Linux

On a Linux machine you will need a terminal. The location of this application depends on the system. You can find it under the Applications menu - Accessories under Ubuntu. On Fedora you need to click on Activities, then Applications, then scroll down to find the Terminal. You can also type "term" in the search bar, press enter, and it should show up.

If you want to establish a secure remote connection from a Linux machine to another Linux machine (as for example, from a home computer to a campus machine), use the command ssh with a syntax like this:

ssh cs###.cs.iusb.edu -l username -XY

where ### means a 2-digit between 01 and 06 or 3-digit number between 136 and 172. Note that some of the machines that can be dual booted may not respond: just try another machine. Substitute username by your account name. If the username is the same (which is most likely the case), you can drop the "-l username" option altogether.

If you get an error message such as

"Protocol major versions differ: 1 vs. 2"

you can try adding the option -2 in the ssh command:

ssh -2 cs##.cs.iusb.edu -l username -XY

Windows

On a Windows machine, you need to install a program like Putty. On the campus machines, it can be found under the All Programs - Putty. At home, follow the link to the Putty download page (http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html). Right-click on the link for putty.exe and choose Save Target As (Explorer) or Save Link As (Firefox). If you save the executable putty.exe on a flash drive, you can run it on any computer without having to install it.

Once putty is installed, launch it and type the following as the Host Name:
cs###.cs.iusb.edu
where ### means a 2-digit or 3-digit number taken from the available list which will be posted on the forum. Make sure that the connection type is SSH. Here is an example:

You may be asked a security alert system the first time you log on to a particular host, like in the following example:

Just answer yes. A terminal window will open where you will be prompted on a second screen to enter your username and password, like in this example:

These should be the ones you use everywhere on campus. You may have to try several computer numbers until one works.

On your home computer, you may want to bookmark the session information for easy access. You can enter the username and remote host name, then give is a name easy to remember in the Saved Sessions box, and click Save. After that you'll be able to launch the session again by double-clicking on the bookmark name in the list. It is not recommended to save the password.

MacOS

On the MacOs you can use the Terminal application that is part of the standard system installation. On the campus machines it should be in the dashboard already (the icon looks like a monitor). At home you should find it either directly under Applications or under Applications - Utilities.

To establish a remote connection from a terminal, run the command:

ssh cs###.cs.iusb.edu -l username -XY

where ### means a 2-digit between 01 and 06 or 3-digit number between 136 and 172. Note that some of the machines that can be dual booted may not respond: just try another machine. Substitute username by your account name. If the username is the same (which is most likely the case), you can drop the "-l username" option altogether. This opens a remote secure session on the machine that you specified. You will be prompted for a password. You may have to try several numbers to find one that works because some of these computers may be booted in Windows or MacOS, in which case they will not respond to this command. Here is an example:

If you get an error message such as

"Protocol major versions differ: 1 vs. 2"

you can try adding the option -2 in the ssh command:

ssh -2 cs##.cs.iusb.edu -l username -XY