Overview

Clear communication and specific details are critical when reporting technical issues to Contact the ITS Help Desk , or to anyone else.  These assist us in determining what is causing the issue, and how we can resolve the issue. 

Sometimes it's time consuming to gather these details.  So to attempt to make reporting technical issues easier, we've compiled a comprehensive list of questions that we may need answered in your report to us.  Yes, answering these questions may take time up front.  But these answers could also save a considerable amount of time on the back-end, as these answers could help us diagnose and resolve your issue much faster.

Also know that, to get answers to the questions below, at least one of the following may have to occur.  Please be prepared to take at least one of these actions when reporting technical issues to us:

as soon as you can, when you

• encounter technical issues with ITS-supported services or UWF-owned devices
  • see the Canvas Support section below for additional details about Canvas Support
• have questions, comments, concerns, or requests regarding the services ITS provides or supports
• have experienced a potential data breach that involves UWF systems, services, networks, or data

Known issues

The ITS Help Desk maintains public Technology Alerts and Technology Alerts - Notes and Workarounds pages.  These pages list alerts, notes, and workarounds for various widespread outages and other tech issues that affect UWF

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Ways to report technical issues to the ITS Help Desk

Submit an ITS Support Ticket

• Requires MyUWF/ArgoNet credentials
  
  • Activating your MyUWF/ArgoNet Account
  • Recovering Your MyUWF/ArgoNet Username or Password

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Call us

Call us at

850.474.2075 during our

Questions to answer

General questions

Is your issue already listed on the Technology Alerts page?

Sometimes your issue has already been reported by someone else.  If so, and if the issue is widespread, the issue may already be listed on the Technology Alerts page.

What are you expecting to happen?  What is actually happening?

The differences between these two answers will help us determine if our troubleshooting steps have actually resolved the issue.

What are the specific steps that someone else could follow to replicate the issue?

This will help us determine what the issue is.

Please provide as many relevant details and screenshots as possible.  We will need explicit step-by-step instructions.

What operating system are you using (e.g., Windows 10 and macOS Mojave)? Is your operating system up to date?  Which version is it?

Some technical issues are specific to an operating system, or to an outdated operating system.

• Is my computer up to date?
• Which version of Windows operating system am I running?

• How to update the software on your Mac
• Find out which macOS your Mac is using

Questions for various website issues

What web browser are you using (e.g., Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari, Chrome, and Firefox)?

Please know that many websites work best on Chrome or Firefox.

Also know that some legacy websites only work in Internet Explorer.

Is your web browser up to date?

Many website issues are caused by outdated web browsers.

• Update Google Chrome

• Update Firefox to the latest release

Have you tried clearing your cache and cookies in your web browser?

Many website issues are caused by buggy files stores in your cache or cookies.

• Clear cache & cookies

OR

• Browse in private

• How to clear the Firefox cache

OR 

• Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history

*Note that clearing the cache and cookies will log you out of all of your online accounts.

*Using an Incognito tab (Chrome) or Private browsing tab (Firefox) would allow your browser to ignore the cache and cookies already stored on your machine

Which internet service provider were you using when the issue occurred (e.g., UWF network, Cox, AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon)?

Many website issues are caused by the internet service provider.

Try to replicate the error from another network.  If it issue is resolved on the second network you try, then the issue was caused by your first network.

Also know that some websites only work on the UWF network.

What is the URL of the website you visited?  How did you get to the website?

We commonly get emails about issues with a website, but the user didn't provide the URL or instructions explaining how to get to the website.

Not providing this info delays the time it takes for us to investigate, diagnose, and resolve the issue.

Also ensure that the URL you're attempting to visit is correct.  Every character has to be in its correct spot for the URL to work (e.g., gmail.com vs gmial.com).

Is your device owned by UWF?

The support we can provide to personally owned devices is limited.  If you're calling about issues with a personally owned device, and we have determined that the issue isn't caused by a UWF-supported website or the UWF network, then we'll recommend that you take your device to a computer repair shop.

If UWF owns your device, then we may request that your Local Service Provider (your assigned tech specialist) take your device for further investigation and troubleshooting.  See Have you already spoken with your Local Support Provider (or LSP)? below for details.

Does your browser give you an error message when you try to access the website?  If so, what is the error message?

These error messages can help us determine what the issue is.

Questions for UWF network issues

If you're using a wired connection, are you sure your Ethernet cable is connecting your device to the Ethernet port in the wall?

Sometimes the Ethernet cable isn't plugged in all the way.

If you're using a wired connection, did you plug your Ethernet cable into a different port?

Sometimes the issue is that a user plugged the Ethernet cable into an incorrect and inactive port.  Users should always contact either the ITS Help Desk or their Local Service Provider before unplugging anything or rearranging devices and equipment.  See Have you already spoken with your Local Support Provider (or LSP)? below for details.

