PennNet Services

Overview

PennNet is the University’s enterprise data network permitting wired and wireless network access for  faculty, staff and students in all campus buildings and residence halls. PennNet provides connectivity to all university services and applications and it allows remote access to sites on the Internet and Internet2.

The PennNet service also offers advanced network solutions for research groups and others at Penn who require high performance networking. ISC will work with clients to gather requirements, develop design options, provide cost estimates, and implement approved designs. To set up an initial consultation, please contact ISC Client Care.

About this Service

Access to PennNet is provided via high-speed Ethernet connections through individual network wallplates located in most academic and administrative buildings and in all college houses. Some computing platforms may need to be configured to access PennNet.

Finding Your Local Support Provider (LSP)

Primary computing support is usually located in the schools, units, and residences, close to the faculty, staff, and students being served. Contact lists are available for:

To look up your local support provider, select your University affiliation above.  

PennNet FAQ

How do you subscribe to pennnet-announce listserve mailing list?

  1. Create a message to: listserv@lists.upenn.edu
  2. Leave the subject blank.
  3. Set the body of the message to: subscribe pennnet-announce

How do you unsubscribe to pennnet-announce listserve mailing list?

  1. Create a message to: listserv@lists.upenn.edu
  2. Leave the subject blank.
  3. Set the body of the message to: unsubscribe pennnet-announce

How to get building codes from Assignments?

  1. Open Assignments.
  2. Click “Examine Other Tables” in left menu.
  3. Select the “Buildings” tab at the top and click the “Get Table” button on the bottom.

How do I Identify Wallplates and Ports?

Wallplate Placement

All wallplates should be located with 20 feet of a work station, desk and phone. The height of the PennNet wallplate should be 18 inches from the floor, and should not be placed behind furniture or other equipment so that the wallplate is accessible to support personnel.

Port Identification

The ID for each port is located in upper left-hand corner of the wallplate. This ID should be presented when requesting a new service, or when reporting problems with an exiting service. This information will help PennNet customer service representatives determine the current status of your wallplate.

Each PennNet wallplate is divided into 4 quadrants. Each quadrant can hold two ports, allowing for a maximum of 8 ports on a wallplate. Please note that one video wire takes up an entire quadrant, so a wallplate with video can hold only 7 wires. Each port has a unique identifier that begins with a 3-character building code and ends with a "u" value (ie. u1 for the first port, u2 for the second port, etcetera).

Icon Colors

When a port is active, a colored icon is inserted into the wallplate above the port.

Wallplate Icon Colors

How do I register my equipment?

DHCP Service

University policy requires that anyone running a DHCP server on PennNet must register the DHCP server with ISC Technology Services. ISC TS reserves the right to disallow a DHCP server if it would result in a conflict with another serving the same broadcast domain.

Wireless Routers

University policy requires anyone running a wireless AP to register the AP with ISC Technology Services. ISC TS reserves the right to disallow the registration and operation of an AP if it would result in a conflict with another serving the same area.

Report the MAC addresses you plan to use on your wireless network to noc@isc.upenn.edu.

Ordering Overview

Wallplates offer connectivity to three major communications services. Before you ask your Local Support Provider to order new wallplate installations or port activations, check in with your coworkers to determine whether they also need PennNet, Voice, or Penn Video Network services. You may also want to examine the physical locations where you plan to install new wallplates to determine if any already exist.

PennNet port deactivation/activation requests should be submitted to Client Care via the Support Center. Within the Support Center, select the appropriate tile to request service.  

Please send all questions and feedback to ISC Client Care at help@isc.upenn.edu.