Connecting a computer or device to the wired network

A computer, printer, Mac, iPad — anything that plugs into a network cable on campus. First decide whether it is right for you, then there are three steps.

  • Approx. 10 min read
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • Linux

First — wired or Wi-Fi?

The wired network has a real advantage, but it also has a cost. Worth knowing that in advance rather than after the computer has slowed down.

  1. The difference in one table

    Wired networkWi-Fi (eduroam)
    Speed and stabilityFast and stableSlower, drops occasionally
    Lab drive RAvailableNot available
    Lab printersAvailableNot available
    Other machines on the internal networkAvailableNot available
    Managed by the computing centreYes — security software installedNo
    Effect on performanceNoticeable — CPU and memoryNone

  2. How to choose

    • Wired — if you need drive R, the lab printers, or move large amounts of data. That is the case for most lab and office machines.
    • Wi-Fi — if you mostly browse, write and run local computations. The machine stays fast, with no management software on it.
    The security software really does slow things down — Every computer on the wired network — Windows, Mac or Linux — comes under the management of the computing centre, and security software is installed that consumes CPU and memory. On weaker machines it is clearly noticeable. If the computer is meant for heavy computation, factor that in.
    Not sure? — Send me an email describing what you do on the machine. This is an easy decision to regret, and an easy one to discuss beforehand.

Step 1 — inventory number

This is a hard requirement. Every device on the wired network must have an inventory number, with no exceptions — computer, printer, scanner or anything else.

  1. Equipment bought through the university

    It should arrive with an inventory sticker already on it. Check the body of the machine, usually on the side or the back.

    If it came without one, collect a sticker from the warehouse. It is under the Law building, and the phone number is 8295 (from outside: 03-531-8295).

  2. Equipment not bought through the university

    Privately bought equipment can also join the wired network, but it must first be registered as university property and given an inventory number.

    Call the warehouse directly on 8295 — they handle both the registration and the sticker.

    What this actually means — The equipment is entered into the university records. That is a precondition for joining the internal network, and it is also what later makes repair, warranty and disposal through the university possible.

  3. An active network point

    You need a live network socket in the room. If there is a socket but no connection through it, here is how to activate it. If there is no socket at all, here is how to install one.

Step 2a — a Windows computer

A Windows computer must join the university domain. I do that myself, which means I need to come to the machine in person.

  1. Make sure everything is ready before you contact me

    I come once. So that we do not get stuck halfway, make sure all of these are in place:

    • A computer with an inventory sticker
    • Keyboard and mouse connected
    • Monitor connected and working
    • A network cable
    • An active network point in the room

  2. Send me an email

    Email me with:

    • The building and room number where the computer is.
    • Which days and hours I can come and someone will let me in.
    Send the computer details

  3. What happens next

    I come, join the machine to the domain and connect it to the network. From then on you sign in with your Bar-Ilan username and password, and drive R appears automatically.

Step 2b — Linux, Mac, a printer or any other device

Non-Windows devices do not join the domain. They only need a fixed IP address, and I issue that remotely — no visit needed.

  1. Email me two details

    Send the device details

  2. What happens next

    I issue an IP address for the device and authorise it on the network. Then plug in the network cable and restart the device — it should connect on its own.

    Did not come up? — Check that the cable is in an active point and that the device is set to obtain an address automatically (DHCP), rather than a manual address someone configured in the past.

How to find a MAC address

A MAC address is the physical identifier of a network card. It looks like this: A4:BB:6D:2F:19:C0 — six pairs of characters, separated by colons or hyphens.

  1. First — every computer has more than one

    This is the most common mistake — The wireless card and the wired card have two different MAC addresses. I need the one for the wired connection. Send the wireless one and the device simply will not get a connection — and nobody will know why until we check again.

    How to tell them apart:

    SystemWired — this is the oneWireless — not this one
    WindowsEthernetWi-Fi · Wireless · WLAN
    MacEthernet · USB 10/100/1000 LANWi-Fi · AirPort
    LinuxStarts with e — eth0 · eno1 · enp3s0Starts with w — wlan0 · wlp2s0

  2. Windows

    Through Settings: Settings → Network & internet → Ethernet, then scroll down to Physical address (MAC).

    Or on the command line: open cmd and run:

    ipconfig /all

    Look for the block titled Ethernet adapter — not Wireless LAN adapter:

    Ethernet adapter Ethernet:
   Description . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Connection
   Physical Address. . . : A4-BB-6D-2F-19-C0     <-- this one

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:
   Physical Address. . . : 8C-55-4A-11-08-D3     <-- not this one

  3. Mac

    Through Settings: System Settings → Network → Ethernet → Details → Hardware. The address is in the MAC Address field.

    Or in Terminal:

    ifconfig en0 | grep ether
    For a Mac with no built-in network port — Most MacBook models have no network socket and need a USB-C to Ethernet adapter. In that case the MAC address belongs to the adapter, not the computer — swap the adapter and you must send me the new address.

  4. Linux

    In a terminal:

    ip link

    Look for the interface whose name starts with e. The address is on the line below it, after link/ether:

    2: enp3s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP>
    link/ether a4:bb:6d:2f:19:c0     <-- this one

3: wlp2s0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP>
    link/ether 8c:55:4a:11:08:d3     <-- not this one

  5. A network printer

    In the printer menu itself, under Network or Reports, you can usually print a Network Configuration Page. The MAC address is on it, sometimes labelled Hardware Address.

    For a printer that also has Wi-Fi — It will show two addresses there as well. Take the one next to Wired or Ethernet.

  6. iPad or tablet

    You need a network adapter (USB-C to Ethernet). Connect it, then: Settings → General → About → Ethernet.

    Here too the address belongs to the adapter — swapping adapters means sending me the new address.

Didn't work? Write to me.
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Updated July 2026