Documentation and Training

Randolph-Macon provides wifi for all students in residential and academic areas. There is no need to bring routers or wireless access points for students on-campus. The use of unauthorized wireless access points degrades the performance of campus wifi and students may be fined for installing a wifi device that negatively impacts other students. For optimum performance Randolph-Macon recommends using a device that supports 802.11 ac Dual Band connectivity.

The college also recommends bringing a Cat 6 Ethernet cord for students on-campus. All rooms are currently equipped with one Ethernet port per resident. The wired Ethernet connections are helpful for connecting computers and gaming devices for increased bandwidth and performance. 

Assessing the Guest Wireless Network throughout campus

Note: Faculty, Staff and Students should only connect to the “RMC” wireless.

• Connect to RMC Connect.
• If a browser page does not automatically open up, then launch one.
• A Welcome to the RMC Network banner page will load.
• Click the check box to accept the network policy.
• Choose to Connect Guest.

Randolph-Macon College is part of eduroam which is an international wireless network providing secure internet service for faculty, staff, and students when traveling to other participating eduroam institutions.

Once your device is connected to the eduroam WiFi, it will connect automatically as you move from one eduroam institution to another, similar to moving between buildings while on the RMC campus. This wireless network provides internet access at any participating organization for members of the RMC community with a valid wireless login.

The Eduroam network is encrypted and secure, and requires you to authenticate once with your home institution full email address and password. (You don’t have to authenticate again until your next password change.)

Eduroam is available in thousands of institutions across 90 countries and territories worldwide. 

Benefits of Eduroam

• Travel – Immediate access to secure wireless internet service when you travel to other participating eduroam institutions.
• Visitors – Guests from participating eduroam institutions have immediate access to a secure wireless network at RMC.
• Security – Eduroam employs the latest encryption standard to keep data secure. 

Eduroam Locations

• Check out this interactive map of eduroam locations worldwide. 
• Use this country list to find participating eduroam institutions in a specific country. 
• Find participating institutions in the United States.

*Please note that RMC issued windows laptops connect to RMC while on campus. They can not connect to eduroam even though it is broadcasting.

Duo is Randolph Macon College’s multi-factor authentication service. It provides an additional level of security to prevent unauthorized access to a variety of systems. Multi-factor authentication helps protect against increasingly sophisticated security threats, like phishing, and thwarts unauthorized use of your login credentials.

How it works

• Sign-in with your RMC email address and password as usual when accessing college resources protected by Duo.
• Confirm your login with an enrolled device when prompted.
• If you did not initiate the push, deny access.

Enrolling In Duo

Before you can use RMC services that require Duo authentication, you need to enroll.

Before you start the enrollment process install the Duo Mobile App (iOS or Android) on your mobile phone or tablet. Enable push notifications once the app is installed following Duo’s iOS or Android instructions.

If your phone is not compatible with the Duo mobile app, please choose mobile device and enter your cell phone number with area code. For device type choose Other and then Automatically call this device from the pull-down menu.

To start the Duo enrollment process, open a browser on your computer that you are not currently logged into or an incognito window and sign into RMC Webmail using your RMC email address and password.  Duo will prompt you to start the setup process.  During the enrollment process you can register multiple authentication methods.  Methods supported include: Mobile App with Duo Push, tablet, landline, or security key.

We recommend you register at least two devices during the enrollment process, like your mobile phone and your office phone/landline as a backup. We recommend registering a mobile phone with Duo Push as your preferred authentication method. To add, reactivate, or remove a device, please see visit Duo’s Guide.

Remember me checkbox grayed out?  If you have set Duo to send you a push notification automatically, the Remember me for 30 days checkbox may be grayed out.  Cancel the push by clicking the blue Cancel button in the lower right corner of the window. You will then be able to click the checkbox.  Then you will need to click the Send Me a Push button (or choose another option if you wish) to authenticate.  If the Remember me for 30 days option is not checked, you will need to choose your authentication method each time Duo is used.  Additionally, you may need to clear your browser cache to enable/disable this option.

Traveling or in a location without cellular or internet access? If Duo Push or calls are not accessible, use a six-digit code generated by the Duo Mobile app to authenticate. Launch the Duo Mobile app on your device to get the authentication code, choose enter a passcode in the Duo prompt, put in the passcode, and select login to continue as usual. Click here for a Duo passcode video tutorial.

