Campus Network
Tips & Tricks
When you bring a computer on campus, there are a number of puzzle pieces to be put into place in order to get connected to the campus network:
Puzzle Piece 1 🧩 Activated physical network port (if your device will be wired)
Single Port Registration: If you are in an Engineering Building, send an email to oec@ucsd.edu that includes:
Building, Floor, and office number
Port ID (listed on the physical wall plate)
VLAN to connect to (if you need a specific VLAN), otherwise list "general building VLAN"
any other relevant information (lab name, number of devices that will be connected, etc)
Multiple Port Registration:
Use this Google Sheet template to capture all the relevant ports - further directions on usage is provided in the Sheet
Send a copy of your completed Sheet to oec@ucsd.edu
Otherwise, fill out the ITS CSR form here: https://blink.ucsd.edu/technology/help-desk/CSR/form.html
Puzzle Piece 2 🧩 Network registration with ITS (required for all devices connected to the campus network)
Helpful tips provided below ⏬
Puzzle Piece 3 🧩 IP settings configured correctly (set to DHCP, OR statically configured if you need/have received a static IP from ITS)
Puzzle Piece 4 🧩 Device meets minimum network security standards (up-to-date anti-virus software, active firewall, up-to-date OS, etc)
IMPORTANT: If you are moving from one building to another, this usually requires an updated registration. In almost all cases, each building has it's own IP space and your host registration is likely to have been tied to the previous building's IP space.
Info on updating registration is provided below ⏬
Please contact us at oec@ucsd.edu if you have any questions on network connections or are unsure which steps you need to take.
First-Time Wired Network Registration (one or two devices)
To register a new wired host, please utilize the registration form provided by ITS.
https://netapps-web.ucsd.edu/secure/etherreg/etherform.pl
Important Notes:
Comments: Please provide info about what the device is (i.e. printer, router, Raspberry PI, etc - and if the device controls something else, what it controls - i.e. attached to microscope for example). This will make it easier to identify the system if it needs to be located.
Your @ucsd.edu email address: If this is a lab computer, please include lab email, PI email, and/or IT group when possible. Separate multiple email addresses with a comma.
TCP/IP subnet: If you are not sure of the specific subnet for your area, you can instead provide the IP address of a device that is already registered in that area.
DHCP only: General building networks for Engineering and Physical Sciences are set up to utilize dynamic IP addressing (roaming hosts). Some labs with their own private networks also support dynamic addressing.
Unless you need a static IP, please set DHCP only to yes. This will allow you to use wired networks in our buildings in a dynamic way without needing to know the specifics of the subnet you are connecting to.
Reasons you may need a static IP
you are hosting a website, file storage, or other service from the device that needs to be accessible by other devices on the network
you need to connect to the device remotely via IP (RDP, SSH, for instance)
If you determine you need a static IP, choose NO for DHCP only. This will, by default, get you a static DHCP address. You should also fill out the Machine Name option to make sure that you're assigned a DNS name that you want, rather than a random name assigned by ITS.
If you notice any issues with the IP address assignment, please contact oec@ucsd.edu.
Machine Name: This name is used to create the DNS name for your device.
DNS names are a way for devices to find eachother on a network/internet without needing to know their IP address. Example is time.ucsd.edu (time would be the "machine name", and ucsd.edu is the domain name)
Some labs utilize a prefix in their naming scheme (e.g. mylab-computer1)
If your device has a DNS name, and you are utilizing DHCP (roaming host), then you will be able to remotely access your device via DNS name, even if the IP address changes (if your device is appropriately configured for remote access) - you would use the DNS name <your machine name>.dynamic.ucsd.edu
First-Time Wired Network Registrations (more than two)
If you are registering more than two devices, ITS asks that you do not use the host registration form.
Here are their instructions for bulk registrations:
https://netapps-web.ucsd.edu/dnms/ether/multmach.html
First-Time Wireless Device Registration
If you are able to use the UCSD-PROTECTED network, then you should not need to register your device.
If your wireless device is not compatible with UCSD-PROTECTED, then you will need to fill out the wireless registration form.
https://netapps-web.ucsd.edu/secure/etherreg/wirelessform.pl
Important Notes:
Comments: Please provide info about what the device is (i.e. printer, router, Raspberry PI, etc - and if the device controls something else, what it controls - i.e. attached to microscope for example). This will make it easier to identify the system if it needs to be located.
Your network username: This is your @ucsd.edu email address. If this is a lab computer, please include lab email, PI email, and/or IT group when possible. Separate multiple email addresses with a comma.
Machine Name: This name is used to create the DNS name for your device.
DNS names are a way for devices to find eachother on a network/internet without needing to know their IP address. Example is time.ucsd.edu (time would be the "machine name", and ucsd.edu is the domain name)
Some labs utilize a prefix in their naming scheme (e.g. mylab-computer1)
If your device has a DNS name, and you are utilizing DHCP (roaming host), then you will be able to remotely access your device via DNS name, even if the IP address changes (if your device is appropriately configured for remote access) - you would use the DNS name <your machine name>.dynamic.ucsd.edu
Updating / Removing Existing Registrations
You will need to submit a request to hostmaster@ucsd.edu if:
Updating: if you are moving a device to another location on campus
Removing: if you are retiring a device from the network permanently
In this request, please include:
currently registered MAC address of the device
currently registered IP address of the device, if statically assigned
current Machine Name, if applicable
explanation of the desired change (e.g. moving to new location, retiring system, replaced NIC)
When Updating: KEY piece of information to provide is the new TCP/IP subnet (If you are not sure of the specific subnet for your NEW area, you can instead provide the IP address of a device that is already registered in that area.)