A note about illegal "stuff."
Simply: it will not be tolerated. Threads advertising shares or asking for files will be immediately locked/deleted and may be reported to authorities. If a subject is questionable, discussion might be permitted, but don't be surprised if the thread gets locked or deleted. Basically... just be smart.
Important Threads
<a href="viewtopic.php?t=26006">Computer Profile Thread</a> - Describe your rig here
<a href="viewtopic.php?t=26042">Internet/Network Status Discussion</a> - Compaining about ISU's or ICN's network issues
<a href="viewtopic.php?t=54422">New Kerberos Procedures Discussion</a> - Secure FTP, telnet, etc.
<a href="viewtopic.php?t=8598">Stuff for Sale/Stuff Wanted Thread</a> - An extremely primitive form of CheggPost
Posting Computer Problems
<a href=#p01>PLEASE INCLUDE WITH EVERY COMPUTER QUESTION!</a>
<a href=#p03>When is it okay to bump my post?</a>
<a href=#1021520>Google Tutorial</a> and Alex's <a href=#1057349>Google Advice</a>.
Reference Information (Numbers, URL's, etc.)
<a href=#r00>Adware/Spyware Removal Tools</a>
<a href=#r01>DNS server IP addresses</a>
<a href=viewtopic.php?t=66293>Filtered Ports, 2004 List</a>
<a href=#r02>IP Ranges - On Campus</a>
<a href=#r03>IRC Servers</a>
<a href=#r04>MSDNAA Links (Free Software!)</a>
<a href=#r05>Network Usage Graphs</a>
<a href=#r08>Searches (Phonebook, Files)</a>
<a href=#r06>Teminal Services (Remote Desktop Access)</a>
<a href=#r07>WINS server IP addresses</a>
How do I...?
<a href=#h01>...check my ISU email (besides webmail)?</a>
<a href=#961536>...delete stubborn movie files?</a>
<a href=#h02>...find the DNS name for my on-campus computer?</a>
<a href=#h03>...get a free DNS address?</a>
<a href=#h04>...update Kerberos?</a>
<a href=#h05>...post pictures online?</a>
<a href=#h06>...set up my game console for online gaming?</a>
<a href=#h07>...share my files on the network?</a>
<a href=#h08>...use a .bin/.cue or .iso file?</a>
<a href=#h09>...use *.rxx files, and what are they?</a>
<a href=#h10>...view a compressed video file?</a>
Frequently Asked Computing Questions
<a href=#q01>What is the status of the Bandwidth Cap? (Outbound traffic limit, etc)</a>
<a href=#q02>What is Public vs. Private IP?</a>
<a href=#q03>What forms of CGI do project vincent support?</a>
<a href=#q04>Why doesn't Kazaa work? At all?</a>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posting Computer Problems
<a name=p01>PLEASE INCLUDE WITH EVERY COMPUTER QUESTION!
1) A short description of the problem/question in the Subject. Subects such as "wtf?" "please help" or "computer not working" will be modified, locked, or deleted at the moderator's preference.
2) Operating System - As specific as you can get (Win98, Win98SE, XP SP1, Red Hat 9, etc)
3) Software Version - If you're having problems with certain software, which version are you running? Usually found under the Help menu, select "About..."
4) Basic hardware information - List models/driver versions of hardware in your system (motherboard, cards, drives, etc). If you don't know, that's OKAY! But try to post your computer model number or something that could help us help you.
5) A thorough description of the problem - What were you doing when it happened, what have you changed recently, what have you tried as a solution so far, etc.
These are basics for ANY computer-related problem/question asked on here. Even if you are mostly computer-illiterate, try to provide at least the above information.
Additional Information that is sometimes helpful, but if you don't know what you're doing, don't worry about it unless someone asks you to check something in a thread.
1) Bios revision
2) Hardware firmware numbers
3) Filesystem type
<a name=p03>Q. When is it okay to bump my post?
If a question isn't getting answered, feel free to bump it once in a while. Sometimes the person with the answer wont' see it for quite some time if it drifts from the visible part of the first page. Don't bump it every five minutes, but don't give up hope if no one answers in the first six hours either.
(Nerdology)
Reference Information
<a name=r00>Adware/Spyware Removal Tools
Use the Dynamic Duo:
<a href="http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/" target="_new">AdAware</a>
<a href="http://www.safer-networking.org/" target="_new">SpyBot Search and Destroy</a>
<a name=r01>DNS server IP addresses
129.186.1.200
129.186.140.200
129.186.142.200
<a name=r02>IP Ranges - On-Campus
Campus/Res Halls.
