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Computing Orientation
See our Introduction to Technology PDF!
You may complete the steps of this orientation at any time. During orientation week, there will be introductory sessions available for assistance. At other times, please contact the help desk with any questions.
Required tasks are marked by [Required].
Optional tasks are marked by [Optional].
Tips are marked by [Tip].
- [Required] You must have your NetID and have set a permanent password in order to follow all the steps. Be sure to set your challenge/response questions so that you can reset your password whenever you need to.
- [Optional] You should also set multi-factor authentication for one or more devices, since it will be required for accessing some resources, especially when off campus.
- [Required] If you are completing the orientation on campus, you must register your laptop on the network before you can continue. Temporarily connect to the Dukevisitor wi-fi network, then start a Web browser to go to dukeblue.duke.edu to join the secure Dukeblue wi-fi network. (Windows 10 Home may have problems with Dukeblue; if necessary, connect to DukeOpen instead, though DukeOpen is not as secure and may not be available in the future.)
- [Required] If you do not have a password set for your operating system, follow the instructions for Windows laptops. Mac users should already have a password set (if not, go to System preferences, then Users & Groups).
- [Optional] Duke has licensed special "multi-factor authentication" (MFA) software to set additional protection for your Duke account, in addition to a password. Some sites and services require MFA; you can also add this extra security to other sites. See the MFA page for more information.
- [Optional] Duke has also licensed password manager software that helps you set and use strong passwords for all your online accounts. See the 1password page at OIT.
- [Tip] In addition to your using a strong password, consider creating an administrative account, separate from your daily use account, for installing software and changing configurations. Once you have created that admin account, make your everyday account a "user-level" account - this will protect your computer from many forms of attack and infection. (This is just a tip, and therefore optional.)
- [Tip] We recommend encrypting your hard drive if you keep sensitive data. (Encrypting scrambles the data so that only someone who knows the password or has the digital "key" can access the actual data.) Both Windows and Mac OS have built-in tools for encrypting. On Windows, search for Bitlocker. On Mac OS, open System Preferences and select Security & Privacy. If you participate in a clinic, you will need to encrypt your hard drive to use your laptop with clinic data.
[Recommended] We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you have some sort of antivirus application on your device. If you are not sure whether you have active and up-to-date software right now, please read on:
- Windows users: Go to the Desktop and check the icons in the system tray, at the bottom right of your computer. If you have an antivirus program, there should be an icon for its real-time protection function. It should warn you if the virus definitions or anti-virus engine are out-of-date (through a pop-up when you roll over it, or through a symbol on its icons). Alternatively, you can go to All Programs or Apps and look for a listing such as Symantec, Norton, Kaspersky, or McAfee. It is important not to have more than one anti-virus program installed.
- Mac users: Look in the dock, and if you do not see an icon there, open up the applications folder on your hard drive and look. Although there are relatively few Mac viruses, all Mac users should have an up-to-date anti-virus application.
- If you do not have up-to-date software:
- Windows 10/11 computer – use the internal Windows Security software; no installation required
- Mac computer – Unlike Windows, Mac OS does not come with built-in antivirus applications. At this time, we cannot provide a recommendation for a specific antivirus application (free or paid). While free antivirus applications only provide limited protection, it is still better than nothing. If you are looking for a paid/subscription-based antivirus service, several reputable publications have published their recommendations.
- [Required] Please go to the Academic Technologies software download page to install the ePrint printing software.
- [Tip] You have alternatives for printing on mobile devices and if you do not install the ePrint software on your laptop:
- [Required] Read about the features of ePrint on the Printing page! To make sure ePrint works for you, try printing the "10 Things to Know" PDF linked at the top of this page.
- For Mac users who have Big Sur (OS 11.0 or higher), please visit this page for further instructions.
