By Marie I. MacDonald | Observer Conributor
Photo by Matthew Cohen
MWCC – Are you having trouble with your laptop? Can’t figure out how to connect to the WIFI system at school? Trouble logging in to iConnect from home? Who should you call? You should call or visit the Help Desk, located on the lower level of LaChance Library.
On a recent visit to the Help Desk, I needed help working with my laptop at the school. I couldn’t seem to figure out why the WIFI was not connecting. I dropped in to visit the Help Desk and was greeted by Luis Rivera, a Help Desk Specialist. He helped me figure out the best way to use WIFI. When asked why we don’t log in to the system individually, Mr. Rivera explained that a new, simpler WIFI system was implemented over the past summer. A new Guest Network was added to make it easy for students to connect. Most computers have the ability to automatically detect a WIFI signal and implementing a new, easy to connect to system was important to the college.
When asked about logging in to the iConnect system and the randomly generated password a student gets upon setting up the account, Susan McHugh, Executive Director of IT cited security as the main reason. Randomly generated passwords are more secure and people are less likely to have their accounts hacked by using a password that the system generates. It avoids the common pitfall of people using the same password, over and over, for all kinds of computer logins, which can lead to serious issues of safety and IT integrity. If a student forgets their password, all they have to do is ask the system to generate a new one, thus keeping their private data safe on the MWCC IT infrastructure.
The IT department at MWCC works in various ways to ensure a good experience for all students. With close to 100 distance learning classes being conducted entirely online during the Fall 2011 semester, the IT department is developing an even more robust and easy to use computer infrastructure to support student learning. Plans are in progress to roll out improvements to the IT system over the next several years which will blend seamlessly into existing services.
The Help Desk is open to all during the week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to the Help Desk home page (just search for the term Help Desk on the college home page), they work closely with students, staff and faculty on such issues as computer account setup, email, network (wired/wireless) connectivity, password resets and much more. The department also offers a 24/7 Live Chat option for students working from home. A student can also telephone 866-520-7129 or email helpdesk@mwcc.edu with any questions or problems.
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