Computer Networking
Faculty, staff, and students may connect their devices to the eduroam wireless network by obtaining an Wi-Fi Key. Additional information regarding the Campus wireless infrastructure and setup instructions can be found on the IST website.
Visitors to Etcheverry Hall may connect to the CalVisitor 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.
Class Computer Accounts
1171 & 1109 Etcheverry: If you’d like to use the computing facilities on the 1st floor of Etcheverry Hall, before the beginning of each semester please send an email to Rene Viray with the Course Number, Course Control Number (CCN) and estimated number of students. Also, please reserve rooms 1171/1109 with Ricky Vides if you need to schedule lab sessions.
CAD Lab
The department provides 2 CAD labs (1171 and 1109 Etcheverry) to ME students. ME students may apply for access, and manage their CAD lab accounts by using the ME User Account Tool. To apply for cardkey access during off hours or weekends, fill out the form here.
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.
Free access to AutoCAD and Autodesk software is provided directly through Autodesk.
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 rather than MACS. Most departmental software only runs on PCs because there are no MAC equivalent. However, there are software tools that allow a MAC to dual boot and run PC software. MACs also support Virtual Machine PCs (VM PCs), however our report on such setup is that it’s problematic and may cause performance issues. Any PCs with a minimum of Intel Core i3 CPU and up (and it’s AMD equivalent) should suffice. Regarding RAM, 4Gb should suffice – 8Gb would be better. Anything beyond that may not be particularly helpful for our purposes.
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, Computer Use Policy and Minimum Security Standards. For details regarding Campus IT policies and security standards, please visit the Berkeley Security website.