FAQs

Installing Mathematica and obtaining a key.
FAS E-Mail and Account settings
FAS Software downloads
FAS NOC Netconnect (register wireless, etc.)
Laptop Support?
Will you back up my laptop?

Tips for Various Programs & Services:

Security Policies The security policies governing computer use on campus and in Harvard business can be found at:
Harvard Enterprise Information Security Policy - Applies to all of Harvard.
FAS Computer Rules and Responsibilities - Applies to all of FAS in all departments.

Research Computing: Please note that general computational help can be requested form FAS IT Research Computing by emailing rchelp@fas.harvard.edu. This can be questions about installing scientific software on Linux workstations, questions on how to do something in software like Matlab, Mathematica, IDL, R, etc., programming help in C, Fortran, Perl, Python, etc., questions on licensing or availability of software for academic or research use, advice on high performance computing hardware and software. HPTC website

TexShop for OSX: To get harvmac.tex off your desktop move it to the Library/texmf/tex/plain folder in your home directory (in the Finder, click the home icon, open 'Library', then 'texmf', then 'plain' - drag the file from your desktop to this folder.)

ebrary/HOLLIS: Need access to ebrary/HOLLIS from a Linux machine? Unfortunately the ebrary reader is only available for Windows and MacOS. However, it is installed on the library computers and the computer in the G1 commons area. If you need the plugin installed on your Windows or Mac workstation, please create a help ticket by e-mailing help@physics.harvard.edu.

General Support Questions/FAQ

Laptops: (also see links under "FAQs")Physics Computer Services does not support or purchase laptops. Our focus is purely on the infrastructure (physics.harvard.edu servers, e-mail, web, file services, login, etc.) and workstations for administrative staff and graduate students (G1 and G2). No laptops are allowed behind the Physics firewall (the 121 subnet). Wireless access for laptops is provided campus-wide by FAS.
* For laptop purchasing and service, please refer to the University Information Systems (UIS) website.
* For Harvard provided software for laptops or personal use, please see the FAS Computer Services website and click 'Software Downloads'.
Dialup: Physics does not provide dialup access. For dialup access, please see the FAS Computer Services website.

VPN: VPN (Virutal Private Networking) is provided by FAS and is recommended for those accessing Harvard network resources remotely or those using software provided by FAS while off site. To install and use VPN, please visit the FAS Computer Services website and click 'Software Downloads'.
Important: You must use your FAS account, not your Physics account, with the FAS VPN client.

Wireless: Wireless networking is provided by FAS throughout the campus. To register your laptop or personal workstation (i.e. - not provided by Physics Computer Services), please visit the FAS NOC at https://autoreg.fas.harvard.edu// and log in using your Harvard ID number and PIN. This is also where one registers a laptop or non-Physics-supplied desktop's wired connection as well.

SSH and SCP/SFTP from Windows: If you need an SSH/SCP/SFTP client to connect to Physics Login server from a Windows machine, you can download SSH Secure Shell at the link below:
SSH Secure Shell Client 3.2.9
(For best results, right-click the link and select "Save target as..." and save the file to your desktop.)

Home Directory Access using SCP/SFTP (recommended): To access your Physics home directory, or a group shared directory, using Secure Copy Protocol (aka Secure FTP) connect to login.physics.harvard.edu and use your Physics username and password. For more information on how to do this from Windows, Mac or Linux machine see SSH/SFTP: Secure Shell and Remote File Access.

Home Directory Access using SAMBA: You can connect to your Physics home directory using Samba from a remote Windows, Mac or Linux machine. Although, Secure Copy/Secure FTP method is preferred.

• Mac OSX: From the Finder, select "Go" then "Connect to Server". Enter the path smb://physics.harvard.edu/yourusername where 'yourusername' is your Physics account username. You will be prompted for your Physics password
• Windows: Please see this article from Microsoft for details on mapping network drives. The path to enter is \\physics.harvard.edu\yourusername where 'yourusername' is your Physics account username. You will be prompted for your Physics password. We do not recommend that you select 'Reconnect at logon' if the machine is mobile or somewhere where others have access to it.
• Linux: Please consult your distro's instructions for connecting to Samba shares. The path to your home directory is \\physics.harvard.edu\yourusername where 'yourusername' is your Physics account username. You will be prompted for your Physics password. Some interfaces will ask for server and path, in which case enter physics.harvard.edu for server and your username as the path
• Please Note: If you have never changed your Physics Windows password (which is separate from your Unix/EMail password - this is the password you'd use when logging into a Windows machine in our library), then it may still be set to its original value. See this page for more information. If you've forgotten your Physic Windows password, please send in a help ticket and ask that we reset it (please explain which password you mean to have changed so that we do not reset the wrong one).