If you're using a wireless connection, are you sure your device is configured properly for ArgoAir?

Sometimes many users are simply unaware of how to connect their devices to ArgoAir.  See Configuring your device for ArgoAir for instructions. 

Also know that some devices have physical switches that control if their devices can connect to a wireless network.  If you device has one of these switches, ensure that it is switched to On.

Have you tried rebooting your device?

Sometimes rebooting your device will resolve the issue.

Are other users nearby able to access the UWF network?

This helps us determine if the issue with the network, or with your credentials or devices.

Where are you on campus?

Sometimes network issues are isolated to a specific building or room.  Please know your building and room number when reporting network issues.

Are you able to access other websites?

This will help us determine if the issue is with the website you're visiting, or the network.

Have you tried clearing your cache and cookies?

Sometimes these files can slow down your internet connection.  Clearing these could improve your internet connection.  See Have you tried clearing your cache and cookies in your web browser? above for instructions.

Is your operating system up to date?

Sometimes outdated operating systems cause network issues.  See What operating system are you using (e.g., Windows 10 and macOS Mojave)? Is your operating system up to date?  Which version is it? above for instructions.

Does your browser give you an error message when you try to access a website?  If so, what is the error message?

These error messages can help us determine what the issue is.

What websites were you visiting before the issues began?

Sometimes the network will block devices or users from accessing the network, if it believes the user may be doing something that could potentially harm the network or is something illegal (e.g., attempting to use or install peer-to-peer file sharing software).

What is your IP address?

If the network blocked your device from connecting to the network, then we would need to know the IP address of your device.  Once we know this, then we can tell the network to stop blocking your device.

• Find your IP address (for Windows 10)
• Find your PC's IP address (for earlier versions of Windows)

• How and where do I find my I.P. address?

"Fully Staffed" or "Limited Staff" hours of operation.

Be in front of a desktop or laptop computer when you call.  We may have to remote in to assist, and if necessary, to troubleshoot and gather additional screenshots as well.

Email us

Email us at helpdesk@uwf.edu during our "Fully Staffed" or "Limited Staff" hours of operation.

Submit a support ticket

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Visit us

Visit us in Building 79 during our "Face-to-face" support hours.

Bring the devices that are experiencing issues.

Bring your photo ID too, just in case we have to verify your identity.

Response times

We'll make every effort to answer calls and respond to tickets, voicemails, and emails the day that we receive them, if we received them during our posted business hours.

For tickets, voicemails, and emails we receive outside of our posted business hours, we'll respond the next time we're open.

• If a widespread issue occurs when UWF is closed, and this issue impacts services that ITS supports, then ITS will respond as soon as we can.

Employees should also review our ITS Help Desk Response and Resolution Expectations for additional details.

Canvas Support

UWF users should contact the UWF ITS Help Desk if they can't log in to Canvas. 

UWF users who can log in to Canvas but require assistance should contact Canvas Support directly using the options below.

• For students
  • Their instructors
  • Canvas Support -- Student Guide
  • Phone number for Canvas Support – 1-844-866-3349
  • Students can also chat with Canvas Support online, via the Help menu in Canvas.
• For faculty/instructors
  • Faculty Support (provided by UWF's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology)
  • Canvas Support -- Instructor Guide
  • Phone number for Canvas Support – 1-833-400-5564
  • Instructors can also chat with Canvas Support online, via the Help menu in Canvas.

Related info

• For students
  • Computer Purchase
  • ITS Help Desk Software Support Standards for Students
• For employees
  • Computer Purchase
  • ITS Help Desk Software Support Standards for Faculty and Staff

Questions for student-related technical issues

Do you have a MyUWF or ArgoNet account?

Some resources are only available to those who can log in to my.uwf.edu.

Try following the instructions on the Activating your MyUWF/ArgoNet Account Confluence page.  If you see the No Account to Activate message, then you may already have an account.

Do you know your username and password?

Try following the instructions on the Recovering Your MyUWF/ArgoNet Username or Password Confluence page.

Questions for employee-related technical issues

Have you already spoken with your supervisor or Department Information Security Representative (or DISRep)?

Some issues are caused by users not having the appropriate access.  Their supervisors or DISReps may be able to determine if this is the case.

Please note that a DISRep is a designated UWF employee who is responsible for many things.  Some of these responsibilities include the following:

• streamlining various security request processes
• improving departmental understanding of user roles and how security is assigned
• claiming employees as members of specific UWF departments
  • Sometimes access to various systems depends on if the user is claimed by a department, as well as which department it is

Each department should have at least one DISRep.  UWF employees should visit the Locating your DISRep Confluence page for details.

Have you already spoken with your Local Support Provider (or LSP)?

Some issues are specific to individual departments.  An LSP is a local technical support person for a department; this person may be aware of technical configurations that affect their departments.