Linux Resources | Mathematics at Dartmouth

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Linux Resources

Secure Connections
VPN
Math Email
Vacation Autoreply
Backups
eduroam Wi-Fi

Secure Connections

Your Linux distribution should have OpenSSH prepackaged and, quite likely, already installed. This should make ssh and scp availabe on the command line. You may also want to check rsync, which is a command line utility to copy or synchronize entire directory trees, while transferring only the difference in file contents.

Filezilla is a GUI program for both SSH File Transfer or SFTP. Install using your distribution's software manager or download from filezilla-project.org. Lauch the program, choose File > Site Manager > New Site. Configure SFTP connection to gauss:

: Protocol: SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
Host: math.dartmouth.edu
Logon Type: Ask for password
User: your username on gauss

Click OK to save configuration or Connect to save and connect at once.

Some file managers in Linux — Dolphin, Konqueror, Nautilus … — can (persistently) mount remote directories using sshfs.

VPN

Dartmouth VPN

Dartmouth currently supports the GlobalProtect VPN client by Palo Alto Networks. See installation instructions for Linux.

Math VPN

Math VPN uses OpenVPN technology.

Install OpenVPN and Network Manager's component for OpenVPN.
(openvpn, network-manager-openvpn packages in Debian/Ubuntu).
Add Math VPN connection in Network Manager:
1. VPN Connections → Configure VPN.
2. Add → OpenVPN → Create....
3. Connection name: Math VPN.
4. Gateway: 129.170.28.58.
5. Authentication Type: Password.
6. User name: your Math username
7. Password: choose Always Ask
8. CA Certificate: select DigiCert CA certificate:
  /etc/ssl/certs/DigiCert_High_Assurance_EV_Root_CA.pem
9. Apply.
To connect click on Network Manager's applet, VPN Connections → Math VPN.
To disconnect use Disconnect VPN in the same applet.

Math Email (and the DND)

If you have Math Dept. user account (also known as “gauss” account), you also have a corresponding email account. Your Math email arrives at (and can be sent from) math.dartmouth.edu server. It can be accessed instantly and globally via Webmail — this does not require any configuration! As for email applications, all of them, including mobile, can be configured to use your Math account using these generic settings:

Incoming server: math.dartmouth.edu, type: IMAP, port: 143
Connection type/encryption: TLS
Username: your Math username
Password: for the username above
Outgoing/SMTP server: math.dartmouth.edu, port: 587, protocol: STARTTLS; authenticate with Math username and password

Please use plain text to write email whenever possible (useplaintext.email), thank You!

Darmouth Name Directory lookups in Thunderbird

Edit → Preferences → Composition → Addressing
Click Edit Directories, Add:

General tab:
Name: Dartmouth Directory
Hostname: oud.dartmouth.edu
Base DN: dc=dartmouth, dc=edu
Port number: 636
Use secure connection (SSL): yes

Back in the Preferences window select “Dartmouth Directory” for Directory Server.

Vacation Autoreply

Autoreply message text for your Math mail is in .vacation.msg in your home directory on gauss.

Autoreply is enabled by uncommenting the following two lines in .procmailrc:

#:0c
#|/usr/bin/vacation username

To stop autoreply, comment both lines out again, by inserting # as the first character on each line.

.vacation.msg and .procmailrc can be edited with any text editor while on gauss terminal or with a variety of GUI tools from Linux desktop, for example, Filezilla, Nautilus, Dolphin etc.

Backups

Your workstation can be backed up to Math Dept. network storage. Contact help@math.dartmouth.edu for assistance.

Connecting to eduroam Wireless Network

Use settings below with your username as NetID@dartmouth.edu and password:

: Security: WPA & WPA2 Enterprise; Authentication: Protected EAP (PEAP); Inner auth. (EAP method): MSCHAPv2; Username: d12345x@dartmouth.edu

NB: Sometimes wireless connection can't be established without using a CA certificate. In such case choose the DigiCert Root CA certificate from /etc/ssl/certs on your computer.