a G3 or later processor
- 256 MB of RAM
- built-in Ethernet and Wireless or a recommended Ethernet adapter and Wireless card
- a category 5 Ethernet patch cable (25 feet is adequate for most Yale rooms)
- an on-site warranty, for three or four years (four years highly recommended for incoming freshmen)
- writeable CD-ROM or DVD drive
- Windows XP Professional, Mac OS X (OS 10.3 or later)
Laptop users are also recommended to purchase the following:
- security cable lock (eg. Kensington Slim Microsaver Cable, Belkin Notebook Security Kit)
- 802.11b compatible wireless card
Most new computers have built-in Ethernet adapters, including all Apple computers and Windows laptops with a 'mini-PCI” 10/100 Ethernet card. For computers without internal Ethernet cards, please go to http://www.yale.edu/sc/buy_reco.html for recommended Ethernet cards.
Each on-campus room has at least one Ethernet jack per occupant. Depending on where you live, the Ethernet jack may be next to a phone jack or on a separate wall plate. The jack should be labeled with a number preceded by the letter 'L”. In addition, the Ethernet jack may have an image of a computer above it.
In some suites in the colleges that have not been renovated, hubs are permanently mounted to a wall to offer network connectivity to all occupants. If you are using a hub, insert your Ethernet cable into the lowest numbered unoccupied Ethernet jack on the hub.
A category 5 Ethernet patch cable with RJ45 connectors is required to connect a computer to Yale's network. Plug one end of the cable into your Ethernet adapter on your computer and plug the other end into the Ethernet jack on your wall. Note: Do not substitute a phone cable for an Ethernet cable, it will not provide network connectivity.
ITS is committed to provide one Ethernet jack per person in each suite. Depending on how room furniture is arranged and where the jacks are located, the ports may not be conveniently located; you may need to run cables around walls and under doors. If there are more room occupants then Ethernet jacks in your entire suite, please contact a CA at http://www.yale.edu/cas.