CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions Version: 3.2 1997/1/27 What is This? This document is intended to provide answers to common questions relating to Internet access and services provided by the CAC. While a plain-text version is posted regularly to the news groups psu.cac.access and psu.answers, readers are urged to view the web page version for better formatting and numerous links to internal sections and other documents. Current Version In addition to the web page at http://dsg.cac.psu.edu/AccessFaq/, a plain text version is automatically posted monthly to the news groups psu.cac.access and psu.answers, and can also be found via anonymous ftp to ftp.cac.psu.edu, directory pub/access/doc, file access.FAQ and by Gopher to info.psu.edu (then "Penn State Information", "Computing" and "Access Account Information"). Again, readers are urged to veiw the WWW version. Revisions Sections revised in this version are shown in the table of contents below in boldface. The revised text of those sections will be in red. If a new version is being edited, it may be temporarily here. The previous version is also available. The whole thing might be viewed by someone addicted to printing, however, this document is not designed to be printed. Quick Reference E-mail (POP) account userid@email.psu.edu E-mail address to tell people (return address) userid@psu.edu Server to send mail to smtp.psu.edu Change passwords telnet to access.psu.edu PH (Phone book) server ph.psu.edu News server news.psu.edu WWW server www.psu.edu Gopher server gopher.psu.edu Modem Phone Numbers 814 863-7777 (28.8) 814 863-6666 (14.4 and less) Campus Numbers Contents SECTION 1. OTHER DOCUMENTATION AND RESOURCES 1.1. What other documentation is available? 1.2. How do I learn to use all this stuff? 1.3. Where can I get help? 1.4. Who are the responsible personnel? SECTION 2. ACCESS ACCOUNTS 2.1. What is an "Access Account"? 2.2. What good is it? 2.3. Does it cost anything? 2.4. Do I need an Access Account? 2.5. How do I apply for an account? 2.6. After I do that, how do I get my userid and password? 2.7. How do I change my password? 2.8. I've seen mention of Kerberos, what is that? 2.9. What about the "Change password" menu items in Mac and PC Eudora? 2.10. How long is my Access Account good for? 2.11. How is my Access Account related to my PSUVM userid and accounts? 2.12. How do I access my student records? 2.13. Can my Mom (dad, sister, uncle, aunt) get an Access Account? SECTION 3. CONNECTION METHODS 3.1. Where can I use my Access Account? 3.2. I have a Macintosh and a modem; what else do I need? 3.3. My Macintosh already has backbone access, what else do I need? 3.4. I have a PC and a modem; what else do I need? 3.5. My PC already has backbone access, what else do I need? 3.6. Does CACTWIN work with Windows 95? SECTION 4. TCP/IP CHOICES AND QUESTIONS FOR DOS AND WINDOWS 4.1. What are software choices for Windows? 4.2. Why would one want to buy PC/TCP? 4.3. Why would someone pick MS TCP/IP-32 for Windows for Workgroups? 4.4. What is CACTWIN? 4.5. What about other commercial packages? SECTION 5. ELECTRONIC MAIL 5.1. How do I read and send mail? 5.2. I use email on a mainframe (PSUVM or EMC2). Should I switch? 5.3. I've switched from PSUVM to email.psu.edu. How do I get my VM mail automatically forwarded? 5.4. What *IS* my email address? 5.5. What is the difference between userid@psu.edu and userid@email.psu.edu? 5.6. Can mail to my Access Account mailbox be forwarded? 5.7. How much disk space do I have on the mail server? 5.8. What happens when my mail account "fills up"? 5.9. What is smtp.psu.edu? SECTION 6. TELEPHONE DIRECTORY (PH) 6.1. What is the PH directory? 6.2. How do I access the directory? 6.3. What and where are the PH clients? 6.4. What information is kept in the directory? 6.5. How do I search for someone in the directory? 6.6. How do I make more complicated queries? 6.7. How do I update information in the directory? 6.8. How often is the directory updated? 6.9. How do I log into the PH Server? 6.10. Did you say the PH password is different from my access password? 6.11. How do I change fields in PH? 6.12. Can I change my email address? 6.13. What is the alias field for? 6.14. Where can I get more information? 6.15. How can departmental entries be added? SECTION 7. NETNEWS 7.1. What is Netnews? 7.2. What software is needed for reading and posting news articles? 7.3. Why can't my news client get articles from news.psu.edu? 7.4. Why can't my news client post articles to news.psu.edu? SECTION 8. GOPHER AND WWW (THE WEB -- NETSCAPE AND INTERNET EXPLORER) 8.1. What is Gopher? 8.2. Where can I read more about Gopher? 8.3. What kinds of information can be found via Gopher? 8.4. How does one have information placed on the CAC Gopher server? 8.5. What is WWW (World Wide Web)? 8.6. What are Netscape, Mosaic and Internet Explorer? 8.7. Which WWW Client Should I Get? 8.8. Where is the Penn State "home page"? SECTION 9. DIALUP SERVICES 9.1. What services are provided for connecting with a modem? 9.2. What kind of modems answer at which number, and how many? 9.3. What communication parameters are expected? 9.4. What is SLIP and PPP? 9.5. What kind of response time can I expect? 9.6. All I have is a 2400 baud modem, is it worth trying? 9.7. University Park is a long-distance call for me; are there any alternatives? 9.8. What can I do if there is no answer at 863-7777? 9.9. What do if there is no answer at one of the non-University Park numbers? 9.10. What if the number answers with a busy signal? 9.11. A modem answers but nothing else happens, what should I do? 9.12. Do the CAC Servers ever purposely drop modem connections? SECTION 10. HARDWARE TO BUY 10.1. What kind of computer should I buy to use the access software? 10.2. Can you recommend a modem to use with the dialup access service? 10.3. Should I get a v.34 or v.Fast modem? 10.4. Should I get an internal or external modem? 10.5. How can I tell what kind of UART I have? 10.6. Can you recommend a board to upgrade the UART in my PC clone? SECTION 11. OBTAINING SOFTWARE 11.1. How do I get the software I need? 11.2. What should I buy from the MOC (Microcomputer Order Center)? 11.3. Where on ftp.cac.psu.edu are the files found? 11.4. Which Macintosh files should I get? 11.5. Which DOS files should I get? 11.6. Which Windows files should I get? 11.7. I don't know how to use FTP or I haven't installed anything yet, so how can I get anything? 11.8. I FTP'ed the right files to VM, but YTERM (or Tincan) can't transfer them to my computer; what should I do? 11.9. I'm in a CAC lab in front of an IBM PC, now what? 11.10. I'm in a CAC lab in front of a Macintosh, now what? Go to the Distributed Systems Group Contents Page. Editor: Chris Sacksteder, cjs@psu.edu CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 1. OTHER DOCUMENTATION AND RESOURCES 1.1. What other documentation is available? The Internet Access Guide is printed periodically and mailed to faculty and staff, and made available at many locations. Instructions for using software distributed by the CAC is found with the software. Read it! Some documents can also be obtained from the CAC's FTP server, ftp.cac.psu.edu in pub/access/doc. 1.2. How do I learn to use all this stuff? Start with the Internet Access Guide. If using a public lab, some online documentation is located with the client software, plus most clients have on-line help. If you have obtained software for your own machine, read the documents packaged with that software. Also, watch CAC announcements for seminars and "open houses" where one-on-one instruction is given. Most of the software is fairly easy to learn to use if you take time to explore it. 1.3. Where can I get help? All questions and problems can be directed to the CAC Help Desks. Send email to helpdesk@psu.edu or call the Willard Help Desk at (814) 863-1035 or the Computer Building Help Desk at (814) 865-2494. See http://cac.psu.edu/consulting/consult.html for more information. Problems and questions can also be posted to the Netnews group psu.cac.access (news://news.psu.edu/psu.cac.access). 