New Student Resources

Set Up Your Account

Have you activated your William & Mary account yet? If not, activate your W&M Username now. You will need to create a secure, personalized password.

While you are there, you can set up a recovery email address in case you ever forget your password.

Get more information about Account Activation and Password Security.

Enroll in Duo Two-Factor Authentication

Duo is William & Mary's two-factor authentication service. It uses your W&M credentials plus a secondary authentication method (like a cell phone) to confirm your identity, thus providing an additional level of security to help protect against increasingly sophisticated security threats.  

Everyone at William & Mary is required to use Duo (including students) to access most W&M systems.  Enroll now at 2f.wm.edu.

Instructions for enrolling in Duo

Access Email 

Once your deposit is received and processed, you'll be able to access your Outlook email account (powered by Microsoft Office 365). Use your W&M Username + @wm.edu and password to log in.  (Please allow 24-48 hours for processing.)

There is also a suite of Google apps that you can access.

Make sure to check your email frequently for important updates. Find a link to Outlook on myW&M.

Bring a Laptop

At William & Mary we expect all incoming students to have a notebook computer. A laptop makes it easier for you to stay connected with classmates, professors and administrators no matter where you might be on campus.   

Ideally, the laptop you bring to campus will serve you well throughout your years here. W&M Information Technology recommends purchasing a new device, but if you choose to bring one you already have, they recommend that it not be more than a year old. 

All computers should have the below specifications (at a minimum):  

• Intel i5 processor or higher
• 256GB hard drive or higher
• 8GB of RAM or higher
• The latest Windows or Mac operating system

Academic programs may have different computer requirements, including both undergraduate and graduate programs in the School of Business, which recommend PCs with the latest Windows Operating System instead of Macs.

Chromebooks are not recommended. They are likely not to meet academic computing requirement needs, especially as it pertains to the installation of software.

Get Software (Like Microsoft Office - for FREE!)

There is no need to pay retail prices for software with our selection of discounted software. And Microsoft Office 365 is completely free during your time at W&M!

TV Specs & Streaming Cable TV

William & Mary has a digital cable system with a lineup of 116 channels. Only televisions that are Clear QAM/ATCS compliant will work on the digital system. Most televisions made after 2007 meet this requirement. An external tuner can be purchased separately to use with those televisions that aren't Clear QAM/ATSC compliant.

Not bringing a TV? There is no need to miss out on your favorite shows. With Campus Contour from Cox, you can stream cable TV to your computer, phone, or tablet.

*Note: One Tribe Place does not currently have access to cable service through W&M.

myW&M (Access to Banner, Blackboard, and Email)

Take some time to browse through myW&M. It is a good page to set as your homepage for your web browser.

Looking for Banner or Blackboard? Access these services through myW&M. You can also access your Outlook email there.

Authenticate your Devices

Once you arrive on campus, you will need to authenticate your devices to the William & Mary network.

For computers, tablets, and phones...

1. Open a web browser.  You will be automatically routed to the authentication page.  
2. Follow the prompts to log in with your W&M credentials.

Connect Laptops & Phones to Wireless Networks

For Wi-Fi, use the eduroam network for a fast and secure wireless connection.  Eduroam also provides secure Wi-Fi access while traveling to other participating eduroam institutions. Connect to eduroam at connect.wm.edu.

Have a visitor coming to campus?  Learn how you can provide wireless access for guests.

For Chromebooks, use the device authentication process to connect to the WM-Welcome network.

Connect Devices to the Network

To authenticate devices such as game consoles, wireless printers, virtual assistants, and Chromebooks to the wired or wireless network, you will need to authenticate your device.  To do that:

1. Find the physical address (MAC address) of the device.  We recommend visiting the manufacturer's website of your device for instructions on finding its physical address.
2. Log in to connect.wm.edu/devices using your W&M Username and Password. 
3. Follow the prompts to complete the device authentication process.
4. Once complete, wait a few minutes before trying to connect the device to the W&M network (WM-Welcome).  It could take up to five minutes.

Stay Secure

Be aware of phishing and ransomware that may come through you email inbox. If anything does happen, the first thing you should do is reset your password. 

For your own personal security, you can choose to receive campus alerts on your computer via Alertus.

Check-out more of our security tips. 

Printing at a Computer Lab 

Didn't bring a printer?  That's fine. W&M has multiple printing locations across campus; however, there is a per page printing charge.

If you're on campus and looking for a public computer, check out the Computer Lab Status application. It will let you know where computers are currently available.

Digital Cable TV Services

Check-out the digital cable TV channel listing.  

You can also stream cable TV on your computer, phone or tablet while you are on the W&M campus with the Campus Contour app from Cox.

Specialized Software

Check out our list of licensed software, which includes programs in chemistry, math, statistics, and web editing.

Download software from the Software Distribution site (software.wm.edu).

Computer Service Agreement

The Computer Service Agreement spells out support options and includes a list of off-campus service providers.

Guest Wireless Access

Have a visitor coming to campus?  Learn how you can provide wireless access for guests.  

IT System Status 

If you want to keep up with any current or future system outages, visit the Information Technology homepage and check out the System Status box on the right-hand side.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for outage announcements and more IT happenings.