- [Required] Install Duke's VPN software, called Cisco AnyConnect. (Mac users may need to hold the control key while clicking on the installer to get an "open" button.) After installing, look for the AnyConnect app in the Applications folder. If no profile is listed, type in vpn.duke.edu before you connect the first time.
- [Tip] Note that most library resources do not require VPN, but may require that you log in using NetID and password. See Legal Databases & Links for examples of the different kinds of access to resources.
- [Required] You have a netid-based address ([netid]@duke.edu) and one or more Duke email alias(es), usually in the format firstname.lastname@duke.edu. You can verify your Duke alias (and make any desired changes to it) by going to OIT's self-service site.
- [Tip] If you want to change your email address, now is a good time before people start using it.
- [Optional] You should verify your email alias, because it is your primary address while you are at Duke. You can change the address if you wish. Your primary email address will be used in the Duke directory and in enterprise applications such as Microsoft Office 365.
- [Tip] All new students have ONE and ONLY ONE Duke emailbox. You have several email addresses that deliver to the one box. Your email account is on Microsoft's Office 365 Exchange service.
- [Optional] You can access your email in several ways: Outlook software on Mac or Windows (see the option to install Microsoft Office below); Outlook Web App (OWA) through any Web browser; any email client capable of IMAP; and using Exchange or Corporate settings on most mobile devices. You can find information about configuring an iOS device here and an Android device here. (When configuring your email on a mobile device, enter the server as outlook.office365.com; note also that the email/user account for you in Office365 is [netid]@duke.edu, where you replace [netid] with your own NetID).
- [Required] If you have not already looked at your email, check your email through OWA now.
[Required] You have three kinds of network storage available to you, and you should use at least one of these:
- [Optional] You have 1 Terabyte of shareable cloud storage on Microsoft OneDrive for Duke University Click here to learn more about your OneDrive account. Go to OWA to see OneDrive (look for it under the 9 boxes in the upper left) and copy a file to it as practice. Once on OneDrive on Office 365, you can download the app for your computer and other devices (look for the download link at the lower left).
- [Optional] You have 50 Gigabytes of shareable cloud storage at Box.com. Click here to learn more about your Box account and download software for syncing files to your computer. Box allows collaborating with individuals not affiliated with Duke, which OneDrive does not. This may be your best option.
- [Tip] You may alternatively or in addition choose to use a commercial back-up service, such as Mozy, to automatically back up your hard drive. We generally don't recommend this option.
- [Tip] Remember: Never have just one copy of your personal data files! - Always create copies and have at least one available in a professionally maintained and remote service such as OneDrive or Box or Duke's file servers. Back-ups on flash drives and home back-up systems alone do not provide enough redundancy.
[Required] Now you can add audio or video of your pronounced name to your profile in the Law School's Student Directory. We have also added the ability to select a pronoun to be displayed on your profile.
[Required] If you have not already done so, update your university directory information on DukeHub. Be sure to enter your current postal mailing address.
[Optional] If you have been registered for classes, you should be able to log into Canvas; however, don't worry if you can't yet because your course sites may not yet be available. Go here to log into Canvas.
[Optional] We recommend doing these steps now before you forget to do them, but they can be done at any time:
- If you don't have Microsoft Office, download a copy. If you graduate within a year, go here to download the licensed (as opposed to Office 365) version of Microsoft Office. Otherwise, we recommend downloading the Office 365 version (go to Settings and follow the links for Office 365 and software); then get a permanent copy of the current version just before you graduate.
- Some faculty members use Corel WordPerfect (for many years the top alternative for legal writing). Follow this link for instructions on how to add the ability to open WordPerfect files on your laptop.
- Microsoft Office creates auto-recovery copies, but does not by default create a second, back-up copy of a document you are working on. We recommend turning this feature on as an extra precaution. In Office 2016 for Windows go to File, then Options, then Advanced, and then the Save heading; select "Always create backup copy." In Office 2016 for Mac, go to the Word menu, then Preferences, then Save, and select "Always create backup copy."