1.4. Who are the responsible personnel? Nearly all of the CAC full and part-time staff are involved some way with the access services. Consulting, documentation, managing servers, packaging clients, assigning accounts and various other activities are done by different groups within the CAC. Key personnel include: Alan Williams (alw@psu.edu) CAC Assistant Director John Harwood (jth@psu.edu) CAC Associate Director Jeff Almoney (almoney@psu.edu) CAC Assistant Director Kathy Mayberry (kmm@psu.edu) Manager, Consulting John Hershbine (jlh@psu.edu) Manager, Accounts Chris Sacksteder (cjs@psu.edu) FAQ Editor Overall direction is from Dr. Russell Vaught, Director of the CAC, rsv@psu.edu. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 2. ACCESS ACCOUNTS 2.1. What is an "Access Account"? It is a userid and password assigned to a PSU student, staff member, or faculty member. The userid will be yours until you leave Penn State. 2.2. What good is it? Your userid and password provide access to electronic mail, a dialup service providing authenticated access to the "network" (or "backbone" or "the Internet") via a modem, public labs at University Park, and other services. 2.3. Does it cost anything? No. 2.4. Do I need an Access Account? Yes! Everyone needs one. Well, OK, perhaps not everyone. You need an Access Account if you want to: use electronic mail and you do not have electronic mail on another system; connect to the network with a modem via 814-863-7777 or one of the campus numbers (See Question 9.7); post articles to Netnews from a public computer or a system not specifically authorized for posting; use OASIS to obtain student information; change your PH directory entry (see Section 6). use CAC-managed computer labs at University Park. If you only want to use Gopher or read Netnews, and your computer already has access to the "backbone", you don't need one. 2.5. How do I apply for an account? All registered students are assigned an Access Account automatically. (Some late-registering and part-time students might be missed; they can apply as described below.) For others, there are several ways to apply for an access account: If you have a userid on PSUVM, issue the command APPLY. Go to 230 Computer Building, University Park, and fill out a paper application, or call the Accounts office at (814) 865-4772 and ask for an application to be sent via campus mail. Obtain the postscript file accapp.eps from ftp.cac.psu.edu in pub/access/doc (ftp://ftp.cac.psu.edu/pub/access/doc/accapp.eps). Fill it out and send it to 230 Computer Building. 2.6. After I do that, how do I get my userid and password? Take your current Penn State photo ID card to an automatic signature station and follow the instructions there. Stations are located at 103 Boucke Building, 6 Findlay Commons, W111 Pattee Library, 112 Redifer Commons, 107 Waring Commons, 108 Warnock Commons, and 2 Willard Building. At locations other than University Park there are one or more people designated as contacts. Inquire at your campus computer lab. *BUT* if you submitted your application from PSUVM, the userid (which will be the same as your PSUVM userid) and password will be sent to you by email to PSUVM. 2.7. How do I change my password? Glad you asked. You should do that right away. Telnet to access.psu.edu (telnet://access.psu.edu), log in with your userid and password, and choose the password menu item. However, SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL PASSWORD to access other services (see question 6.10). If you don't know what "telnet" is, come back to this section later, after obtaining software to make your connection. Your new password must have a minimum of 5 alphabetic characters and 1 non-alphabetic character. 2.8. I've seen mention of Kerberos, what is that? Access Account userids and passwords are maintained by a system call "Kerberos". From Scientific American 11/94 p.72: THREE-HEADED DOG PROTECTS MIT'S ATHENA The security mechanism for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Athena computer system is named Kerberos after the great three-headed dog that once stood guard at the entrance to the underworld. Through a series of password-granting safeguards, Kerberos circumvents some of the typical weaknesses in other computer systems, such as sloppy password handling. Since its initial implementation in 1986, no known breaches of security have occurred as the result of a defect in Kerberos security mechanisms. Services that use this system to validate your password include the dial-up servers, e-mail, netnews, OASIS, and login to PC's and Macintoshes in CAC-managed labs at University Park. Change your PH password by logging into the PH server (with a PH client) and using the password command. See question 6.9. 2.9. What about the "Change password" menu items in Mac and PC Eudora? They don't work for our Access Accounts. That feature requires a special protocol and an additional server that we do not have. 2.10. When does my Access Account expire? When you leave Penn State. 2.11. How is my Access Account related to a PSUVM userid and accounts? Your Access Account userid will (likely) be the same as your PSUVM userid, but otherwise there is no connection between them or the passwords associated with them. Access Accounts are available to all Penn State students, staff, and faculty. PSUVM accounts have more specific purposes and expire often. 2.12. How do I access my student records? The client "Oasis" is available on Windows and Macintosh machines in student labs at University Park, and perhaps at other locations. On Windows machines, go to the "Internet Applications" program groupa and pick "Launch Pad (to Oasis)". On a Macintosh open the folder "Access Project" (from Global), then double-click the "OASIS" icon. Then pick OASIS (Open Access to Student Information Systems). a computer that has a backbone connection; (3) from home (or any place that has a telephone) using a computer and a modem. OASIS is also packaged with CACMAC (Section 11) for installation on your own Mac, and will soon be packaged for Windows. 