Registering Your Computer
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If you wish to use the Internet from your Stony Brook dorm room, then you need an ethernet cable and must register your computer with ResNet, the campus residential network. The Web address is:
https://register.resnet.stonybrook.edu
You can only access this Web site from on campus, therefore you must wait to register until you arrive on campus and the registration period has begun (which is usually a few days before the start of the semester). Students need to re-register with ResNet at the start of each new semester, including summer sessions.
You need to know your NetID and NetID password to register your computer. You are also required to provide a working e-mail address for verification. Computers using Windows operating systems are required to download and successfully pass a Client Assessment Tool (CAT) scan before they will be registered (see "Registering a Windows Computer" below).
Registering Apple or UNIX-Based Computers
If you use an Apple or UNIX-based (Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, etc.) operating system, you are not required to run the Client Assessment Tool (CAT). You will be taken directly to the computer registration page once you plug in your ethernet cable and open your Web browser.
Registering a Windows Computer
If you use a Windows operating system (Windows 2000 or later), you must use Internet Explorer to register. You must have an up-to-date anti-virus program with the most current virus definitions and the latest critical Windows Updates installed on your computer. If you use an anti-spyware program such as Ad-Ware or Windows Defender, those definition files must be up-to-date as well. The Client Assessment Tool (CAT) is downloaded during registration and tests your computer for these items. Any missing items will cause the registration to fail, so it is essential you test your computer before you arrive on campus at the start of each semester.
If you have a 90-day trial version of anti-virus software (which usually comes bundled with new computers), CAT will fail your registration. If you have this kind of software or no anti-virus client installed on your computer, you can download a full version of Symantec AntiVirus at no additional cost from the University's software distribution Web site, Softweb. To access Softweb, you will need your Stony Brook ID (SOLAR ID) number. Your birth date in YYMMDD format serves as your password.
To register a Windows computer, make sure that Automatic Detect Settings is turned on. Follow these steps to turn it on:
- Open Internet Explorer.
- Go to Tools > Internet Options.
- In the Connections tab, click on LAN settings, which takes you to another menu where you need to make sure Automatic Detect Settings is checked and nothing else.
- Click OK and you should now be able to proceed with the registration process.
Read through some common registration problems and solutions.
Remember to Check for New Windows Updates
Once a month, Microsoft releases its latest security/software updates. You can go to Windows Update in the Start menu of your computer or visit http://update.microsoft.com/ to make sure your machine is running the latest Windows Updates needed to pass CAT. Once you pass CAT, you can then register your computer. Even if you updated your computer in the last month, please run Windows Update prior to registration as there will likely be a new update to apply.