Technology
Technology

Windows FAQs

Q: My wireless says it is connected, but has limited or no connectivity. How can I fix this?

1. Go to the Start menu > Connect To > Show all connections.

2. Right click on your Wireless Network Connection icon and click Properties.

3. Choose the Wireless Networks tab.

4. In the Preferred Networks field, check to see if uowireless (Automatic) is there, then follow the appropriate instructions below:

a) If it appears

  • Highlight uowireless by clicking on it.
  • Click the Properties button.
  • Make sure the pull-down menu in the Data encryption: field is set to Disabled.
  • Click OK.

b) If it doesn't appear, is incorrect or has (Manual) next to it

  • Highlight uowireless by clicking on it.
  • Click the Remove button.
  • Now, click the Add button and type uowirelesss in the Network name (SSID): field
  • Choose Disabled from the pull down menu in the Data encryption field and click OK.

5. Click the Advanced button.

6. Select the Access point (infrastructure) networks only bubble and click Close.

7. Click OK to exit Wireless Network Connections Properties.

If you still aren't connected:

1. Go to the Start menu > Connect To > Show all connections.

2. Right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon and choose Disable.

3. Right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon and choose Enable. This should renew your IP address.

If you still aren't connected:

1. Go to the Start menu > Connect To > Show all connections.

2. Right click on the Wireless Network Connection icon and click Repair. This should renew your IP address among other things.

Q: I plugged in my Ethernet cable, but it keeps saying I am not connected. How can I fix this?

There are many possible reasons that you may be unable to connect despite having your Ethernet cable plugged in. To find and fix the problem, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Start menu > Connect To > Show all connections.

2. Right click on your Local Connection icon and choose Disable.

3. Right click on your Local Connection icon again and choose Enable.

By doing this, you will re-new your IP address.

If you are still unable to connect:

1. Remove your Ethernet cable from the desk/wall jack it is currently plugged in to.

2. Plug your Ethernet cable in to a different phone jack to see if the jack is the problem.

If you're still unable to connect:

Bring your laptop in to Room 280 and we'll take a look!

Q: My password has expired, how do I change it?

You will need to change the password you use to access wireless, email and Blackboard every six months. You will receive an email from our central Information Services notifying you that you will need to change your password. When you're ready to change your password:

1. Go to password.uoregon.edu.

2. Put your username (the first part of your email address) in the Username field.

3. Put your Darkwing (uoregon) password in the Password field. . . if you remember it. . .

IF YOU DO NOT REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD, click the "Don't know your password" link at the bottom of the page. Here, it will prompt you for your U of O ID number and your PAC number (the number you use to register for classes).

4. Enter your new password, which should be within these parameters:

  • New passwords must be 6 to 14 characters in length.
  • You cannot choose any word that is in a dictionary, or any names, places, or personal information like your birth date.
  • A secure password should contain at least two numbers and two letters, and it's a good idea to mix upper and lower case letters.

5. Your password should now be changed. NOTE: Depending on the system status, it could take up to an hour for your new password to go in to effect.

Q: Why can't I print over wireless?

Printing over wireless is unreliable due to the nature of the wireless internet connection. We recommend always plugging in an Ethernet cable to print, especially during those important times (i.e. when you're taking an exam!).

Q: A balloon keeps popping up on my laptop that says "A duplicate name exists on the network," what does this mean and how do I fix it?

This error balloon pops up when someone else's computer has the same name as yours. You can change your computer's name, and therefore get rid of this error balloon, by following the instructions below:

1. Go to the Start menu and right click on My Computer and choose Properties.

2. Click on the Computer Name tab, then click the Change. . . button.

3. Change the name in the Computer Name field to something unique (we recommend your service tag, which can be found on the bottom of your laptop).

4. In the "Member of" field, under Workgroup, check to see if it says LAW. If not, change it.

5. Click OK to exit this window.

6. Click OK again to exit the System Properties window.

7. Restart your computer in order for these changes to take effect.

8. You should no longer see the "A duplicate name exists on the network" error message!

Q: A balloon on my D610 keeps popping up and says "Your internal network card has been deactivated to optimize battery life." Why does it say this, why can't I connect to the internet, and what can I do to get it to go away?

This is a new feature Dell has added to the D610 in order to save battery life. However, it can also be an inconvenience as it will not allow you to connect to the internet.

You can learn more about this feature, change settings, and learn the current status of your network card on the D610s by going to:

1. Start menu> Control Panel

2. If your Control Panel is in Category View, change it to Classic view by clicking on the Switch to Classic View link in the upper left-hand corner of the window.

3. Double-click on the Internal NIC Configuration icon.

If you want to be able to plug in you Ethernet cable and connect to the internet regardless of the power source you are using:

1. Choose the Always activate on battery option by filling in the bubble.

2. Click the Apply button.

3. You should see a balloon pop up with the message Your internal network card is currently active if the setting has been changed successfully.

If you no longer want the balloon messages to pop up:

1. Check the Disable notification messages box.

2. Click the Apply button.

3. You should not longer see the balloon messages pop up.
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