2.13. Can my Mom (dad, sister, uncle, aunt) get an Access Account? Not unless they enroll as a Penn State student or work for the University. However, commercial "Internet Providers" are springing up all over, and there may be one with a service that has a local number. For example, Commonwealth Telephone Company, which serves many parts of Pennsylvania has an EPIX (Eastern Pennsylvania Internet Exchange) service with various levels of connectivity. Call 1-800-epix-NOW. They might try their own phone company if they are not served by Commonwealth Telephone. Internet connectivity is offered in the State College area by several vendors. One is a company called "Vicon". Call them at 814-867-2772 or see their web page at http://www.vicon.net/. Another in the State College area that recently announced services is ConnecTek. Phone 814- 238-3834 or write memberinfo@connectek.com. Also, services like CompuServe and America On-Line provide various levels of Internet connectivity. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 3. CONNECTION METHODS 3.1. Where can I use my access account? (1) In a public microcomputer lab; (2) in an office or dorm with a computer that has a backbone connection; (3) from home (or any place that has a telephone) using a computer and a modem. 3.2. I have a Macintosh and a modem; what else do I need? Get the CACMAC package. See Section 11. 3.3. My Macintosh already has backbone access, what else do I need? You are an good shape (unless MacTCP is an old version; you might need to upgrade). All you need is the client software. See Section 11. 3.4. I have a PC and a modem; what else do I need? A Macintosh. Hah hah! Just kidding. We like PC's just as much as Macs, but they're a little more complicated in this respect. If you use only DOS, get the CACSLIP package. See Section 11. If you use Windows 3.1 or 3.11 Get the CACTWIN package. See Section 11. If you use Windows NT or Windows 95, you can use the TCP/IP that comes with it and then, if you like, you can install CACTWIN components, excluding the Trumpet Winsock TCP/IP part. For instructions on installing TCP/IP on Windows 95 and NT, see Windows95 PSU Notes. 3.5. My PC already has backbone access, what else do I need? If you use only DOS: If you use a packet driver (for example, with Clarkson TN3270), then get the CACBACKB package. If you use PC/TCP, then get the DOS clients; they work with PC/TCP (mostly). If you use Windows: If you have PC/TCP up and running (version 2.1 or newer), just get the Windows clients. If you have Windows for Workgroups 3.11, get the Microsoft TCP/IP- 32 for Windows for Workgroups, see Section 4. If you use NT or Windows 95, use the TCP/IP that comes with it. If you are on a Novell LAN, ask your LAN administrator about Novell's LAN Workplace for DOS. The latest version has "winsock" support, and the access clients work with it. See Section 4. Otherwise, get the CACTWIN package. See Section 11. 3.6. Does CACTWIN work with Windows 95? Yes, more or less. But you should use the TCP/IP that comes with Windows 95, then install CACTWIN and use the Custom option to install all components except the Trumpet Winsock TCP/IP. Note that CACTWIN includes only "16-bit" clients, and there are "32-bit" versions of some of them (e.g., WS_FTP, Eudora). So, you may wish to just get the clients you want and install them yourself. It isn't hard. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 4. TCP/IP CHOICES AND QUESTIONS FOR DOS AND WINDOWS 4.1. What are software choices for Windows? There are several options for Windows users, depending on which version you have. First, some basics must be explained. All the Windows clients (Eudora, HGopher, Windows Trumpet) work through a standard API (application programming interface) called Windows Sockets. A large number of TCP/IP packages support that interface, allowing these and numerous other "winsock" applications to work unchanged. Each package has its own "winsock.dll" that translates the standard calls to those understood by the particular package. WINDOWS 95: The "native" TCP/IP provided with Windows 95 is recommended for dialup and LAN connections. See the Windows95 PSU Notes. WINDOWS NT: The "native" TCP/IP provided with Windows 95 is recommended for dialup and LAN connections. See the Windows95 PSU Notes. TRUMPET: For dialup (SLIP) connections, the Trumpet Winsock, with its internal SLIP/PPP driver, appears to be working well for most people. Trumpet Winsock can be used with a packet driver for ethernet, token-ring and other "hardwired" computers. The CAC has purchased an unlimited site license for Trumpet Winsock, so Penn State students faculty, and staff do not have to pay for it. CACTWIN: This package consists of a CAC-written installation program (for SLIP or packet driver installation), Trumpet Winsock, and the major client programs. See the CACTWIN web pages on how to get a copy, or take two diskettes to the Willard help desk. MS TCP/IP-32: For those running Windows for Workgroups 3.11 on a LAN (which in turn is connected to the PSU network), we recommend Microsoft's "TCP/IP-32 for Windows for Workgroups 3.11". Find it via FTP to ftp.cac.psu.edu, directory pub/access/windows. NOVELL: We know people who are on a Novell LAN that have Novell's "LAN Workplace for DOS". The latest version has winsock support, and we believe the above mentioned clients work fine. (We personally spent 3 days trying to install LWPD, and never got it working.) OS/2: the newest IBM TCP/IP for OS/2 has winsock support for Windows applications. We tried it briefly with a SLIP connection and Eudora, Windows Trumpet, and HGopher worked, but some other winsock applications did not. It comes with a PM news reader that is probably nicer than Trumpet. OS/2 Warp 3.0 also includes software for dialup connections, and some clients; we have not reviewed that yet. However, a script and instructions to connect with OS/2 Warp has been kindly provided by Mohammed Al-Rifaie. Find file psuwarp.zip on ftp.cac.psu.edu in pub/access/os2. Please watch postings in the news group psu.cac.access (news://news.psu.edu/psu.cac.access) developments in this area. 4.2. Why would one want to buy PC/TCP? Long the favored choice at PSU, FTP Software's PC/TCP product is old and has not evolved as rapidly as other solutions. However, it may still be the right choice for these reasons: everyone else in your department uses it, and your computer consultant supports it; you need some of the numerous DOS utilities that come with it; you need InterDrive, the NFS client that comes with it. you are stuck on DOS or Windows 3.1. 4.3. Why would someone pick MS TCP/IP-32 for Windows for Workgroups? If you have Windows for Workgroups 3.11 running on a LAN, this TCP/IP is recommended for the following reasons: installs easily; is implemented as a virtual device driver (VxD) -- fast, little conventional memory needed; includes NBT (NetBIOS over TCP/IP -- to share files and printers with other WfWG or NT machines not on your LAN); while PC/TCP can do this do, setup is awkward and needs another TSR. is like what will be included in Windows 4 (Chicago); well documented in a nice help file; the price is right (free). A downside is there are virtually no applications (just a VT100 telnet and a simple FTP client) and just a few utilities (ping, trace route, net stats, etc.) You'll have to dig up freeware and shareware packages. (You can install CACTWIN, and de-select the Trumpet Winsock component, to get the basic clients.) 