<p>How much of the campus is wireless?</p>
<p>I believe that the academic buildings are wireless and the dorms are provided with ethernet cables.</p>
<p>And...on the topic of computers, I was wondering what type of laptops would be appropriate to buy. Are PCs or Macs more prevalent on campus? What do professors recommend? Also, I've heard that Dells are nice because those are the computers with which the help desks are familiar.</p>
<p>I'd say a good 90% of computers here are Dells - out of those a majority are Lattitude D610's and similar models.</p>
<p>My experience with our daughter who is in her second year at UVA has convinced me that Apple laptops are a great option for college students.</p>
<p>She started out with a Dell, but I found myself constantly having to help her work through issues (mostly related to Windows) that she couldn't resolve on her own and couldn't afford to take her laptop in to be fixed by local service center.</p>
<p>We got her an Apple Powerbook this past year and I haven't had to do anything for her because it "just works". I am a long time PC user and have never owned an Apple computer. For a college student who needs a reliable computer, I think Apple is an excellent choice.</p>
<p>I am inclined to purchase one of the new Macbook Pro's for my son to use at W&L even with their "limited" support for the Mac platform and OSX operating system. My experience to date indicates that the "limited" support is probably more than enough.</p>
<p>I don't know anything about Macs so I'm not sure how they would work with the W&L network and everything. Again, most people have Dells (though there are definitely a few Macs around) and computer services here is very good with resolving any problems. Of course a lot of this is personal preference - I personally don't like Apple and anything it makes (I have neither an iPod nor iTunes) so I stick with my Windows computers.</p>
<p>PS: The reason I didn't answer the original question is that it was perfectly answered in the first post (with one exception: you have to buy your own ethernet cable) - thanks Grace.</p>
<p>No problem, Dima. I just remember that fun factoid from visiting W&L in Feb/March! I do hope they make all the dorms wireless though...that would be a nice improvement. I like to study on my bed.</p>
<p>Its pretty simple to hook up a wireless router to the ethernet cable in your room.</p>
<p>That would allow you to use your laptop anywhere in your room without being connected to a cable.</p>
<p>the rooms are small enough and the desks nice enough that its unlikely that youll want to use your computer anywhere else in your room</p>
<p>if i leave the room to study, ive taken my computer to the C-school and my frat and gotten perfect wireless reception (the library is good too but personally i dont like it much) and ive gotten good reception on the Colonnade before (though another time i didnt get it at all <em>shrugs</em>)</p>
<p>Wireless: Most of the campus is wireless. You can get wireless in some dorms, but it's flaky, and frankly it's unnecessary because we have ethernet connections.</p>
<p>Brands: First, most of the kids who work at the Help Desk have no idea what they're doing. I end up fixing my friends' computers after the Help Desk can't fix them or takes too long (often over a week). Write down my number for when you get to W&L and need fast computer service: 207 749 4988. Second, it doesn't matter if it's a Dell, HP, etc... if it's a PC running Windows, it's going to have the same software problems as any other PC running Windows (ie it doesn't matter that the helpdesk is "officially" affiliated with Dell). Third, and CollegeDad take note-- I am the Apple Campus Representative for W&L and I can tell you we are undergoing major changes to bring significant Apple support to W&L. Feel free to email or PM me and I can get you a 10% discount on whatever your son wants (I'd recommend a MacBook Pro-- they're quite nice!)</p>
<p>PS-- to clarify, I have run my PC repair business for a few years, and am now competent with Apple as well. Both have their pros and cons, but the Mac OS really is superior.</p>
<p>I have a Dell Inspiron 600m and it has worked perfectly all year. I actually have wireless internet on my hall because another girl nearby has a wireless router :) I get internet access wherever I bring my laptop on campus: The commons, library, outside on the collonade, and in classrooms, without a problem. My dell works great, and I've never had a need to go the helpdesk. The only reason I would recommend a Dell is because so many people have them. For instance, upon returning to campus after a vacation I discoved that my cord for my laptop had been broken. I was able to borrow someone else's cord whenever I needed to recharge my computer though, until my new cord arrived.</p>
<p>I can't find the page on the WLU website regarding computer purchases. Is there such a thing? Please let me know.</p>
<p>MOTHERDEAR - maybe this ^^ will help</p>
<p>Thanks. Now I have to decode the jargon. :)</p>