Below are reminders and recommendations for you and your computer for when you go down from College. Please make a point of remembering your login details for your college and email accounts!
For details of what happens to your University accounts (including email) if you are leaving/finishing your course see http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/registration/finish/
Contents
- Anti-virus Software
- Remote Access to Oxford Facilities
- Things to Do Before Returning to College
- On Returning to College
1) Anti-Virus Software
Make sure that your ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE is up to date:
You need to download a fresh version of Sophos every Michaelmas term from https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ - click on software in the left hand column.
Microsoft Security Essentials is an excellent alternative to Sophos and does not have such an impact on its performance - (http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/). This will auto update whether you are in Oxford or not.
Do check that your anti-virus program has not expired, e.g. that Norton AV can still receive live updates. You only want to have ONE anti-virus program on your computer, so remove others.
2) Remote Access to Oxford Facilities - Exam Papers, Etc.
From outside the Oxford University network you cannot access fully the libraries, Oxford exam pages, etc. these are 'Oxford Access Only' facilities. The solution is to set yourself up with 'VPN'. VPN allows your home computer to appear as if it is on the Oxford network and hence gives you the authorisation to view these sites. http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/network/remote gives an overview
You need to apply for a Remote Access Account password from OUCS: https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ and download the VPN software (again from https://register.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ - click on software in the lefthand column).
NOTE: if you use VPN all your network connectivity is through the University network and you must follow the University IT rules. In 2006 and 2007 Balliol students have received fines of >£100 for using P2P software even when not in Oxford!
3) Before Returning to College
a) You must UNINSTALL all PEER TO PEER PROGRAMS (P2P), e.g. Bittorrent, Limewire and all the rest, before returning to Oxford. These are absolutely banned by the University and it is an offence if you use, knowingly or otherwise, these peer-to-peer file sharing programs and will put you in front of the Proctors. If in doubt, ANY program which allows you to exchange music, movies or software should be considered forbidden. We do not make exceptions if you have paid to become a subscriber either. We are now past the stage of any leniency in the matter. If OUCS detect you have running P2P software and inform College you will be fined >£100.
For many P2P programs you have to actively uninstall them from the Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel as they will still be ticking away in the background even if you do not bring up the program itself.
SKYPE is explicitly banned by the University unless it is specially configured.
b) You must be running an up-to-date virus checker when you return. If your computer has been isolated from the Internet it must be brought up to date the instant you connect to the College network.
c) You must disable 'File and Printer sharing' (in the network control panel), or ensure that every folder share is password protected.
A number of people have caught viruses because their own and (if Windows XP or 2000) administrator accounts have not had any passwords. On a network you must have a password on every account otherwise the world could gain full control of your computer. This applies if you are on broadband at home too!
4) On Returning to College
Your first tasks MUST be to
- Once you have connectivity to the outside world ...
- update your virus checker
- download all new critical updates for your operating system.
If you have replaced a computer which was on the Balliol network over the vacation you need to email computing@balliol.ox.ac.uk giving the Hardware (MAC) Address of the new Local Area Network adapter.
People who remain as current students who are in College during the summer vacation may continue to use the Network but must reapply around August 1st. Network maintenance occurs during summer so continual connectivity cannot be guaranteed.