Frequently asked questions

The Brookes Hallnet service is a wired broadband connection which allows students in study bedrooms in Brookes managed Halls of Residence to use their own PCs to access the internet.

Each room is fitted with a network port with a 1GBps feed. This is very fast and more responsive than the Wi-Fi...so use your cable when you can! 

In addition Paul Kent, Crescent and Clive Booth each have their own computer room. 

Read more about Hallnet at http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/hallnet

At Brookes we offer two free wifi options to University staff, students and guests.

Brookes WiFi is our guest wifi service available across all campuses and most halls of residence. You will be provided with the password once on site.

eduroam is the world-wide roaming access service that allows students, researchers and staff to obtain internet connectivity across campus and when visiting participating institutions. It is provided by JISC using their Janet network and you will need your Brookes email address and password.

Find out more about wifi at  http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/wi-fi

All students are automatically assigned a computer 'user' account on completion of face-to-face enrolment, and will have access to all IT facilities shortly afterwards.

New staff can activate their user account as soon as they have their University password, given face-to-face on day 1.

For more information visit http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/user-account/

There are over 1000 open access PCs available in computer rooms, libraries, foyers and halls across all the campuses.

A typical PC room has 20-30 PCs and a local high quality printer. A number of rooms are open 24 hours a day, throughout most of the year.

Use the PC FINDER to identify available computers. This is a web app - so we suggest you create a shortcut to your mobile home screen.
Visit   http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/pcs for more information.

All desktop computers are currently running Windows 7 and Office 2010.There is also a comprehensive range of other software.

Software is now delivered virtually to all student desktop computers using a mechanism called Application Jukebox. AppJ is quicker for startup and downloads, greener, and accessible regardless of campus or PC location. 

 

Each student or staff member receives a Brookes Google apps account once you have enrolled or arrived for your first day.

Brookes Google apps give you unlimited document storage in Google Drive, email, Calendar/timetable, Sheets, Slides, Hangout/Chat and other Google software.

The University will use this account to communicate with you so please ensure you regularly monitor your account.

Find out more at http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/google-apps

You will find your timetable in your Google calendar, but any changes to module details will need to be  made in PIP (your Personal Information Portal). Your Google timetable is a read-only view. You will receive email alerts to any changes made to module details, via your GoogleMail account.

Login to PIP (Personal Information Portal) using your Student/Staff number and password. Under the 'My settings' tab you will find a link to 'change my password'. Guidance found on this page will enable you to select a strong password.

If you have multiple email accounts, you can check them all in Google Mail. Gmail’s Mail Fetcher feature first imports all your old messages to Gmail and then continues to bring in new messages sent to your other account. You can add up to 5 accounts, including Gmail and other email providers. 
Visit Google Support https://support.google.com/mail/answer/21289?hl=en 
Alternatively, if you only want to get new emails brought into Gmail, try auto-forwarding your mail instead.

All students have unlimited storage in their Google Drive, and this is where we prefer you to store your work.  In addition you have your personal directory (H Drive) on the network in which you can store your work, with an initial allocation of 150MB. Home directories can be accessed off campus. Most PCs have USB ports and optical drives installed which can read and write to a USB memory stick, and CD or DVD.

All desktop computers provide access to printers. There are normally local colour (A4 only) and black-white printers. You are provided with a Printing Account which students need to add money to when they first arrive at the University.  

You can top up your account online or in any of the libraries.

Brookes Print provide colour printing up to size A1. Visit  /brookes-print/

For more information about printing visit  http://brookes.ac.uk/it/essentials/printing/

Google Chromebooks can be borrowed for 4 hours, free of charge, from the self-service cabinets in JHBB forum, Headington and MRG44, Marston Road or from Libraries and receptions on the other campuses in Oxford and Swindon. You will require your Staff/Student card.

Brookes Hire provides a number of Windows 7 laptop computers for loan. There may be a charge for this service, depending on the period of hire. Projectors, cameras and other AV kit are also available to hire. Visit  https://bookit.brookes.ac.uk/  for more information.

Brookes has embraced the App - we have pcfinder, nextbus, roomfinder, polls, Quak ... please visit /it/essentials/mobile-apps  for the details.

The IT Service Desk staff will be able to assist you or direct you to specialist advice:

• the Headington IT Service Desk Point is located in the JHBB Forum and is open 8.30am to 8pm each weekday, and 11am to 4pm at weekends during semester time
• there are IT Service Desk Points, open from 9am-5pm at Marston Road, Harcourt Hill and Wheatley campuses, Monday - Friday
• the Service Desk Web Portal enables you to report faults, request help or a service and search the Knowledgebase 24/7. 
  Please visit -   https://service.brookes.ac.uk/ or alternatively call 01865 483311.
• the  IT web pages also provide instructions and detailed guides.

Once you have completed your course, students have extended access to the following Brookes systems:

• access to PIP, Moodle and your Brookes Google account for 300 days after your completion date
• access to other IT facilities like the computer network and eduroam for 50 days after your completion date

You may also want to take information from your Google account with you. The following link explains how to keep emails, Contacts, Calendars and Drive documents when you leave Brookes https://brookes.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0010651