4.4. What is CACTWIN? The CAC Trumpet Winsock package consists of a CAC-written installation program, the Trumpet Winsock TCP/IP software, and Eudora, HGopher, Windows Trumpet, Winsock FTP, QWS3270, and a couple other goodies. Details are found on the CACTWIN web pages. The installation program features: selection of all or a subset of components easy selection of target directories installation for SLIP (dialup) or packet driver (e.g., Ethernet) installs the same self-extracting archive files currently used for distributing clients optional installation of PSUDIAL for SLIP connections proper configuration of all clients extensive on-line help creation of a program group and icons a Windows help file with post-installation tips and notes. 4.5. What about other commercial packages? There are quite a few "Internet Connectivity" packages for Windows on the market. We reviewed several during 1993-1995, but with TCP/IP as part of Windows 95 and NT, there is little need for buying a separate package unless you are running DOS or Windows 3.1x. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 5. ELECTRONIC MAIL 5.1. How do I read and send mail? Mail messages must be accessed with client software supporting "POP3" (Post Office Protocol 3). No other protocols are supported at this time. A POP3 client retrieves your mail from a server and stores it on your personal computer. There you can read it and compose replies, which are sent to another server to be mailed to your correspondents. Recommended and supported mail clients are: Macintosh: Eudora Windows: PC Eudora DOS: NUPop See Section 11 on how to obtain this software. Read the instructions provided with these packages. 5.2. I use email on a mainframe (PSUVM or EMC2). Should I switch? Yes. Email service will be removed from these systems by June 30, 1997. 5.3. I've switched from PSUVM to email.psu.edu. How do I get my VM mail automatically forwarded? Log onto PSUVM and issue the command TELL LISTSERV /FORWARD userid@email.psu.edu where "userid" is your Access Account userid. Issue Help FORWARD on PSUVM for details. 5.4. What *IS* my email address? It is suggested that you tell correspondents your address is userid@psu.edu, where "userid" is your Access Account userid. The real address for your POP mail box is userid@email.psu.edu. But, by telling everyone it is userid@psu.edu, if you start using a different system for email you can have your mail forwarded (see the next section on TELEPHONE DIRECTORY AND MAIL FORWARDING). Moreover, for system performance reasons, mail addressed directly to email.psu.edu may be delayed. For clients like Eudora, the suggested settings are: POP Account: userid@email.psu.edu SMTP Server: smtp.psu.edu Return Address: userid@psu.edu 5.5. What is the difference between userid@psu.edu and userid@email.psu.edu? Mail sent to userid@psu.edu is forwarded to your preferred email address as defined in the database maintained by the PH server (see the next section). This defaults to your POP3 mailbox (userid@email.psu.edu), but you may change it. See Section 6. Mail sent to userid@email.psu.edu is not forwarded by the PH server and may not be delivered in a timely manner. 5.6. Can mail to my Access Account mailbox be forwarded? See previous question. If mail is addressed directly to userid@email.psu.edu, it can't be forwarded. So give everyone your address as userid@psu.edu and set the email field in the PH database (see Section 6). 5.7. How much disk space do I have on the mail server? One megabyte or 1024K bytes or 1048576 bytes. How many messages this holds would vary with the size of the messages. A quick survey of 1600 messages shows an average size of 1010 bytes, so you might have space for 1000 messages or so. But one or two big ones can fill it up quickly. 5.8. What happens when my mail account "fills up"? Incoming mail is returned to the sender. So check your mail often, and don't leave messages on the server. 5.9. What is smtp.psu.edu? SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used to exchange mail between computers on the Internet, and is (most likely) used by your POP client to send mail. In clients like Netscape and various news readers that can also send mail, use smtp.psu.edu for the "mail server" or "outgoing mail server". CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 6. TELEPHONE DIRECTORY AND MAIL FORWARDING (PH) 6.1. What is the PH directory? The CAC maintains an on-line telephone directory system called PH (short for PHone). This directory contains information for Penn State students, faculty and staff who appear in the printed University telephone directories. The system is also known as the CCSO Nameserver, as it was invented at the University of Illinois Computing and Communications Services Office. It is quite popular, and there are many PH servers around the world. Anyone in the world with a PH client can access our server. 6.2. How can I access the directory? A number of different "client" programs can query the server, found at ph.psu.edu, which can search the database and return selected entries to you. Most popular is the one built into Eudora. Use the utility you find most convenient. If you are in a mail client, you can do the query from there. If not, you might want to start Gopher or a PH client if you have one on your machine. If using Gopher: from the main menu of the PSU server at "info.psu.edu", pick "Penn State telephone and other directories", then "Penn State telephone directory lookup". The mail clients have PH interfaces in different locations: NUPop -- in the Utilities menu, pick PH (or Finger) PC Eudora -- the PH item is under the Windows menu Mac Eudora -- the PH item is under the Special menu. The server will also respond to queries made with a "Finger" utility. 6.3. What and where are the PH clients? While it is easy to use Eudora, Gopher, or WWW to lookup people in the PH database, you need a dedicated client to change your own record. There is one for the Macintosh that is easy to use. Use it in any CAC lab -- find it in the "Access Project" on the Global server. If you have your own Mac, see Section 11 "Obtaining Software". A Windows client is installed in the public labs and can be found in pub/access/windows/more/phwin22.zip on ftp.cac.psu.edu. It is included in the CACTWIN package, and installed as the icon labelled "Phone Book". We've tried one for DOS, but it is no easier than telnet'ing to access.psu.edu and using the command-line PH program there. 6.4. What information is kept in the directory? The information in the PH directory is generally the same as that in the printed directory. For faculty and staff, office addresses and telephone numbers are listed; for students, local addresses and telephone numbers are given. Additional information, such as other addresses and phone numbers, fax numbers, electronic mail addresses, etc. may be added by users at any time. In addition to telephone directory information, two other databases are included in the directory: the directory of Foreign Language Expertise and the directory of National Expertise. These directories list individuals within the University who have particular experience with some foreign language or with a particular country, and are provided by the office of International Programs. 