Service Desk (aka "Helpdesk")
The service desk can assist with many remote access areas, including OutlookWeb, WebEx, VPN, and 2-Factor authentication. Issues which they cannot resolve live over the phone can be assigned to College IT for further assistance. You can reach the service desk from anywhere by calling 1-833-691-4357.
Campus Desk Phones
Desk phones on campus can be forwarded to mobile or home phones (forwarding instructions). You may also check your desk phone voicemail remotely (remote voicemail instructions).
Remote Audio Quality
It’s important to have a setup at home which produces good audio quality for phone calls and WebEx meetings. Audio that is too quiet or that contains a lot of background noise can make meetings and conversations difficult. Here are some tips to ensure high quality audio:
• Dial into WebEx meetings with a real phone – rather than trying to use the speaker and microphone built into your laptop. A few people may be lucky enough that the physical location of their laptop and the particular acoustics of their room produce decent audio, but the majority of us will not sound good on their laptop microphone. Most of us will be better off calling the conference number listed in the webex invite with an actual phone.
• Use a headset. A Bluetooth headset will produce good audio and you won’t have to hold a phone to your head or yell at your laptop. The Plantronics Voyager 5200 (link) is often recommended because of it’s good quality, comfort, and excellent background noise cancellation.
• Stay on mute. If you’re on a WebEx or conference call, you should always be on mute if you are not speaking.
OutlookWeb
OutlookWeb is a web-based flavor of Outlook which enables you to access your email, calendar, and contacts remotely. It's like a lightweight version of your Outlook desktop client. Everyone who already has access to Outlook e-mail can utilize OutlookWeb. It does not require VPN. It does require that you already have Symantec VIP 2-Factor. Your username and password are your usual ADS username and password.
WebEx
WebEx is web-based conferencing and collaboration tool for conducting virtual meetings and other gatherings. It does not require VPN. It does require IT to specifically grant you a WebEx account. On 3/13/20 WebEx accounts were requested for all active staff and faculty. You can obtain your WebEx username and password by going to our WebEx site and clicking the 'Forgot username or Password' link. Check out this excellent four minute introduction to WebEx youtube video.
VPN
VPN allows you to connect a BSMH laptop to the BSMH network from a remote location. This enables access to shared drives/network folders, Sharepoint/IRIS, lync/skype, and other applications. As of 3/16/20, there are two pathways to VPN access -- either of which can be utilized:
- Preferred approach (more reliable): The new BSMH F5 VPN that was rolled out in March 2020 (instructions).
- Backup approach: The legacy Bon Secours VPN (aka "Citrix Netscaler") that the College has utilized for many years. This VPN requires that you have Symantec VIP 2-Factor installed and configured on your smartphone.
VPN login utilizes your mobile phone, so it's important that your mobile number is accurate in the outlook/exchange directory (update it here).
You may need to re-map your network/shared drives when coming in on the VPN (Windows 7 instructions or Windows 10 instructions).
Remote Monitors
If you want to improve your remote setup with additional monitors, here are two recommended models:
- The Dell UltraSharp U2415 is the best 24" monitor. Fantastic image quality, plenty of ports, and an ergonomic adjustable stand. Links: Amazon | Dell.
- A budget pick: The Asus VS239H-P is the best inexpensive 23"-24" monitor. Featuring something called an "IPS" panel, it's going to look much better than other monitors under $150. Links: Amazon | Walmart | Best Buy.
College IT Support
If you need to speak with the College IT team around something which the IT Service Desk cannot resolve, you can contact team members directly:
Sunjung: 804-516-2801
Nick: 804-615-8874
Jake: 804-641-8631
Jason: 804-517-9744
