WMU > Homepages > Students
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't
see your question above? Ask it here!
I would
like a Web page, where do I start?
The first
step in obtaining a Web page is to make sure you are registered with
homepages.wmich.edu. To do this, you will need to know your Bronco NetID
and password. Then, go
to our Getting Started page.
What
if I don't remember my Bronco NetID and password?
You may go to the login page of GoWMU and click the appropriate links in the "Quick Links" box on the right.
You may
also swipe your Bronco ID at any of the four swip-card locations: BCC
Lab, CAE Lab, Kellogg
Lab, or UCC Lab.
Why do
I have to register?
Registering
sets up your account on the Web server and grants
the proper permissions. If you do not register, even if you have
created a www folder and .html files, they will not be viewable.
Ok, I
have registered, what is my Web page address?
Everyone
that registers with homepages has a Web address in this format:
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~BroncoNetID where BroncoNetID is your username,
e.g. j6bronco.
I registered,
now how do I access my Web site?
Logins
to the site are prohibited. You create your pages on your
own computer and then you must use some type of file transfer protocol
(FTP) to upload the pages to your space on the homepages Web server. The FTP address is homepages.wmich.edu and your login is via your Bronco NetID username and password.
I chose to have your template copied to my area, now how do I edit it?
You
may browse to the page on your site and then click on File > Save
As to save it to your computer as index-template.html. Then you
may open it using a Web software, or even Microsoft Word, make
your changes and save it. Finally upload the file back to your
server area using an FTP program.
How much
space do I have for my Web pages?
Each student
receives 1 GB of space which may be allocated for Web and file storage. To adjust your allocations, login to GoWMU and click Adjust my Disk Quotas in the My Self-Service channel.
Where
can I find information about creating my own pages?
Resource
links and information about creating pages may be found on the Getting
Started page.
What
am I allowed to do on my page?
Review
the Rules and Policies pages for answers to this question.
What
do I use to create a page?
The easiest
way to create your own Web page is to use a software package such
as Macromedia Dreamweaver (the recommended and supported product
at WMU). Dreamweaver is
available for purchase at an educational discount through TotalTECH . You may also use Netscape Composer and Microsoft Word
(save as Web Page). There is also a free alternative to Dreamweaver, NVU (n-view), which may be downloaded and used for free. Although you may be able to obtain assistance with its use, it is considered non-supported and use at your own risk. See the NVU How To.
Can I
use Microsoft FrontPage?
You should not use FrontPage and it may cause problems with your Web account. The recommended and supported package at WMU is Macromedia
Dreamweaver.
I've
created pages on my
computer, how do I get them to the homepages server?
You may
use the file transfer protocol (FTP) program with which you are most
comfortable. Most campus labs provide WS_FTP LE which may also
be downloaded
from here.
I keep
getting FTP errors when I try to upload my pages. What's wrong?
It's
possible you are using an ISP which does not reverse map and the
homepages server is not allowing the connection to be made for security
purposes. If you have ftp errors, the fastest way to obtain a solution
is to contact the OIT Help Desk by telephone at 387-HELP. You could
also send e-mail but chances are likely that the Help Desk will need
additional information from you and you could spend several days
e-mailing back and forth before it is resolved.
I
am looking for someone's page, how do I find it?
Use
the A-Z listing found at homepages.wmich.edu.
Why
don't I show up in
the A-Z listing?
If it
has been more than 24 hours since you registered for homepages and
you still do not show up, you probably chose not to be listed at
the time of your registration. Go here to change your settings.
When
I try to view my pages, all I see are file folders and document icons.
Why?
The server
looks for a file called index.html or index.htm. If it does not find
that file, it displays only a listing of the files in your Web area.
Renaming your main page, index.html should solve the problem.
I created
my page and loaded it but all I see is your template page. Why?
Your page must be named index.html or index.htm. If the server does
not find a file with either of those names, and you chose to have the
template copied over when you registered for homepages, the server
will display the template. Renaming your main page index.html and reloading
it should solve the problem.
I have
Web pages on another server, can I move them?
Yes. Simply
download the files from the first server to your computer and then
you can upload them to the homepages server.
Can I
use CGI scripts on my pages?
Students
may not write CGI scripts on the homepages server, however, some
scripts are available that students may use on thier pages. See Advanced
Features.
Does
the homepages Web server support Flash?
Yes, the homepages server
does support Flash.
How about
server side includes or server side javascript?
Sorry, neither is available.
Does
the server support active server pages?
Sorry,
active server pages (ASP, PHP) are not supported.
Can I
have streaming video on my site?
Sorry,
resources are not available at this time to allow streaming
video from the homepages server.
Do I have access to MySQL or PostgreSQL or any other database servers?
Sorry, database resources are not available from homepages.
Can I
telnet my pages?
Sorry
telnet is no longer available on the homepages server.
Can I
password protect my Web site or some of its pages?
Yes, you
can password protect your Web files. See the Help Desk How To, "Password
Protecting Web Pages on homepages.wmich.edu".
Are backups made of my files in case I inadvertantly overwrite a page?
You are responsible for the back up or archival of your own pages and files.
How
long will my pages stay active after I graduate or leave WMU?
Your account, and your pages, will remain active for approximately one year
after you leave WMU.
How do I remove my pages when I no longer want them displayed?
If you no longer want your pages displayed, you may use an FTP client to FTP to homepages.wmich.edu, login using your Bronco NetID username and password and then simply delete the pages. Or, you may use the delete your Web site option on the Account Maintenance page (you must still have access to your Bronco NetID and password). If you cannot do that, you may contact the Help Desk at (269) 387-HELP (4357). They will verify your ownership of the account and open a ticket and the Web server admin will then delete the pages.
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