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Visitor Network Access - Wired Ethernet for Macs

What you need to connect to the BC network as a Visitor

  • You must be on campus in an area with access to an Ethernet network wall jack. All residence hall rooms have an Ethernet network jack. Most conference rooms and classrooms have an Ethernet network jack. Confirm with your host that a network jack will be available for use.
  • Ethernet network cable.

Step 1: Physical Set-up

Plug your computer into the BC network using an Ethernet cable:

  1. Plug one end of the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet jack on your computer (see Figure 1):
    • An Ethernet cable looks similar to a phone cable, but the ends are wider. If you do not have an Ethernet cable they are available at the BC Bookstore.
    • The Ethernet jack looks like a large phone jack and is usually on the back or side of your computer. Figure 1
      Figure 1.

  2. Find the wall jack in your office, lab, or residence hall room.
  3. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the network jack (below the picture of a computer) (see Figure 2).
    • Once you activate your computer in one network jack, you will be able to access the network from any network jack on campus.
      Figure 2
      Figure 2.

Step 2: Configure and enable the wired network connection

  1. If you see an AirPort icon in the menu bar, click on it and select Turn AirPort Off or Turn Wi-Fi Off for Lion 10.7 users (see Figure 3).
     Figure 3
    Figure 3.

  2. From the Apple menu, select System Preferences (see Figure 4).
     Figure 4
    Figure 4.

  3. Click the Network icon (see Figure 5).
    Figure 5
    Figure 5.

  4. For Lion 10.7, Snow Leopard 10.6 and Leopard 10.5: From the left panel, select Ethernet, then do the following (see Figure 6):
    • From the Configure drop-down list, select Using DHCP.
    • In the Search Domains box, type: bc.edu
    • Click Apply. Figure 6 Figure 6.
  5. For Tiger 10.4 and Panther 10.3: From the Show drop-down list, select Built-in Ethernet and do the following (see Figure 7):
    • Click the TCP/IP tab.
    • From the Configure drop-down list, select Using DHCP.
    • In the Search Domains box, enter bc.edu
    • Click Apply Now. Figure 7
      Figure 7.
  6. Quit System Preferences.

Step 3: Activate your computer for wired access

  1. Open your web browser and go to: activate.bc.edu
  2. Click Visitors (see Figure 8) and follow the on-screen instructions to complete activation. 
    Figure 8 
    Figure 8.

All visitor access ends at 6:00 AM daily. To regain access to the Internet, you must repeat the activation process by going to activate.bc.edu using a web browser.

Visitor Network Access provides access to the following services:

  • Web browsing (including secure sites)
  • Web email
  • FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
  • VPN (Virtual Private Network)
  • SSH (Secure Shell)
  • NTP (Network Time Protocol)

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