Advanced Issues

Taken from document MCIS.FAQ-2v.90c

Introduction:

This document addresses several Morningside network-specific issues that the advanced user maybe curious about.  If there are any specific issues that are not covered under this document, you may submit a Request for Comment (RFC) to Jonathan Green, Documentation Project Administrator, Information Services, Morningside College .   Please see this document first, before contacting either the MCIS Help-desk or the Gateway Personalized Help-desk. 

Table of Contents:

Q: Who is this document for?

Q:  May I change the name of my computer?

Q:  How can I set up a shared folder?

Q:  OK, now I'm clear on the permissions I should issue.  Now what's the actual procedure for sharing a folder?

Q:  My username is abc001@mustang, but my email address is abc001@morningside.edu and Windows seems to think my username is mustang\abc001.  Why?

Q:  Is it alright for me to set up my own wireless access point on the Ethernet Network?

Q:  May I set up my own Ethernet switch/hub?

Q:  May I [bring a computer from home / purchase another computer for use at school]?

Q:  I already own a laptop, and wish to use it on the McWI network.  Is this permissible?

Q:  I'd like to upgrade my laptop.  May I?

Q:  I'd like to setup Windows 2000 Server on my machine and serve some files via IIS.  What should I know?

Q:   I'm running [Linux/BSD/Macintosh/UNIX] on another machine in my room.  How am I supposed to share files between this machine and my Windows machines without FTP/NFS/HTTP/ect?

Q:   The network is down - I'm sure of it.  I've checked with everyone else in the building and they know it is, too.  What should I do?

If none of these answers assist you, contact the appropriate Help-desk (MCIS or Gateway).

Q:         Who is this document for?

A:         The Advanced Procedures and Power - User Tips and Tricks FAQ (FAQ - 2) is a document designed to answer Morningside network-specific questions that the advanced user may ponder.  It is intended to provide a basic outline of possible tweaks and customizations that users may make to their machines, but is provided "as-is."  Issues that have a particular possibility of damaging a system are marked as such.  If there are specific issues that are not covered in this document that relate specifically to the Morningside network, you may submit a RFC as described in the Introduction.

Q:         May Ichange the name of my computer?

A:        You may not change the name of your computer.  By using a standard naming scheme for all student computers, MCIS can provide more timely remote support options, as well as better administration in general.  If you do inadvertently change the name of your computer, you may need to bring it to the Help-desk so that a technician can authorize the system to use the network again.

Q:         How can I set up a shared folder?

A:        First, you should consider the permissions that you want to grant on your shared folder.  Who do you wish to be able to see what is in this folder?  Who should be able to write to it?  The following are a list of scenarios, and the file permissions that accompany them, followed by the procedures to set up such shares.

Access you wish to allow:                              Permissions you must grant:

            Note that permissions can be mixed and matched, unlike in Windows 9x.  If, for example, you wished to let Jay read your files, and let Faculty drop files only in your folder, while retaining full control yourself, you would add the following permissions (assuming  your username is doe@mustang):

TOTAL CONTROL:   doe@mustang

READ only:                  jay@mustang

WRITE only:                faculty@mustang

           Also remember that permissions granted to Everyone can often throw you.  Only issue permissions to everyone@mustang if you do not plan on issuing specific rights.

Q:         OK, now I'm clear on the permissions I should issue.  Now what's the actual procedure for sharing a folder?

A:        After you have determined the permissions you wish to grant on a shared resource, right click on the resource (usually a folder), and then select Sharing.  Tell Windows to share the resource with whichever name you wish, and then click permissions.  From this point, click add and remove until you have placed the permissions you desire onto the share.

Q:         My username is abc001@mustang, but my email address is abc001@morningside.edu and Windows seems to think my username is mustang\abc001.  Why?

A:        Windows version 2000 and later (including Windows XP Professional) now implement usernames in the form user@domain.  For compatibility reasons, however, the form domain\user is still acceptable in most places.  Your email address is completely unrelated from the Mustang domain, however, and runs from a different machine then Mustang.  Mustang and the email server simply share a database, for administrative reasons.