6.5. How do I search for someone in the directory? The exact method of sending a query to the PH server varies from client to client. However, the format of the query itself usually stays the same. When you search for someone in the directory, you specify a list of words to look for. These words are assumed to be part of the person's name or nickname, unless you specify otherwise. You may specify that you want to search any other field in the entry, but remember that the query specifies words in a field and not the entire value of a field. See the document PHQUERY.TXT, FTP'able from ftp.cac.psu.edu and found in pub/access/doc, for more details and examples. 6.6. How do I make more complicated queries? Queries can be made more complicated by using additional fields or by using pattern matches. Any publicly readable field may be included in a search. Indexed fields have an extra attribute that makes searches using them much faster. Indexed fields include name, nickname, alias, email, language, country. Pattern matches allow you to specify part of a search item. The wildcard character "*" will match any zero or more characters. Matches on character classes (as in the Unix editor ed) are also supported. See the document PHQUERY.TXT, FTP'able from ftp.cac.psu.edu and found in pub/access/doc, for more details and examples. 6.7. How do I update information in the directory? Since most of the data in the PH directory comes from other sources, much of the data in the directory cannot be directly changed, but are changed through existing University procedures. Faculty and staff change their name, address, phone, and administrative area (department) through their department human resources person. Students change name, address, phone, and curriculum via the Registrar. Other fields, such as email, nickname, alias, etc. may be updated by users by logging into the PH server using a PH client and changing the values. Your email address may also be changed by calling the CAC Accounts office at (814) 865-4772. 6.8. How often is the directory updated? Faculty, staff, and student data in the directory is updated each weekend. 6.9. How do I log into the PH Server? Before you can log into the PH Server, you must have a CAC Access Account, see Section 1. Connect to the server with a PH client (Section 11) or from the CAC Access Server (telnet://access.psu.edu). Once you are connected, use the login command, using your PH alias as the login name. (If you have the Macintosh or Windows client, pick login from the FILE menu.) Initially the alias is the same as the CAC Access Account userid. You will be prompted for your PH password. This will initially be the same as the original password for your Access Account. THE PH PASSWORD IS CURRENTLY NOT "LINKED" TO YOUR ACCESS ACCOUNT PASSWORD. The example below shows the process for the user rxg173. Use the password command to set your PH password. ph> login rxg173 Enter nameserver password: 200:rxg173:Hi how are you? ph> password Enter new password: Type it again: 200:1 entry changed. ph> 6.10. Did you say the PH password is different from my Access password? Yeah, sorry. The PH server at this time maintains a password for your userid separate from the access server. It is originally set to be the same as your Access Account password, but is not changed when you change your Access Account password, only when you log into the PH server and change it as in the above example. We're not sure if this can be fixed or not. 6.11. How do I change fields in PH? If you have the easy-to-use Macintosh or MS Windows clients, just type in the information you want to change (after logging in). If you are using the Unix PH command (e.g., you telnet'ed to bell.cac.psu.edu and picked PH from the menu), use the "make" command after you have logged in. The format of the command is make field=value for example: make email=rxg173@psuvm.psu.edu If you don't have an Access Account, the CAC accounts office will change your e-mail address for you. Call them at 814 865-4772. 6.12. Can I change my email address? Unless you change your email address, mail sent to userid@psu.edu, will be forwarded to userid@email.psu.edu, and accessible only with a POP3 client. If you change the value of the email field, mail will be forwarded to the address specified there. Any mail sent to the address userid@psu.edu is forwarded to the address in the email field. This means that some value must be there. If you want the mail delivered to your POP mailbox, put userid@email.psu.edu in that field. This is the default value, so you need not make any changes if you prefer to use the CAC POP mail service. If you wanted mail sent to userid@psu.edu to be forwarded to PSUVM, for example, you would set the email field to userid@psuvm.psu.edu. Be sure the destination doesn't forward mail as well. Looping causes problems. 6.13. What is the alias field for? The "alias" field might be considered your "nickname". It is the same as your Access Account userid (unless you change it) and is what you should give correspondants as your e-mail address (userid@psu.edu). If you wish to advertise your email address with something more meaningful than your userid, you can change it, subject to certain constraints. Your alias must be unique in the directory, and must not match any name in the PH directory or any other CAC userid besides your own. So, you're not likely to be able to set it to SMITH, but if your name is unusual you can use it or a combination of it and some initials. A problem with changing your alias is that it is the field used for logging into the PH server, so you'll have to be sure to remember it next time. The nickname field may be a better choice for entering an alternative e-mail name, but a small problem with this is you won't know it will be unique (send mail to that nickname (@psu.edu), and if it isn't unique, you'll get a list of "hits" back from the server. 6.14. Where can I get more information? Online help is available with most PH client programs using the help command. Several good papers about PH are available via anonymous ftp from ftp.cac.psu.edu (directory pub/access/doc) or from ux1.cso.uiuc.edu. 6.15. How can departmental entries be added? If your department/organizational unit/college wants an entry in the University's electronic PHonebook (called "PH"), then provide the following information and e-mail it to: directory-updates@psu.edu. name: should be your office name nickname: optional, but might be former names or alternative names for your office or other keywords to aid electronic searches alias: usually an abbreviation of your office name or some other mneumonic subject to uniqueness-- in the rest of the directory database. email: the electronic mail address of someone able to answer electronic mail queries, or willing to forward it to appropriate personnel phone: number (including a/c) of someone willing to answer telephone inquiries or forward to appropriate personnel other contact: perhaps the name associated with the office name like the director's or dean's name. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 7. NETNEWS 7.1. What is Netnews? Netnews, or more properly "Usenet", is an electronic bulletin board and conferencing system. "Articles", written by people like you and me, are "posted" to one or more of thousands of different "news groups". The CAC provides access with a news server at news.psu.edu that can be accessed with the right client software (a "news reader" that does "NNTP" -- NetNews Transfer Protocol). Articles can be posted by those with an Access Account. 