Computer Networking

Faculty, staff, and students may connect their devices to the eduroam wireless network by obtaining a Wi-Fi Key. Additional information regarding the campus wireless infrastructure and setup instructions can be found on this Berkeley IT article.

Visitors to Etcheverry or Hesse Hall may connect to the Berkeley-Visitor public Wi-Fi network. 

Research groups may establish Ethernet connections within Etcheverry Hall by registering their devices with the Campus DHCP Service.  

*Restrictions and additional security requirements apply. 

ME CAD/CAM Lab

The department manages two CAD/CAM labs (1171 and 1109 Etcheverry) for instructional use. For class use reservation, please contact the Undergraduate Student Services Advisor to schedule your class/lab sessions. The labs can also be used by ME students when there is no class in session.

Software

Campus provides a repository of system, productivity, and engineering software (including Matlab, Mathematica, and LabVIEW, etc.) to eligible campus affiliates free of charge.  Please visit Software Central for the list of available software and download instructions.

Research Lab Websites

A free web hosting service is provided to all ME research labs by the Davis-Etcheverry Computing Facility (DECF).  For details on how to set up a research lab website, please contact the DECF Consult.

Computer Requirements for Students

Our technical staff prefer PCs over Macs. Most departmental software only run on PCs because there is no Mac equivalent. There are software tools that allow a Mac to either dual boot or install a Virtual Machine in order to run PC software. However, these setups have been reported to be unreliable and may cause performance issues. Any PC with a minimum of Intel Core i5 CPU and up (and its AMD equivalent) should suffice. Regarding RAM, 8GB is the minimum - 16GB or more would be better.

Calculator Requirements for Students

Please note that, according to department policy, the only type of calculators that are allowed during undergraduate examinations are simple models such as the TI-30XS or TI-83/84 Plus. This policy, in place for several years now, was implemented to help ensure a level playing field for all students during exams.

IT Security and Policies

In order to protect sensitive data and IT assets, all users must comply with the IT policies set forth by the Berkeley IT Policy Team.  These policies include, but are not limited to, the Computer Use Policy and Minimum Security Standards. For details regarding Campus IT policies and security standards, please visit the Berkeley Security website.