All of the methods that we are going to connect to UMBCs GL servers require the use of a TCP/IP connection. TCP/IP is the most common protocol used to send information back and forth over the Internet.
If you are connecting from home, you have to establish a TCP/IP connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Basically you have 2 options...
UMBC provides students with so many hours of free dial up access per month. For more information on how to setup your computer to dial into UMBC see http://www.umbc.edu/ppp/.
Connecting from the dorms is a bit different. Rather than connecting though a remote line, you will connect to resnet, the network that is available in the dorms. In a nutshell you install your computer, attach the network cable, and use DHCP to request all of your network information.
For more information on how to setup your computer to connect to Resnet see http://www.umbc.edu/ppp/.
All of the lab computers are already on the network and are already setup with all of the appropriate connectivity.