129.186.*.*
64.113.[64-95].*
65.110.[224-255].*
Ames Lab
147.155.*.*
ISU Research Park
192.188.[159-163].*
<a href="http://www.public.iastate.edu/~kula/oncampus.html">Official Link</a>
<a name=r03>IRC Servers
On all servers, the main "chat" channel is, creatively enough, #Strangetalk.
Primary Server (Hosted by Russ):
- Off-Campus: irc.sevarg.net (wombat.sevarg.net)
- On-Campus: campusirc.sevarg.net (garfield.agron.iastate.edu)
- irc.waseca.net
Business (MIS): http://msdn07.e-academy.com/iastate_buslomis
CprE/EE: https://msdn03.e-academy.com/isu_ece/
Com Sci: http://msdn02.e-academy.com/iastate_cs/
The Com Sci link only works in the Com Sci labs, or so I've heard. If someone knows otherwise, PM me and I'll remove this.
<a name=r05>Network Usage Graphs
http://netview.ait.iastate.edu (Click on Line usage and check out the ones that start with "ISU")
<a name=r06>Terminal Services (Remote Desktop Access)
CprE/ee: charity.ee.iastate.edu
Com Sci: csts.cs.iastate.edu
<a name=r07>WINS server IP addresses
129.186.142.179
129.186.142.189
<a name=r08>Searches
<a href=http://landex.info target="_new">Landex</a> - searces the ISU Phonebook and ISU Network
<a href=http://sp.nlworks.com target="_new">Squeak People</a> - another phonebook search
<a href=http://mirror.student.iastate.edu/phonebook/ target="_new">Triple - D</a> - and yet, even another phonebook search
How Do I...?
<a name=h01>Q. How do I check my ISU email?
You will first need to have <a href="http://www.ait.iastate.edu/pubs/wng231/wng231.pdf" target="_new">Kerberos</a> installed, and then set up your favorite <a href="http://www.ait.iastate.edu/pubs/wng245/wng245.pdf" target="_new">email client</a>.
<a name=h02>Q. How do I find the DNS name for my on-campus computer?
If you are using Windows, your domain name will probably be "Windows share name".student.iastate.edu.
You can also find out exactly what your domain name is by logging into http://asw.iastate.edu .
Select "Manage User xxx" where xxx is your Net-ID.
Select "Manage xxx's computers
Select View computers NetRegistered to xxx.
This page lists the IP addresses and DNS names of all computers registered to you.
[Nerdology]
<a name=h03>Q. How do I get a free DNS address?
Read this topic; it should give you some clues: http://strangetalk.dhs.org/viewtopic.php?t=19626
<a name=h04>Q. How do I update Kerberos?
Uninstall Scout if it is installed.
If the key icon is in your system tray (bottom right), click it and choose exit.
If the process krbcc32s.exe is running, end it (ctr-alt-del)
If the process kerb16.exe is running, end it as well
Go to your C drive and delete the KERB folder (may be in Program Files folder)
Download scout32.exe from http://www.ait.iastate.edu/downloads
Install by double-click scout32.exe
Reboot
Run Scout from your start menu
Allow it to install Kerberos in the default location
Reboot
(tsander)
<a name=h05>Q. How do I post pictures online?
In order to post a picture to the bulletin board, you must first put the picture on a web server. This is called hosting. Perhaps the easiest way to host pictures is to use the local <a href="http://www.picdump.org" target="_new">PicDump</a> service. You can also use your own web server or acropolis space to host the pictures, but they each require a little more set up.
Once you have the picture on a server, all you need then is the URL (html address) of the picture. The BBCode (Used on StrangeTalk and most other php forums) for posting a picture is simply:
- Code: Select all
[img]IMAGE URL HERE[/img]
For example:
[img]http://strangetalk.net/templates/subSilver/images/logo_phpBB.gif[/img]
Daoist has written up a pretty comprehensive tutorial on "How to post a picture online." If you need more help, I suggest you begin there.
http://www.picdump.org/picstutorial.html
<a name=h06>Q. How do I set up my game console to connect to ISU's network?
<a href="http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=67" target="_new">Playstation 2</a>
<a href="http://www.ait.iastate.edu/faq/view.php?id=68" target="_new">XBox</a>
Anything else... try to find your MAC address and send it, along with your username, and building/room# to solution@iastate.edu
<a name=h07>Q. How do I share my files on the network?
