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Prepare in advance

Have this recommended office equipment 

• A computer (PC or Mac). ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø desktop computers should not be removed from campus as they are configured to work within the university environment.
• Peripherals (headphones and camera). 
• Secure, reliable high-speed internet. Research and optimize your home connectivity.
  • An Ethernet cable – directly connecting your computer to the Internet is more reliable and stable than Wi-Fi, which is important when participating in online courses, events, meetings and presentations.
  • A hotspot â€“ if you don't have reliable, high-speed Internet access, check with your mobile provider to see if you can activate your phone’s hotspot feature. This allows connection of laptops to the Internet, and usually, hotspot data is counted differently than regular phone data use.

See specifics for recommended hardware.

Do these things before leaving campus

• Save your work. Consider saving files you’ll need to your file storage on .
• Leave your office computer turned on.
• If you have an individual desk phone line, . 
• Be ready to use Duo Multi-Factor Authentication so you can log into ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø resources.

Follow these basic recommendations

• Use whenever possible.
• Store non-confidential files on your . 
• Store confidential data on your existing SecureShare, available through .
• See ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø's technology self-help resources webpage or search the for how-to articles when using ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø technologies.
• Be sure to connect your ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø laptop to the ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø network every two weeks, either in the office or by connecting to the VPN. You might have to request access-contact the OTS Technology Support Desk for info.

Connecting, accessing­ and storing­­

These tasks are ordered from basic to more complex.

Task	Use this service	How to use it
Access ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø email and calendar		M365 Self-Help webpage
Access Microsoft 365 suite (¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø email, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint, OneDrive)		M365 Self-Help webpage
Work as if at your ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø Desktop (including email and your drives). *You can remote in from a Mac or PC to your ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø PC, but not into a ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø Mac. If remoting into an office Mac, use to access your email and drives.
Reset or change an expired password before leaving your office	NetID Tools
Change your password remotely while working on a ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø computer	NetID Tools
Store non-confidential files and share documents		M365 Self-help webpage
Store confidential data	Your existing Secureshare	Available through
Access online university items like network shares such as DeptShare, JumboShare, CustomShare, O: and H: drives, etc.	Available through or	Self-help articles (sign into TechHelp to access): and

Online meetings and collaboration

To determine which option best fits your needs, see an overview.

Task	Use this Service	How to use it
Schedule and attend meetings remotely using voice and video	or Zoom	Webex: You'll first need to your account.  Zoom: Follow steps on webpage. Make sure to use your ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø account (PDF).
Create online spaces for your team to quickly collaborate, chat, and meet	Webex	Webex at ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø

Phones and voicemail

Task	use this service	how to use it
Check your desk phone voicemail	See it in your Outlook inbox, call into your desk phone from off campus
Forward desk phone calls	Set up call forwarding through the Phone Self-Care Portal. *This must be done before you leave the office.
Call another Webex user with your computer or mobile device (use just audio or audio and video)	Webex (formerly Webex Teams)

Security

• Be aware of suspicious email (a phish) and internet scams. Report phishing by using the Report Phish button in Outlook when working from a desktop or laptop, or forward it to phishing AT_TOWSON if on a mobile device.
• Make sure your personal computers are protected with up-to-date antivirus software-especially if you're using it for ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø business. Learn more.
• Be sure you have the latest updates installed for your personal computer's operating system.
• Use secure Wi-Fi. Don’t access ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø resources on free Wi-Fi.
• For resources and more info, including guidelines for hosting secure online meetings, visit ¾«Ñ¡Â鶹¶þÇø's Office of Information Security and Privacy website 

Support 

For help with technology-related issues like connectivity, service, or login issues, contact the OTS Technology Support Desk during business hours. You can also submit a service request at any time.