Net Start

Your Guide to Getting Started on SoC Network
https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/netstart

This page is has been moved to the new SoC Document Repository. The new URL for this page is: https://docs.comp.nus.edu.sg/node /1516

→ View Net Start (PDF) (Updated 13 July 2008)
Since 1st September 2005, this Net Start guide has become available as a three-fold flyer in PDF format. You can view the guide with Acrobat or other PDF viewer, and print a copy if you like to keep a handy reference with you. Printed copies are also available from SoC Technical Services. The previous HTML version of this guide is still available for online reading but it is not proactively updated.

To print as a 3-fold flyer, remember to set the print option "Page Scaling" to None and the "Paper Orientation" to Landscape.

SoC IT Jump Start: Presentation slides of the SoC IT Jump Start briefing held for freshmen on 11 Aug 2006 are available here.

Note that the PDF version is more updated than the version below.

Connecting to SoC Network

On-Campus Network Access

Mobile notebook users can connect through public network points around SoC premises and use SoC-VPN for secure access into SoC Network. Computers do not need to be pre-registered, but SoC-VPN requires login authentication. SoC-VPN software is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD and Solaris.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/vpn

Complete wireless coverage up to 54Mbps is available in all SoC premises. The wireless network SSID is NUS and you need to configure your notebook to use PEAP authentication (or use NUSOPEN network SSID in conjunction with SoC-VPN for secure network access). Wireless network cards are available for loan.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/wireless

Wired network access for computers, servers and other devices in labs, offices, and other non-public areas require pre-registration.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/networkaccess

Note that it is a serious offence to self-assign network addresses or illegally obtain network access.

Remote Network Access

SoC provides 56Kbps and ISDN toll-free dialup access at the hunting number 1800-7761022.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/dialup

Users with broadband Internet or other Internet connections can access SoC network securely through SoC-VPN.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/vpn

MySoC.Net

MySoC.Net is an online portal for both the alumni and current students (and staff) of SoC. Some exciting services include Personal DNS hosting and Voice-Over-IP Phone Calls.

Your MySoC.Net ID is permanent and is yours to keep even after graduation. You can use this ID to login to SoC network services, and you get a free permanent email forarding address in the @mysoc.net domain.

Best of all, you get to choose your own ID, so get yours fast before your preferred IDs are taken up!
→ https://mysoc.net/

General Computer Labs

If you do not have your own personal computer, you can use the computers in the many labs available around SoC. Refer to General Access PC Lab Locations under the Where to Find section.

Most of these computers are setup with Windows and require you to login to the Windows (NUSNET) domain. Students should login to the NUSSTU domain while staff login to the NUSSTF domain.

Note that your NUSNET account comes with a home directory which appears as your H: drive when you login to the Windows domain. This is a network drive and is always available anywhere that you login ot the Windows domain.

Email

YourNUSNET email address (xxx@nus.edu.sg where xxx is your NUSNET ID) is your main and official campus email address. Many important messages are sent to it, so make sure you check this email regularly. NUSNET email is based on Microsoft Exchange (Outlook), and is also accessible through the web and IMAP (using Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc).
→ http://www.nusnet.nus.edu.sg/exchange

SoC users are given an additional UNIX email address (xxx@comp.nus.edu.sg where xxx is the SoC UNIX ID). You may read SoC UNIX emails using plain UNIX mail agents, via webmail or IMAP.
→ https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/cf/mail
→ https://mysoc.nus.edu.sg/

Setup information to use the network-accessible SoC address book is at: https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/docs/ldap

Network Printing

Laser printers are located around SoC for your printing convenience. Colour, A3/A1/A0-size and transparency printing is only available at SoC Technical Services. More printing information is available.
→ https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/cf/printing

Your 300 pages of dm (dot-matrix) quota can be used by sending print jobs to dmdmr. Note that dmdmr is not a postscript printer and can only accept text files (*.txt). Collect your printouts from the drawers outside COM1 Level 1 Technical Services.
→ UNIX command: lpr -Pdmdmr filename.txt

Other Network Services

SoC Network provides many other value added services such as:

  • Network Time Service (ntp.comp.nus.edu.sg)
  • Anonymous FTP Archive (mirror.nus.edu.sg)
  • Security/Vulnerability Assessment Service
  • PGP Key Server (pgpkeys.comp.nus.edu.sg)
  • IRC Server (irc.comp.nus.edu.sg)
  • Virtual Web Redirection
  • Dynamic Domain Name System
  • Directory Services (LDAP, finger)
  • Authentication Services (RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP)
  • More info: https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/docs/socnetwork

Your Computer Accounts

SoC users will have two primary computer accounts.

  1. One is issued by NUS Computer Centre. This account is known as your NUSNET account and is generally used for campus wide applications and services. This should not be confused with your Matric or Staff number (and PIN).
  2. The other is issued by SoC and is often referred to as your SoC UNIX account. This account is typically used for applications and services specific to SoC, although NUSNET account is often also accepted.

Linux and Mac Support

Although Windows tend to be the predominantly supported operating system on campus, there is a growing library of information available for Linux and Mac users on configuring their computers to work with NUSNET and SoC Network. This includes information on installing Linux, configuring VPN, etc.
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/docs/linux/
→ https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/docs/macnus [see also: Mac NUS]

Getting Help

In addition to SoC Technical Services, here are more resources you can turn to for help or information.

  1. SoC Central Facilities webpage is where you will find most of the documentation on SoC computing facilities.
    → https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/cf/
  2. NOC documentation contains lots of network related information including setup and configuration guides.
    → https://noc.comp.nus.edu.sg/docs/
  3. If you have problems using a computer in the computer labs, you can approach the lab officer in-charge of the lab. Their offices are usually adjacent or close to the respective computer labs.
  4. If you have a query concerning general NUS campus-wide IT facilities which are not specific to SoC, you can contact NUS ITCare directly at 65162080.

Important Web Sites

Where to Find...

Useful Web Pages

This guide is brought to you by the SoC network team. Please direct feedback to laizs@comp.nus.edu.sg or tankp@comp.nus.edu.sg.