7.2. What software is needed for reading and posting news articles? The CAC supports InterNews for Macintoshes, Trumpet for DOS, and Windows Trumpet for Windows; these have been repackaged specifically for PSU, and can be obtained via anonymous FTP to ftp.cac.psu.edu. See the section "OBTAINING SOFTWARE" for details. However, you may use any client software that does NNTP (NetNews Transfer Protocol). In some cases you will need a client with extensions that use the "AUTHINFO" command to authenticate you with your access userid and password. 7.3. Why can't my news client get articles from news.psu.edu? You cannot read or post from a machine unless it is registered in domain name service. See your LAN administrator to have a machine registered. Dial-up connections to 863-7777 (et al) and dormitory ethernet connections are automatically registered, as well as all public lab machines. 7.4. Why can't my news client post articles to news.psu.edu? You should be able to post articles if you are authenticated some way. When you dial in and use SLIP, CSLIP or PPP for a network connection, you can post (because you have given a userid and the IP address and associated name is known and recorded). Private machines on the backbone can be registered with the news server so that their owners can post. LAN administrators can send mail to news@news.cac.psu.edu to register machines or subdomains for news posting. Users in public labs or on machines otherwise not known to the news server can post if their client software supports authentication. On the Macintosh, InterNews has this support. For DOS, Trumpet has it. For MS Windows, Windows Trumpet 1.0 Rev B, Free Agent, NewsExpress, and WinVN all have it. For Windows or DOS Trumpet: select Setup from the File menu. Fill in the "NNTP Username" with your Access Account userid and the "Password" with your Access Account password. Click "OK" and then select "Reconnect" from the File menu. If your userid and password were correct you should now be able to post articles. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 8. GOPHER AND WWW (THE WEB -- NETSCAPE AND INTERNET EXPLORER) 8.1. What is Gopher? It is a "distributed information delivery system" used for finding information at Penn State and around the world. Invented at the University of Minnesota (the Golden Gophers), it helps you "dig" through the maze of resources available on the Internet. 8.2. Where can I read more about Gopher? On the CAC's Gopher server (info.psu.edu), pick the "About Gophers and the Internet" item from the main menu. Keep going, and you'll find all kinds of information. 8.3. What kinds of information can be found via Gopher? All kinds! Take some time to "burrow" around in "Gopherspace" to see what is out there. The CAC server at "info.psu.edu" carries all kinds of information related to PSU -- policies, procedures, courses offered, class sections that are still open, and so on. More is being added every week. 8.4. How does one have information placed on the CAC Gopher server? If you have some documents that would be appropriate for the CAC's main Gopher server (info.psu.edu), send email to gopherpm@psuvm.psu.edu to discuss it. 8.5. What is WWW (World Wide Web)? It is like Gopher -- a way to "navigate" around the Internet and find information. Instead of picking items listed in a menu, you are presented pages of text and pictures, and you click on highlighted phrases, icons, or parts of pictures to jump to the objects they represent. Objects can be all kinds of things. In some ways, WWW is more flexible than Gopher; information can be presented in many different ways. The amount of data transferred tends to be larger than when using text-only Gopher menus, and so "navigating" can be slower, particularly for modem connections. 8.6. What are Netscape, Mosaic and Internet Explorer? These are names of WWW clients, also called "Web Browsers". Mosaic was originally written by NCSA (National Center for Supercomputer Applications). There are versions of Mosaic for Macintosh, X-Windows (Unix) and Microsoft Windows. The introduction of Mosaic made WWW popular, and caused people to incorrectly call WWW servers "Mosaic" servers for a while. (Actually, WWW servers are more properly called HTML -- hypertext markup language -- servers.) Few people use Mosaic anymore. Some of the people from NCSA left and helped form Netscape Communicatons Corporation. They offer a very good WWW client called Netscape, which is free for university users. Since then, Microsoft starting trying to dominate the Internet by introducing its own browser, Internet Explorer. There are numerous other WWW clients. 8.7. Which WWW Client Should I Get? Netscape. Find newest "beta-test" versions on ftp.cac.psu.edu in pub/access/test. Find the current "production" versions for the Macintosh in pub/access/mac/IndividualClients and versions for Windows in pub/access/windows/. Please read the 00-index file for file descriptions. DOS users should upgrade to Windows! Because of the graphical nature of WWW, a DOS version would be difficult to develop, and we do not know of any solutions for DOS users. 8.8. Where is the Penn State "home page"? Set your client to connect to http://www.psu.edu and enjoy. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 9. DIALUP SERVICES 9.1. What services are provided for connecting with a modem? All the services accessible by a computer connected to the "PSU Backbone" with hardware like Ethernet or Token Ring can also be used via a phone and modem. Such a connection is much slower, but many things are still quite usable. There are two services a University Park. 863-6666 is for modems running at 2400 to 14,400 bits per second. 863-7777 supports V.34 protocol at up to 28,800 bits per second. Computers in the Computer Building at University Park have modems and telephone lines connected to them and provide "authenticated Internet connections" via SLIP and PPP protocols. An Access Account (userid and password) is necessary to connect to this system. You may telnet to access.psu.edu, whether your connection is by modem or not, to change your Access Account password and do a few other things. 9.2. What kind of modems answer at which number, and how many? The 863-6666 number has 128 Telebit T3000 modems which support V.32, V.32bis, V.42 and V.42bis. These modems will answer from 2400 baud up to 14.4K bits per second. The 863-7777 number has 704 newer Telebit 8840 modems that answer up to 28,800 bits per second. These will not operate at speeds slower than 9600. V.FC is not supported. 9.3. What communication parameters are expected? Asynchronous, 8 data bits, no parity, 1 stop bit (you might see 8N1 written some places). 9.4. What are SLIP and PPP? SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol) and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) are ways computers can connect to a TCP/IP network using modems and ordinary telephone lines. For techies: Compressed SLIP and Van Jacobson header compression for PPP are supported. PPP connections are preferred, but the choice usually depends on what your connection software is capable of doing. 