Q:         Is it alright for me to set up my own wireless access point on the Ethernet Network?

A:        No.  For security reasons, only school configured access points (AP's) will be allowed to function.  If you need several network connections temporarily, contact MCIS.  We may be able to assist you without compromising campus security.  Appropriate countermeasures will be taken if a rouge access point is detected on the network.

Q:         May I set up my own Ethernet switch/hub?

A:        Yes.  Students are allowed to install their own Ethernet equipment, as long as they do not damage (ie screw, nail or glue anything to the bottom of your desks) their dorm rooms in the process, and as long as the connections are standard Ethernet copper (CAT 5.e).  Wireless connections present a security threat.  However, students who wish to bring their own computers from home, or have additional networking needs, should feel free to set up a Fast Ethernet switch or hub in their rooms.

Q:         May I [bring a computer from home / purchase another computer for use at school]?

A:        Yes.  You may have any computer equipment in your dorm that you wish, as long as you do not provide Morningside network access to unauthorized parties, or break the law.  If a student wishes to have his or her computer from home in their dorm room, this is fine, however, MCIS will not support these machines.  If the machines are running a Windows NT variant (NT 3.x, NT 4, 2000, XP Pro, .NET), MCIS may issue a domain computer account; this is the extent of available support for such machines.

Q:         I already own a laptop, and wish to use it on the McWI network.  Is this permissible?

A:        If your laptop has Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional and a McWI compatable wireless network card that is 802.11b certified, MCIS may be able to integrate this system into the McWI network.  However, MCIS only supports McWI Certified systems for use on the Morningside College Wireless Infrastructure network, and, as such, will only grant access to the network from such a system after security has been enabled.  It is highly recommended you use your school provided computer for your main machine, as it is supported by Gateway and MCIS.

Q:         I'd like to upgrade my laptop.  May I?

A:        Many upgrades to your machine are available from the Gateway website for Morningside College.  You may purchase upgrades from any vendor or reseller you wish, however, only school ordered, factory installed equipment (in other words, your laptop in its original condition when it came to you) will be supported.  Tampering with your system's configuration may also pose support problems.  Additionally, if you upgrade your system and then leave Morningside College, any upgrades you turn in with your system will become the property of Morningside College.  Therefore, it is suggested that you store any pieces that you remove during an upgrade, so you may replace your new components.

Q:       I'd like to setup Windows 2000 Server on my machine and serve some files via IIS.  What should I know?

A:         Firstly, it is a violation of network policy to  run Windows 2000 Server, or any other Windows Server variant, on the Ethernet or McWI networks.  Even if you hold a valid license for any of these operating systems, the possibility of causing a serious network configuration conflict and possibly effecting access to network resources and network availability forces MCIS to deny permission for any Server grade Windows operating systems.

            Furthermore, only standard Windows peer to peer (P2P) file-sharing services are acceptable.  FTP, NFS, and HTTP are all disallowed.  If you are running a Linux, UNIX, BSD or Macintosh variant operating system with any of these servers running, you will be contacted and asked to deactivate them.

Q:         I'm running [Linux/BSD/Macintosh/UNIX] on another machine in my room.  How am I supposed to share files between this machine and my Windows machines without FTP/NFS/HTTP/ect?

A:        The best option for sharing files between *nix boxes and Windows machines is to use Windows networking, known as Server Message Block or SaMBa to *nix users.  While MCIS can not support configuration of SaMBa clients on Linux, it is nonetheless the preferred method of sharing files between *nix and Windows clients.

Q:         The network is down - I'm sure of it.  I've checked with everyone else in the building and they know it is, too.  What should I do?

A:        If the network has gone down during the work day (8 - 5, Monday through Friday), chances are that someone has already reported it to the Help-Desk or MCIS directly.  If its after hours, but the Help-desk is open, contact them first.  If you can not contact the Help-desk and the network is still out, contact your RA or HR.  Residence Life Staff will know how to contact an on-call member of the MCIS staff, 24 hours a day.