How to get help with my computer or with a question I have about hardware and/or software?
- Check the on-line documentation
- Send e-mail to: help@submm.caltech.edu
This is very best way to get in touch with one of us, as several people monitor this e-mail address. Please be descriptive and complete when you ask for assistance. The more information you can provide, the better we can serve you. The address help@astro.caltech.edu will also reach us.
- If the question is urgent, you may try calling us:
Patrick Shopbell x4097
Cheryl Southard x6858
Anu Mahabal x4006
What public printers are available, and where are they?
Please check Drivers for Windows to download drivers for these printers for windows platforms.
Printer Location Description Model color/transparency Downs 326 Color;duplex; letter+legal+11x17 HP LaserJet 4600 DN 4th_floor Downs 420 B & W;duplex; letter+legal+11x17 HP 4000 TN lab Downs 011 B & W;duplex; letter+legal+11x17 HP 5 Si
How do I access the network with a modem?
Dial-up into the astronomy department network is provided at the campus level by a large banks of fast modems. For informatioon on accessing these modems, please see :ITS Network and Remote Access Page
Note that you will need to get an ITS computer account (free to all associated with Caltech), in order to use these modems.
E-mail is accessed directly on the local workstations, simply by running your preferred e-mail client (e.g., pine, evolution, etc.).E-mail can be also be accessed through our web mail service at the URL:
https://submm.caltech.edu:443/Finally, e-mail can be accessed remotely through clients such as Eudora and Outlook by using the following configuration settings:
account type IMAP download (IMAP) host submm.caltech.edu download encryption yes: SSL download port 993 upload (SMTP) host submm.caltech.edu upload encryption no
Why can't I send e-mail from off-campus?
In order to avoid the propagation of spam through our mail server, we do not accept third-party e-mails: E-mail to addresses outside of Caltech may not be uploaded from addresses outside of Caltech. The major impact of this is that users connected to the Internet outside of Caltech (e.g. SBC DSL, AOL Dial-up, etc.) will not be able to upload e-mail addressed to non-Caltech recipients. There are three simple ways to work around this:
- Use the SMTP server provided by your ISP.
All ISPs through which you are likely to obtain Intenet access (e.g., AOL, Earthlink, SBC-Yahoo DSL, Charter Cable) should have a mail server for e-mail upload. Usually it is called something like "smtp.[ISP]", so "smtp.aol.com", or "smtp.earthlink.net", for example. The correct name should be available on the ISP's web site. The only (possible) drawback to this solution is that your e-mail will appear to come from that ISP, not from Caltech. You may wish to set your "Reply-to" address in your e-mail program to your Caltech address, in order to help alleviate confusion.
- Use the VPN system
The Virtual Private Network software from ITS allows a user to obtain a Caltech IP address for their machine, anywhere on the Internet. Authentication is through the user's ITS account. The VPN system is not only useful for e-mail, but also for accessing Caltech-only network services, such as electronic journals.
- Use the web mail system
The web mail system provides an e-mail interface that is accessible through any standard web browser, from anywhere on the Internet.
How can I put files on our ftp site ?
We have an FTP server in the submm group. You can deposit files on this Linux machine:
nazgul.caltech.edu
in the directory:
/home/nazgul/ftp/pub/your_login/
These will then show up on the web at the url:
ftp://ftp.submm.caltech.edu/pub/your_login
How can I restore files from our backup system ?
If you find yourself needing to restore files from the backup system, there is a graphical tool for this purpose:/usr/bin/nsr/nwrecover (Solaris)
/usr/bin/nwrecover (Linux)
This program must be executed by the user whose data is to be recovered, on the computer which contains the data. The program has an extensive on-line help menu.
To exclude/skip a directory from backup :
Create a file ".nsr" containing the following single line in that directory:
+skip: *
Where do I get more information on installed software packages?
- Visit :
ADPF Software database- Use the apropos command to check for man pages : apropos
- Check the info database: info