Connecting to the Internet and Displaying on a Video Projector in a General Use Classroom

Function Step(s)

To connect your laptop to the Internet...

1. Connect your laptop's power cable to your laptop.
2. Insert the power plug into an electrical outlet.
3. Connect one end of a 15-pin VGA cable into the "VIDEO OUT" connection on your laptop (often the correct connection is the only one where it fits).
4. Connect the other end of the 15-pin VGA cable to the "VIDEO IN" connection on the video projector.
5. Plug one end of a network cable into your laptop (some laptops come with a special adapter that links the laptop to the network cable).
6. Plug the other end of the network cable into the network jack.
NOTE: You must set up your laptop to dynamically grab an IP address when you turn on your laptop. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this, contact Susan Campbell scampbel@osf1.gmu.edu) for help.
7. Turn on your laptop.
8. Plug the video projector's power cord into an electrical outlet.
9. Turn on the video projector.
10. After the main Windows screen appears on your laptop, check to see whether you can see the same screen displayed from the video projector. If not, then check your laptop's manual to see what key or combination of keys you need to press to display the screen on both the laptop and projection screen.
NOTE: Often, you must press the [Fn] key and one of the function keys once or twice before the computer screen will display on the video projector. Usually, this function key will have a picture of a monitor on it.