Accessing Temple Lab Computers from Home

Frank L. Friedman

August, 2007

 

(if you find anything in this document that is not working as described, please let me know asap.  FLF)

 

The Computer and Information Sciences Department lab computers are only accessible from within Temple's network.  All connections must be carried out in a secure manner using “secure shell (SSH) client software.”  There are two ways to do this. 

 

1. Using Putty

 

Putty is free secure shell software that can be downloaded from the Internet.  You simply need an Internet service provider such as MSN, CompuServe, Yahoo, Comcast, etc.  To gain access to Putty, you first activate your Internet connection and then enter the following URL:

 

http://lucas.cis.temple.edu/

 

Note that lucas is the name of a CIS Linux-based server used by CIS 071 and other students.

 

This link takes you to the page lucas.cis.temple.edu.  Once at this page, scroll down to the bottom where you will find links to four software tools, including Putty and WinSCP.  These two tools may be of use to you at home.  What you need to do is download them to your home computer.

 

To do this, begin by clicking on the Putty link.  This takes you to the Putty Download page.  Click on Putty.exe and when prompted, save it to your desktop.  Now go to your desktop.

(You can read the Putty download page at your leisure if you wish.)

 

Click on the Putty icon.  You will see a Putty dialog window entitled Putty Configuration.  Enter the name of your host (such as lucas.cis.temple.edu).  Make sure the SSH radio button is set.  Leave the port number set as it is in the window once the SSH button is on.  Then click on Open.  Your host login window should appear, and you should be ready to login as you normally would if you were at Temple.

 

Once you are comfortable with Putty, you might want to go back to the Lucas page and download WinSCP.  I’ll let you do that on your own.  If you need help with the download or with using WinSCP , ask the consultants on the 2nd floor of Wachman for help.

 

 

 

2. Connecting through the Temple University Unix server

 

Using this approach to connecting to CIS or Temple computers from outside Temple's network, you must first connect to the Temple Unix Server.  To do this you need a University account in addition to your normal lab account.  Again, you also need an internet service provider such as MSN, CompuServe, Comcast, or the like.

 

Information about getting a University account may be obtained by going to site

 

www.temple.edu/cs/helpdesk/

 

and then clicking on the “computer accounts” link.  Then click on “II. Activating Your AccessNet Account” (under Services we Offer).

 

NOTE 1:  There is a wealth of information at this site – all University related.  You should start to familiarize yourselves with this information as soon as possible,

 

 

Once you have a University account you need to proceed as follows …

 

  1. Go to www.temple.edu/cs/helpdesk/
  2. Click on the “DownLoad Center” link.  Login in, and read the Notice.
  3. Now download SSH of MacSSH (whichever applies to the computer you have at home; Click of the appropriate download link)
  4. You will get a list of instructions to follow to download the requisite software and to use it.  This information is a bit dense.  I strongly suggest you print it out first.  The follow it carefully.  It should be all you need to know to gain access to the CIS Department computer labs.

 

 

NOTE 2: When you are asked for the host name, enter

 

lucas.cis.temple.edu    (for all you Linux users)

 

If you ssh into Lucas you get prompted for username and password once, which logs you into Lucas itself, then you are automatically redirected to a dedicated Linux client, configured just the same as the lab clients, and that will prompt for password again for that login.

 

Please – e-mail me at frank.friedman@temple.edu if you have problems.