Resident Student Association Issues
Problems connecting to ResNet with Windows XP Home Edition

Last updated on October 24, 2002

Users of Windows XP Home Edition have experienced problems getting on the ResNet with a registered computer. The difficulty is that the operating system does not correctly get an IP address from the DHCP server.

Residents can submit a form with Windows XP Home Edition (or LINUX or Windows 3.x) - we will process it and activate the IP address. However, if there are problems all ISS and the Student Help Desk can do is:

1. Test the jack to be sure that it is working, 
2. Look at the configuration on Windows XP Home Edition to be sure that we have the correct information and that the system is configured correctly and 
3. Try applying any patches that Microsoft releases to try to fix the problem.

After that, unless Microsoft provides a fix (Service Pack 1 is supposed to address this issue), our hands are tied.

Until ISS is confident that they have a solution that works every time, they will continue to list Windows XP Home Edition as an unsupported operating system for the ResNet program and recommend that people not use it.

The description above was a paraphrased from a report by Gordon Suggs, Director of Technology Services in the office of information systems and services.