FAQs

• Find more details about how Duo works in the Duo Guide.
• Familiarize yourself with the process by checking out Duo’s Enrollment Instructions.
• Please see Duo’s Guide to Common Issues
• Have a new phone, same number? You still need to reinstall and reactivate Duo Mobile.
• Questions? Contact the ITS Service Desk | 804-752-8500 | helpline@rmc.edu

RMC has 18 computing laboratories with ~350 computers available for students in all disciplines. However, most students find it desirable to have a computer in their residence hall room or Fraternity or Sorority House. There is a network connection for each pillow – each student can directly connect to the campus data network and the world via wireless or ethernet port. If a student wishes to have their own computer on campus, we have several recommendations.

The computer recommendations below should adequately meet a student’s on-campus computing needs for four years (although with the ever-changing innovations in technology, there are no guarantees).

Chromebooks are not sufficient as they are not a supported platform for specialty software required for some classes.

The age of computer systems impact heavily on the level of repairs required. ITS may not be able to provide service for student owned systems that do not meet the minimum recommended specifications listed below:

Windows Computer

• Intel 8th Generation, Dual Core i5 or higher
• 256 GB SSD drive or larger
• *Windows 10 (21H2 or higher) or 11

Apple Mac Computer

• Intel or Silicon Dual Core i5 or higher
• 256 GB flash drive or larger
• macOS 11.x or higher 

Universal Specifications

• 8 GB RAM or more
• Ethernet card (10/100/1000 mbps) and Cat 6+ cable
• Wireless Network card supporting 802.11 ac Dual Band
• Multiport adapter for laptops as needed
•  **Microsoft Office 365
• Antivirus optional but recommended
•  Laser printer with USB connection optional but recommended
• Webcam and headset optional but recommended

*Support for Windows 10 ends Fall 2025, after which time these devices will no longer be allowed on our secure network. Please click here for a list of Windows 11 system requirements.

**Software is provided to all students by the College’s Information and Technology Services (ITS) office under a Campus Agreement with Microsoft while the student is enrolled.  The license will cease upon separation or graduation.  

Questions: Call ITS at 804.752.8500.

Randolph-Macon has higher education offering with discounts available for Dell Computers. We do not require that you purchase from Dell, this is only for your information. Click on the link below to go to the Dell Online Store for RMC.  Dell Member Id for RMC is: US14595362.

Academic pricing available through the Dell University program for your review.

Apple computers are used by many faculty and students on-campus.  Apple computers are supported for network connections and the installation of the Office Professional software subscription.

The Apple for Education site provides access to Apple’s education pricing.

Randolph-Macon has a Microsoft Education Enrollment Subscription that includes an Office 365 Pro subscription for all students.  ITS will provide instructions and assistance to help students install the Office Professional suite directly from Office 365.  There is no need to purchase Office before arriving on campus.

Windows for Education operating system is provided to all Randolph-Macon Students at no charge.

Antivirus protection is optional but recommended. Windows Defender is built-into Windows 10/11 and we recommend activating it. For students using an Apple Mac computer ITS recommends installing a free version of Sophos or Avira for antivirus protection.

For all systems, we recommend a quality laser printer.  The Library provides pay-for printing services that are very reasonably priced when compared to the cost of maintaining toner or ink jet cartridges.  The college provides 24×7 access to use the pay-for print services offered through the Library.  There is no requirement for a student to have a printer. ITS does not provide support for printing over the wireless network and provides no guarantee that your printer will function on the secure wireless. We recommend using a USB printer cable for direct access instead.

RMC provides offers depot hardware maintenance and repairs for most brands of student-owned computers with an active warranty.  RMC has a partnership with Nerds to Go to repair student computers.  It is strongly recommended that a student purchase the 3 yr. extended warranty for their system.

If a student has hardware problems but doesn’t have a warranty on the computer, he or she will have the option of using the depot repair services available through ITS.  The depot repair services requires a minimum fee to perform a diagnosis and obtain a quote for the overall repair.  The diagnostic fee is not charged if the student chooses to have the depot repair the computer.

These computer resources throughout the campus are intended for instruction and are usually available for student use when classes are not in session unless otherwise indicated.

