Computing & Information Services

Setting Up Windows XP & Windows Vista at Reed

These instructions show you how to setup your computer to access Reed's network. Some of the steps are necessary before you can connect to Reed's servers and printers. If you get stuck at any point, contact CUS (x7525) for help.

These instructions must be performed with an administrative user account in Windows XP or Windows Vista.

Register Your Computer on the Reed Network
Install Symantec Antivirus
Install Reed Printers and Servers
Connecting to Reed's servers
Disconnecting from Reed's server
Troubleshooting server access
Basic Security

Register Your Computer on the Reed Network

Because Windows does a lot of work for you, accessing the Internet while on campus should be as easy as turning on your computer and plugging into an ethernet port or getting onto the wireless network- Reednet. The first time you try to access any webpage, your web browser will take you to the Reed Network Registration page where you can register your computer. Please make sure to register using your Reed network username and password and not as a guest, or you will have limited access to the network. You will be asked to register once for the wired network and once for the wireless network.

If you're having trouble getting online, you may want to check your network settings to make sure your computer is configured properly.

Once you are online, proceed with the instructions for installing Reed network resources below.

Install Symantec AntiVirus

It is highly recommended that you have an antivirus software installed on your computer before you begin surfing the internet. As a Reed College faculty, staff or student, you have free access to a copy of Symantec Antivirus. Please visit this website to learn more.

Install Reed Windows Printing and Server shortcuts

To access Reed's printers and network resources, you will need to download and run the Reed Windows Printing installer from its Academic Software page. This executable file will:

let you select and add Reed printers (including dorm printers) to your computer so that you can print from them
install a registry patch on your computer, which will allow you to access Reed's servers
enable Automatic Updates, which is a requirement for all PCs on the Reed network

Note: If you are looking for the registry patch to make a manual install, please refer to this page.

Here are step-by-step instructions that will take you through the install process:

Download the Reed Windows Printing Installer.
Launch the file Reed Windows Printing.exe from your desktop or downloads folder.
Click Next on the setup window, then Browse to where you want to install the files or just click on Next again.
On the following page, click on the checkbox next to the name of the printers that you expect to use often. For example, it is a good idea to select IRC printers, IRC color and whichever dorm and library printer you expect to be nearest to. The more printers you add, the more time the installation will take. When you are done choosing your printers, click on Next.
On the following page, you may assign a name for the Start menu folder for this application or just click on Next.
On the following page, you may click on the checkboxes to change your additional preferences. It is recommended to use the default, and click on Next.
Click on Install then click on OK on the pop-up window. After the setup window finishes unpacking the files, it will take some minutes to install them onto your computer depending on the number of printers you are installing and the processing speed of your computer. If the screen below should persist during this time, it is completely normal and it is recommended not to run other applications at this time.
After setup is complete, read the prompted instructions then click on OK, then select Finish to close the installation.

Remember: First login with your Reed username and password to connect to Reed's printers and servers.

To log on to the Reed network, you can double-click the Reed Login shortcut on your Desktop or select Start> Programs> Reed printing> Reed Login and enter your Reed username and password in the new window then click on Login. You are now ready to print to Reed's billed printers. If you have selected printers to be added to your computer, they will show up when you try to print from applications like MS Word or Firefox. You are also ready to connect to Reed's network servers.

Connecting to Reed's Servers

Once you have installed the Reed Windows Printing installer, and logged in to the Reed network, you can view your personal Home Server, Reed's Courses Server, Windows Tools Server and Griffin Exchange Server by double-clicking on the shortcuts placed on your Desktop.

These shortcuts can also by accessed by selecting Start> Programs> Reed Printing> Servers.

Disconnecting from servers

To disconnect from all servers, click on the Reed Login shortcut on your desktop or inside Start> Programs> Reed Printing> then on the Reed Network Login window, click on Logout. Restarting or logging off your computer will also disconnect from the servers. To keep your personal work and your computer secure, it is a good idea to disconnect from the servers when they you are not using them.

Troubleshooting server access

If you're having trouble connecting to Reed's servers, please see our troubleshooting steps below.

Firewall settings?

Check your firewall settings. Firewalls may have default settings that are so restrictive you cannot access our servers. Common firewall software includes programs such as ZoneAlarm and the built in firewall in Windows XP & Windows Vista.

An easy way to determine whether or not your firewall is causing the trouble is to temporarily disable it. Restart your computer once you've disabled the firewall to insure that the change takes effect. Once you've restarted your computer, see if you can access the servers. If you can, you know your firewall settings are too restrictive. You can then return to your original settings and one by one test the settings to see which one is causing the trouble. Restart between changes to your firewall settings to insure that the changes take effect.

Take Care! Remember to use caution in adjusting your firewall settings so as not to make your computer vulnerable to attack.

Do not hesitate to contact CUS (x7525) for help at any point.

Basic Security

There are some critical things you should do to ensure the safety of your machine, and most importantly, your data.

Do not turn off User Account Control. Yes, I know it's annoying. Please see this page for more information!
Back up your data. If your hard drive should die or your computer is should get lost, stolen or damaged, you will still have all your data. Visit our page on backing up your data for more information.
Install and use an anti-virus software. Reed provides Symantec Anti-Virus to all current students, faculty and staff.
Keep your operating system and software up-to-date. If Windows Updates is not configured to automatically download and install updates, check for updates frequently.
Do not create more user accounts on your machine that you need. Disable accounts you do not use, including built-in accounts such as Guest.
Password protect all the accounts you use. Choose passwords that are tricky to figure out, but make sure you remember it. If you should forget passwords for your administrator accounts, you will not be able to login to your computer, use it, or access your files.
Do not share files or folders across the network, unless you absolutely must. If you must share files, use caution. Turn on the least possible access. Use simple file and sharing and make sure network users are NOT allowed to change your files.
If you do not wish to share files or folders, make sure you turn off file and print sharing from the Network Setup Wizard in Control Panel for each network connection you use.

Please visit our security page for other important tips.