9.5. What kind of response time can I expect? The speed of a SLIP or PPP connection depends on numerous factors, e.g., computer speed, com port speed, modem speed, telephone line noise, server load, network load, application being used, etc. There are a few 500-page books we might recommend for details. With a 14.4 modem you can get up to 1440 bytes per second (8 bits per byte plus 1 start and 1 stop bit). But v.42 compression sometimes works pretty well. But IP and TCP headers add bytes -- fewer for compressed SLIP and PPP then SLIP. We've gotten FTP transfer rates of nearly 3000 characters per second with a 14.4 modem and a fast PC not doing anything else, and the COM port set at 57.6. Ethernet and Token Ring connections can be 10 to 100 times faster than this, so if you connection from home seems slower than the one at the office, it is. 9.6. All I have is a 2400 baud modem, is it worth trying? Sending and receiving mail might be tolerable, particularly if you can do something else while data is coming or going. Gopher can be ok, but if you fetch a large file (and there is no way to determine the size of an item before selecting it), you might be in for a long wait. Reading news is a bit trying at that speed, and logging onto a remote host, particularly one that needs 3270 emulation such as PSUVM, is not a sane thing to do. Someone with a 2400 baud modem who needs to log onto PSUVM is better off sticking to YTerm, Tincan or another VT100 emulator and connecting through a 7171 ("FVM"), which provides 3270 screen optimization and other features that make slow connections tolerable. If you want to use the WWW (e.g., Netscape or Internet Explorer) a 2400 baud modem will be intolerably slow. 9.7. University Park is a long-distance call for me; are there any alternatives? Yes; as of this writing, phone lines, modems, and servers that provide the same kind of service that is available at University Park have been installed at 20 locations. Originally these were all limited to 14.4, but now many go to 28.8. Allentown 610-285-5225 Altoona 814-949-6436 Beaver 412-775-9336 Berks 610-374-7113 Delaware 610-892-7147 DuBois 814-371-7613 Erie 814-899-898 Fayette 412-437-9701 Great Valley 610-408-0971 Harrisburg 717-948-9162 Hazleton 717-450-3021 McKeesport 412-664-9208 Mont Alto 717-749-6011 New Kensington 412-339-8942 Ogontz 215-887-6805 Schuylkill 717-385-9017 Scranton 717-963-3109 Shenango 412-983-5033 Wilkes Barre 717-674-2438 York 717-846-3824 Many of these numbers have 8 (yes, only EIGHT) modems. 9.8. What can I do if there is no answer at 863-7777? Call the console operator at the Computer Building at 865-1284. They can go kick the sick modem that refuses to work. 9.9. What do if there is no answer at one of the non-University Park numbers? Call (814) OTC-HELP. The OTC Help Desk will determine and track the problem. 9.10. What if the number answers with a busy signal? All the modems are being used. Try later. Hopefully, when all lines are in use often, we will be able to add more modems. 9.11. A modem answers but nothing else happens, what should I do? Now we're into some pretty complicated problem determination. Most of the time it is your software, but occasionally there are problems with the server or your hardware, such as the cable from your machine to the modem. If you have a terminal program like Procomm or Kermit, try dialing with that and see if you get the welcome screen. If you do, login (to be sure your password is right), and note the line that says "Server up hh:mm, xx users, . . . ". If the time the server has been up is only a few minutes, then it must have crashed and restarted just recently. Go back and try your SLIP or PPP software again. If you can't get any text with a terminal emulator, the server might be down; check with the console operator at 865-1284. If you're connecting from a Mac with MacPPP, the problem might be that your modem cable doesn't support hardware flow control. Get a copy of the CAC-produced document "PSU MacPPP Info" (packaged with CACMAC as distributed by the CAC; see section 11) and try the suggestions in the "Troubleshooting" chapter. If the server seems to be talking, check the installation of your SLIP or PPP software, your userid and password if they are configured, COM port settings, baud rates, etc. Next step is to call the Help Desk at 865-1035. 9.12. Do the CAC Servers ever purposely drop modem connections? Yes. When there is a high demand for lines, and during these time periods: Monday-Thursday -- noon to midnight, Friday -- noon to 6:00 p.m., and Sunday -- 6:00 p.m. to Midnight, the CAC Serial Protocol (dial-up) servers (863-7777, 863-6666, and phone numbers at other Penn State locations) may drop data (drop the modem connection) after 1 hour (regardless of activity) or after 15 minutes of inactivity. "Inactivity" means no data going over the modem. For example, if you take more than 15 minutes to compose a message in Eudora, you might find your connection disabled when you got to send it. CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 10. HARDWARE TO BUY 10.1. What kind of computer should I buy to use the access software? This is very difficult if not impossible to answer here. The CAC redistributes or sells software for Unix, Macintosh and IBM PC clones. Appropriate software for other systems such as Amiga may also be available, but are not be supported by the CAC. It is very difficult to list hardware requirements because there are several different software packages and many hardware options. Generally, a bigger, faster machine will run the access software faster. Some minimal requirements: a hard disk. Macs: probably at least 8MB of memory. DOS/Windows machines: a 386 or better and at least 4MB of memory IBM PC clones: for dialup at speeds greater than 2400 baud, see that the COM port has a 16550 UART. 10.2. Can you recommend a modem to use with the dialup access service? With all the interest in the Internet, and most people connecting via modems, this is a highly dynamic area. We do not have specific recommendations for 14,400 bits per second modems. As of June, 1995, recommendations for 28,800 bits per second modems include: US Robotics Sportster, Supra FaxModem 288, Zoom V.34, and Cardinal Technology V.34. The Supra absolutely required an updated supervisor program (back in June, 1995) and the first Sportsters also needed an update, but ones recently received had newer ROM code that worked fine. We have also tested "Hayes Optima 288 V.34+FAX for PCMCIA", which works fine with 863-7777. A good reference on 28.8 modems can be found in "The Navas 28800 Modem FAQ" at http://www.aimnet.com/~jnavas/modem/faq.html. In general, make sure you can return the modem if it doesn't work with our services. Advertised compatibility is no guarantee. 10.3. Should I get a v.34 or v.Fast modem? Yes, a v.34 modem will be worth the investment if you are in the University Park area. Do not buy a v.Fast or v.FC modem. Some support v.34 and v.FC, but if it doesn't say v.34 on the box, don't get it. A 14,400 modem may be a wiser choice if you are dialing into one of campus numbers. There is no plan to upgrade them to v.34, and 14,400 modems are real cheap now. 10.4. Should I get an internal or external modem? Internal modems have advantages of being cheaper and smaller, and if your serial port does not have a 16550 UART you will have to upgrade that if you get an external 14,400 or 28,800 bps modem. (See question 10.5.) However, most internal modems have no lights or indicators to help you determine what is going wrong with your connection. Those little blinking lights can be invaluable for helping figure out if you are still connected and sending or receiving data. (There are some programs that emulate modem lights, but they aren't that great.) 