When you leave or return to campus...Helpful Links

Wellesley College students, faculty and staff often travel away from the campus, particularly during academic breaks and holidays. Listed below are things you should do before you leave to protect your computer while you're away, as well as information on how to stay in touch with your friends and the campus once you reach your destination.

Before you leave

• Download new Microsoft Windows Updates on your Windows PC -- using Internet Explorer, click here and select EXPRESS

• Use FirstClass from home

• Forward your FirstClass mail

• Let people to know you're away
  
  
• Save your FirstClass e-mail messages and attachments
  
  
• Backup your documents
  
  
• Set up your Domain Password so you can reset it if you forget it later
  
  
• Protect your data while you're gone
  
  
• Protect your computer while you're gone
  
  

While you're away

• Use FirstClass to stay in touch

• Use your Meeting Maker Calendar on the web

• Use the College Web Site to keep up with what's happening

• Check Campus events on the Calendar

• Use the on-line directory to look up information (click on the 4th tab for Campus Directory)

• Explore the on-line computer training
  

• Explore library resources accessible from off-campus

• Ask a Librarian a question through email
  
  

When you return to campus

• If you have a Windows computer, allow time to authenticate through Clean Access, as there may be new Microsoft and antivirus updates.

• Did you forward your e-mail to another account?

• Did you set up FirstClass to tell people you were away?

• Are you bringing a new computer back with you to campus?

Need Help?

What should I do about computing before I leave campus?

Do you want to use FirstClass from home?

Will you have access to a computer at home with an ISP (Internet Service Provider)? Students, will you be taking your computer home with you?

You can use FirstClass from any web browser, by connecting to https://firstclass.wellesley.edu, but to be able to do EVERYTHING you do on campus with FirstClass, you'll want to use the FirstClass client software.

Once you set up the FirstClass client software, if you are having a problem connecting or logging in to FirstClass, try the suggestions in Off-Campus Connection Troubleshooting for FirstClass.

Do you want to forward your FirstClass mail?

If you have an e-mail account that you like to use at home, you may want to forward your FirstClass e-mail to that account.  But keep in mind that while this covers your personal e-mail, it doesn't give you access to all the great FirstClass conferences that you have been using while you're on campus.  For those, you'll want to use FirstClass from home (see above).

Do you want people to know you're away?

If you will be away and won't be reading your FirstClass mail regularly, you can set up FirstClass so that it automatically replies to any messages you receive from another Wellesley FirstClass user.*  You use this feature to set up a standard message that says something like, "Hello, I'm away until [DATE].  If you need to reach me while I'm away,....".

Do you want to save your FirstClass e-mail messages as text files?

You can save important messages as well as their attachments. This also allows you to delete many messages and attachments from your FirstClass account to free valuable space. Messages saved in text format can be easily searched, stored and shared with other users.

Do you want to have your documents backed up?

Do you want to be able to change your Domain Password yourself, in case you forget it?

If you forget your domain password in future, and you have followed the instructions here, you will be able to reset it yourself without calling or visiting the Help Desk.

Do you want to protect your computer while you're gone?

If you will be leaving your computer on campus while you're gone, you should unplug it to protect it from possible power outages and surges.

What can I do while I'm away?

While you're home, relaxing and catching up on sleep, you may find yourself wanting to spend some time on the computer.

Stay in touch using FirstClass. Install the FirstClass client software to access your e-mail and FirstClass conferences, or use use FirstClass from any web browser.

Faculty and staff, use your Meeting Maker Calendar on the web. Log on to your Meeting Maker Account

Visit the College Web Site http://www.wellesley.edu, to keep up with what's happening on campus.

Take time to explore ElementK and other training opportunities.

What should I do when I return?

Authenticate to the network using Cisco Clean Access.

Un-forward your mail, if you had set it to forward to your home account

Turn off the automatic replies, if you had set FirstClass to tell people you were away

Students: see the ResNet Instructions for Getting Connected, if you got a new computer while you were away.

Need help?

• Post to the Computing Questions & IS Alerts conference on FirstClass.

• Students, contact the Computing Help Desk at x 7777.

• Faculty and staff, contact the Computing Help Desk at x3333.
  
  

Wellesley College | Information Services | Archives Computing | Library | Media Services | Telephone & Voicemail

• Information Services

• Date Created: November 20, 2000

• Date Last Modified: October 2, 2009