The easiest way to do so is to enable file sharing.
If you do so on windows 95/98/ME go to the control panel and select Network and under the configuration press the file and printer sharing button. If the box entitled "I want to be able to give others access to my file(s)" is not checked check it now. This enables file sharing.
Now right click the folder and select the properties option on the menu. Now select the sharing tab. Click the radial thing (the round things that the dot in the center selects). Name your share appropriately for what your sharing (movies, mp3's, stuff [for a mix], porn, pictures, etc). Select read-only for the access type. Leave the password blank.
Under NT4/2000/XP you may be using one of two file systems, ntfs and fat32. To tell the difference right click on a folder and select the properties. If there is a security tab then you are using NTFS and if there is none then you are using fat32. This is the same for all directories on one drive, however each one of your hard drives may be using a different format.
If you are using fat 32, just select the sharing tab (right click on folder and select properties) and enable sharing for the folder. Also make sure you only give read access to the files and not full (read and write) access.
For NTFS file systems: Under Windows XP disable simple file sharing for this to work. Please make sure you enable your guest account (if you have given it a different password set the password to blank- this is the default setting). Right click on the directory and select properties. Under the security tab set the access for guest to read only. You may need to add a user, simply click add and type in "guest" to be able to do this (ie guest isn't already listed). Enable sharing for that folder under the sharing tab in the properties (same place where you found the security tab) the folder properties and name your share appropriately for what your sharing (movies, mp3's, stuff [for a mix], porn, pictures, etc).
If this doesn't work under Windows XP you might want to try disabling the built in fire wall. If you are using Zone Alarm, you will need to reduce the security level for the local zone.
--insert link to a tutorial on sharing on various systems--
--note to self: digi, check this sometime to see how accurate it is. tldr for now.--
[submitted by Asheron]
<a name=h08>Q. How do I use a .bin/.cue or .iso file?
Both .bin and .iso filetypes are CD images, not actual program or video files. You'll need to use a program like <a href=http://www.nero.com target="_new">Nero</a> (Supports both) or <a href="http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/index.jhtml target="_new">Easy CD Creator</a> (.iso only) to burn the CD from the image file. Another program is <a href="http://www.fireburner.com" target="_new">fireburner</a>
<a name=h09>Q. How do I use *.rxx files?
Rxx (meaning .r00, .r01, etc) are the equivalent of a .zip compressed file, but instead of one file, they are split into several smaller pieces. Use a program like <a href="http://www.rarlab.com" target="_new">WinRAR</a> to decompress them.
<a name=h10>Q. How do I view a compressed video file?
Some movies are encoded with a compression scheme that is not supported by default in Windows. You need a small piece of software called a codec to view them properly.
Couple of common movie codecs:
http://www.divx.com
http://www.xvid.org
If the movie you downloaded is labeled as an SVCD, you'll need to burn it to a CD (see <a href="#h08">How do I use a .bin/.cue or .iso file?</a>), or get a utility called <a href="http://daemon-tools.com" target="_new">Daemon Tools</a> which allows you to mount CD images.
Frequently Asked Computing Questions
<a name=q01>Q. What is the status of the Bandwidth Cap?
The bandwidth cap is GONE. It does not exist anymore, and you cannot view your outbound usage in Acropolis.
<a name=q02>Q. What is Public vs. Private IP?
<a href="viewtopic.php?t=19200">http://strangetalk.net/viewtopic.php?t=19200</a>
<a name=q03>Q. What forms of CGI do project vincent support?
Project vincent supports SSI and perl. It does not support php. They will not add php support, even if you ask nicely.
To activate your vincent webspace and perl CGI support, go to http://asw.iastate.edu
click on manage user
then View/Edit your personal webpage settings
click on Register Web Page to set up your web page.
click on Create a CGI account for your Web Pages to do the obvious.
(daoist)
<a name=q04>Q. Why doesn't Kazaa work? At all?
Because it's bad. Everyone uses it to clog up our bandwidth by downloading illegal files.
Better answer: transfers are so slow because AIT's packet-shaper has throttled down the types of transfers Kazaa uses, thus allowing the rest of us access to the big fat Internet Pipe.
This document was compiled from all the previous FAQs and information threads. If you find a minor correction or addition, just PM me, and I'll get it changed as soon as possible. If it's another question to add or a major suggestion, post it here for discussion, but once a decision has been reached or a change implemented, all posts related to it will be deleted, to keep this FAQ neat and tidy.[/list]