Computer Learning Center – 24/7 access

• Copley 201: 25 Windows systems
• Copley 200: 27 Macintosh systems

Library Computer Room (Childs)

• 13 Windows systems

Library Alcoves

• 6 Windows systems

Library Main Floor

• 12 Windows systems

Library Butler Pavilion

• 2 Windows systems
• 3 Macintosh systems

Chemistry Lab (Copley 303)

• 12 Windows systems

Economics/Business Computer Room (Fox 106)

• 24 Windows systems

Psychology Computer Room (Smithey Hall 132a)

• 16 Windows systems

Higgins Academic Center

• 6 Windows systems

*Biology Lab (Copley 104)

• 15 Windows systems (laptops)

*Physics Lab (Copley 219)

• 12 Windows systems (laptops)

Education Lab (Mabry House)

• 4 Windows systems

*Music Lab (Old Chapel)

• 12 Macintosh systems

Drama Lab (Blackwell Auditorium)

• 4 Windows systems

*Film Studies (Neville House)

• 3 Macintosh systems

Biology Mac Labs (Copley 102, 103, and 117)

• 24 Macintosh systems

Brock Hall 152

• 9 Macintosh systems

Brock Hall 256

• 19 Windows systems

*Access is restricted

The college provides a password self service portal that provides access to manage and reset passwords on a 24×7 basis.  It is very important for new students to setup their password self service account and ensure safe and reliable storage of their responses to questions they will be asked when verifying their identity to reset their passwords. 

RMC has disabled all alumni and retiree accounts and email protocols that do not rely on 2 factor authentication. This has been done to limit the risk of email compromise which is one of the most common methods used to launch cyber-attacks.

As of 1/24/2023, alumni and retiree email accounts that were never setup for Microsoft Self Service Password Reset and two factor Authentication are disabled. After three months of inactivity, disabled accounts without SSPR and 2FA will be deleted from the RMC email system.

If your account has been disabled and you want to keep and access to your @rmc.edu or @go.rmc.edu account; please contact the ITS Service Desk at 804-752-8500 to get your account back online and setup for SSPR and Microsoft 2 factor authentication.

Technology support services are available for RMC: Students, Faculty, and Staff.  This page is for active Students, Faculty, and Staff who require access to technology support services.

All employees and students can login to the RMC intranet technology support site to access helpful tips and FAQs for issues like setting up smart phones for email, logging into use wifi, registering a gaming device, and how to access and use other campus technology resources.  If you know your user name and password, please login in the ITS Support Site on the college intranet.

If you do not know your password and are unable to access the ITS Intranet Support Site; then you have two options available for support.

• Use the Password Self Service portal to reset your password OR
• Email the ITS helpline@rmc.edu with a non-RMC email account that you have access to; provide your name, contact number, location, and the nature of the problem you are having.  Someone from ITS will contact you as soon as possible. You can also can call the helpline 804-752-8500 during normal business hours.

If you are having issues with your password, please visit the Self Service Password Portal to manage your password and or access credentials.  The portal provides you with the ability to regain access to your account via alternate recovery email and/or phone if you have forgotten your password or to reset your password when necessary.

Changes have been made to improve the security of our college email that impacts your ability to access these services. Basic authentication has been turned off for ActiveSync, IMAP and POP.

Going forward, you will not be successful when using the native Apple or Android mobile email apps or the native Apple Mail app on macs to connect your Exchange account. This is due to the fact that even when configured using protocols that support multi-factor authentication, these native apps rely on background processes that use an unsecure method to communicate (ActiveSync) to bypass them.

Forwarding of college email to an external account has also been blocked.

We recommend that you access your RMC email through the Microsoft Outlook app on a supported device platform since this app is known to work with multi-factor authentication methods, providing a second layer of protection if your account password is compromised.

1. Download and install the app from the Apple or Google Play Store.
2. Launch the app and choose add email account. If prompted, it is important to select Exchange as the type of account.
3. Sign in with your RMC email address and password on the RMC login page.
4. On the DUO screen, check the remember me for 30 days box and then select send me a push.
5. Press the back arrow that says Outlook in the upper left of your screen and you will be all set.

If your device is unable to support the Outlook application, Webmail is your best alternative and you can pin the URL to your home screen.

ITS provides support for the Outlook app and Webmail only.

To switch to using the Outlook mobile app, first remove your account from the current email app (Mail, Gmail, Email) on your mobile device and then install and configure the Outlook app using the instructions below.  Do NOT delete the app itself.

Before Switching – Things to Do

Before switching to the Outlook app, you should check to see if you have Contacts or Calendar items on your device that are not in your Exchange Account. 