10.5. How can I tell what kind of UART I have? Exit Windows and from DOS run the MSD.EXE utility found in the Windows directory. Or try the uarttype.com file found on ftp.cac.psu.edu in pub/dos/apps. Mac owners do not need to worry. 10.6. Can you recommend a board to upgrade the UART in my PC clone? One of the CAC staff had success by adding the following to a Gateway 2000 machine (this information is now quite old): RS232 Serial Card Card (16550 UART) #81195 1 serial port $39.85 #46035 optional 2nd serial port $21.80 #81200 2 serial ports $58.60 Note that this card comes with 25-pin serial post(s). Dalco 275 Pioneer Boulevard Springboro, Ohio 45066 (800) 445-5342, (513) 743-8042 CAC Access Frequently Asked Questions SECTION 11. OBTAINING SOFTWARE 11.1. How do I get the software I need? Freeware (and some site-licensed shareware) has been repackaged for use at Penn State, and is maintained on the CAC's FTP server whose address is ftp.cac.psu.edu. These packages can be obtained in any CAC-managed microcomputer lab at University Park (and some other locations) or by bringing one or more diskettes to 12 Willard building. 11.2. What should I buy from the MOC (Microcomputer Order Center)? All Macintoshes need MacTCP. This is now free from the MOC and included in the CACMAC package. DOS-only users can get CACSLIP or CACBACKB packages from the CAC for no charge. Windows users can get CACTWIN from the CAC for no charge. Mac users can get CACMAC from the CAC for no charge. 11.3. Where on ftp.cac.psu.edu are the files found? On the FTP server ftp.cac.psu.edu in the directory pub/access, there are these directories: pub/access/mac Packages for Macintosh pub/access/dos Packages for DOS pub/access/windows Packages for Microsoft Windows pub/access/unix Software for Unix pub/access/doc Documentation related to the Internet access pub/access/test New versions of packages being tested/reviewed In each of these directories is a file called "00-index" that lists the name of each file that is in that directory and a brief description of what that file is, and whether the file should be transferred as binary or text. All software for PCs and Macs are packaged as self-extracting archives and should be transferred as "binary". (Fetch on a Mac should be set to "Automatic".) Each directory also has a README file with instructions on what to do with the files after you get them. 11.4. Which Macintosh files should I get? Get the 4 files that comprise the CACMAC package, or go to the IndividualClients directory to get programs separately. The pub/access/mac directory contains (as of this writing): cacmac.readme Info to get you started with CACMAC cacmac1.bin Part 1 of CACMAC cacmac2.bin Part 2 of CACMAC cacmac3.bin Part 3 of CACMAC cacmac4.bin Part 4 of CACMAC IndividualClients Directory contains individual clients README Important information explains what to get 11.5. Which DOS files should I get? You can decide what to get based on what you want to do and what you already have. The CACSLIP and CACBACB packages include all the DOS clients. If you already have network access (with PC/TCP or a packet-driver setup) you may just want the individual clients. See the 00-index file up-to-date descriptions. Briefly, the files are: cacslip.exe all-in-one package for use with modem; includes clients (nothing else to get) cacbackb.exe all-in-one package for ethernet or token ring includes clients (nothing else to get) gopherp.exe PC Gopher III, for PC/TCP or packet drivers nupopf.exe NUPop (mail and other utilities) for PC/TCP or packet drivers trumpetf.exe News reader for FTP Software's PC/TCP trumpetp.exe News reader for packet drivers 11.6. Which Windows files should I get? You can decide what to get based on what you want to do. See the 00-index file for up-to-date descriptions. Note that CACTWIN and Trumpet Winsock are not on the anonymous FTP server. FTP to the non-anonymous server at software.cac.psu.edu and log in with your Access Account userid and password or see the CACTWIN web pages. cactwin.exe CAC Trumpet Winsock package, 2.11 psutcp32.exe Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows for Workgroups 3.11 hgopherp.exe HGopher 2.4 -- for accessing Gopher pceudora.exe PC Eudora 1.5.4 -- for reading and sending mail qws3270p.exe Windows Sockets 3270 Telnet 3.1e -- small TN3270 trumpwsk.exe Trumpet Winsock 2.0B packaged for PSU wintrump.exe Windows Trumpet 1.0b -- for reading netnews ws_ftpp.exe Windows Sockets FTP Client 4.04 Clients work with any TCP/IP software that provides the winsock API (application programming interface); see question 4.1. 11.7. I don't know how to use FTP or I haven't installed anything yet, so how can I get anything? If you have an account on PSUVM, or any other machine that has an FTP client, and you can transfer binary files to your own machine from that host, then you can obtain the files that way. A second alternative is to go to any CAC-managed microcomputer lab with some blank diskettes. Some of the non-University Park computer labs are setup like CAC labs, and software can be "FTP'ed" using them. If you have no network access, take some blank diskettes to 12 Willard or a CAC lab. At Willard, they'll direct you to a machine to get copies of the desired files or may have diskettes preloaded to swap with your empty diskettes. 11.8. I FTP'ed the right files to VM, but YTERM (or Tincan) can't transfer them to my computer; what should I do? The PCTRANS command on VM (or the PCXYTERM front-end) that is used to copy files to a personal computer running YTerm (DOS) or Tincan (Macintosh) is limited to records of length 512 bytes. FTPing binary files results in records of up to 8192 bytes. Reformat the files on VM with the CMS command LREC512. For example: lrec512 nupopf exebin a nupopf exebin e This will put the reformated file on the "E" disk. 11.9. I'm in a CAC lab in front of an IBM PC, now what? If this is a lab where you have to log in with your Access Account, then we don't yet have an easy way to get the files. However, you can launch WS_FTP from the "Internet Applications" program group, and connect to "CAC Anonymous FTP Server". The README file tells you what to do when you get back to your own machine. 11.10. I'm in a CAC lab in front of a Macintosh, now what? Launch FETCH from the "Local:Apps:Communications:Fetch xxx" folder. In the first dialog, if the "Host" isn't "ftp.cac.psu.edu", then click the down-arrow next to "Shortcuts:", then select "Center for Academic Computing". For "Password" put your e-mail address (userid@psu.edu), and next to "Directory", put "pub/access/mac". Click OK, and you'll soon be connected and looking at the right directory. Put your first blank diskette in the diskette drive. Select one or more files and click on "Get Files". Select the diskette (found on the desktop, often called "Untitled") as the place to save the file(s). END OF FAQ!