If you need to remove your account from an app below, follow the steps for your device, but instead of choosing to Add an account, select your account and Remove it. Removing the account will also remove your account from the Calendar, Contacts, and Notes apps if they were added when the account was setup.

We strongly recommend that you first back up any locally stored contacts, calendar items, reminders or notes before proceeding. View Microsoft’s instructions for backing up and importing contacts for other mail methods, including Webmail. Mobile phone/tablet cellular service providers such as Verizon offer additional cloud app back up and import options and support.

End users are responsible for transferring their contacts to a supported mail application.

iOS 14 or Higher

First, remove your Office365 account from the alternative mail app:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Mail.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Tap your Office365 account.
5. Tap Delete Account.
6. Choose which items (email, calendar, contacts, etc.) you want to delete (we recommend deleting all). This will delete all email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device. 
7. Tap Delete Account to confirm. 

Next, install the Microsoft Outlook app:

1. Download Microsoft Outlook from the App Store.
2. Open the app and tap Get Started.
3. On the “Add Account” screen, in the Email Address field, type your RMC email address.
4. Tap Add Account.
5. On the “RMC Login” screen, type your RMC email password.
6. Tap Sign In.
7. You will be prompted to complete login using Duo or Microsoft MFA depending on your constituency.
8. Tap Maybe Later when prompted to add another account.
9. View the tutorial by swiping or tap Skip.

iOS 13 or Older

Microsoft only supports the two most recent OS release versions. The Outlook app is no longer available for download for iOS 13 or older. If your device is unable to support the Outlook App, Webmail is your best alternative. You can pin the URL to the home screen for a similar look and feel to the App.

If you were syncing your email contacts with the contacts list on your phone prior to using the Outlook app, and you lost your contacts when you changed to the Outlook app, you can re-add them by following the steps below.

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Contacts.
3. Tap Accounts.
4. Tap Add Account.
5. Tap Microsoft Exchange.
6. In the Email Address field, type your RMC email address.
7. Enter a description for your account. (e.g., Office 365, UI email)
8. Tap Next.
9. When prompted, tap Sign In.
10. Enter your RMC email password in the Password field.
11. Tap Log In.
12. You will be prompted to complete login using Duo or Microsoft MFA depending on your constituency.
13. If you are prompted about “are you trying to sign in with Apple…” choose Yes
14. Choose contacts to sync your contacts with your iOS account.
15. Tap Save.

First, remove your Office 365 account from the Gmail app:

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Accounts.
3. Select your Office365 account.
4. Tap Remove Account.  This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device.

Next install the Microsoft Outlook app: 

1. From the Google Play Store, search for and install Microsoft Outlook. 
2. Tap Open once the install is complete.
3. Tap Get Started, and either slide through or skip the introductory tips.
4. Type your RMC email and tap Continue. (allow the screen to load the College’s login page)
5. Type your RMC email password. (your RMC email address should already be entered)
6. If your RMC email address is not displaying correctly or is misspelled, you’ll need to touch the back button and re-type it rather than correcting the error on the College’s login page.
7. Tap Log In.
8. You will be prompted to complete login using Duo or Microsoft MFA depending on your constituency.
9. When prompted to add another account, tap Skip.
10. View the tutorial by swiping or tap Skip.

First, remove your Office365 account from the Email app:

Android 9.x or Higher

1. Tap Settings.
2. Tap Accounts.
3. Select your Office365 account. 
4. Tap Remove Account.  This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device.

Android 8.x 

1. Tap the Email icon.
2. Tap Settings. (gear icon)
3. Select your Office 365 account
4. Tap Remove Account. This will delete email, calendar, contacts, etc. from the device.

Installing the Outlook App:

1. Search for and download Microsoft Outlook from the Play Store (app store), through Google Play > Apps
2. Tap Open once the install is complete.
3. Tap Get Started, and either slide through or skip the introductory tips.
4. Tap the Office 365 icon.
5. Enter your RMC email address, and allow the screen to load the College’s login page.
6. At the login page, add your RMC email password. (your RMC email address should already be entered)
7. If your RMC email address is not displaying correctly or is misspelled, you’ll need to touch the back button and re-type it rather than correcting the error on the College’s login page.
8. Tap Sign In.
9. You will be prompted to complete login using Duo or Microsoft MFA depending on your constituency.
10. When prompted to add another account, tap Maybe Later.
11. You can either skip the tips or tap right arrow to scroll through them.