Table of contents
Instructions on accessing Terpconnect account files through SSH or SFTP for secure data transmission.
- Utilize SSH or SFTP protocols to encrypt data during transmission for secure connections.
- Supported clients like Putty, WinSCP, Fetch, and built-in SSH clients are available.
- Access Terpconnect webpages by storing files in the public directory and creating web pages.
- Web pages can be viewed using the URL format http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/~username.
- Restrictions on web pages include no commercial use, illegal content, or official university representation.
The file space included in your Terpconnect account can be accessed through various methods, depending on your computer's operating system and installed software. Typically, you will have multiple options available.
This is also basically the same list given for GRACE users. Which should not be surprising, as GRACE and Terpconnect are both part of the Glue Unix environment on campus.
All of the following directions assume the initial step of your computer being connected to the Internet. If your machine is not connected to the Internet or you do not have Internet access, then connecting to the remote host will fail.
To establish connections with remote hosts such as Glue or Terpconnect, whether on or off campus, it is recommended to utilize Secure Shell (SSH) or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). SSH and SFTP protocols encrypt all data, including sensitive details like usernames and passwords, during transmission over the network. This encryption significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your information.
Supported clients
The following supported clients are available for download via TERPware under Network/Connectivity.
- Putty - PC.
- WinSCP - PC.
- Fetch - Mac.
- Built-in SSH client - Mac and Unix.
PC
Use Putty SSH client in Windows
- Initiate the program.
- Select Connect.
- Input the hostname.
- Fill in your Directory ID in the User Name field.
- Click Connect to initiate the login procedure.
- Input your Directory passphrase in the passphrase window.
Use WinSCP client in Windows
- Initiate the program.
- Select Connect.
- Input the hostname.
- Fill in your Directory ID in the User Name field.
- Click Connect to initiate the login procedure.
- Input your Directory passphrase in the passphrase window.
For further details, see the Use the WinSCP File Transfer Protocol Client for Windows article.
Mac
Use the built-in SSH client in Mac OS X
Mac OS X comes equipped with a built-in SSH client accessible through the command line. To utilize it, navigate to Finder, select Go and then Utilities from the top menu. Locate and open Terminal. This tool allows you to access a local terminal window and establish SSH connections with remote servers.
- After opening the terminal window, input ssh Directory ID@hostname to initiate an SSH session.
- After opening the terminal window, input sftp Directory ID@hostname to initiate an SFTP session.
Use Fetch for SFTP
Fetch 5.5 serves as an SFTP application compatible with Mac OS X 10.3.9 and later versions. It offers a secure platform for transferring files between your computer and remote systems like TerpConnect or Glue.
- Initiate the program.
- Select Connect. Input the hostname.
- Fill in your Directory ID in the User Name field.
- Click Connect to initiate the login procedure.
- Input your Directory passphrase in the passphrase window.
For further details, see the Fetch 5.5 to Transfer Files for Macintosh article.
Unix
Use the built-in SSH client in Unix
Unix systems come equipped with a built-in SSH client accessible through the command line.
- After opening the terminal window, input ssh Directory ID@hostname to initiate an SSH session.
- After opening the terminal window, input sftp Directory ID@hostname to initiate an SFTP session.
Terpconnect webpages
Terpconnect provides space for posting webpages. To learn more about storing, creating, uploading and viewing web pages, review the following sections below.
Where are my web pages stored?
The directory where your web pages are stored is called your public (or pub) directory. The default directory where your files are stored and where you enter when you log in is your home directory. Your pub directory is located one directory above where your home directory is located. In a Unix prompt to change directories, enter the command cd ../pub.
To get to your pub directory from the website terpconnect.umd.edu, log in and click Go Up. Click pub to open your public directory.
How do I create a web page?
Creating a web page is as easy as creating a text document. In fact, a web page is simply a text document with special tags that tell the web browser what to display.
The most common extension for a web based document is .html or .htm. An example of an html filename would be index.html. An html document can be created in a text editor such as notepad, simpletext, pico, or emacs or if you are not very familiar with the different tags used in html, you can use a WYSIWYG (that is, what you see is what you get) editor which resembles the functionality a word processor. Some examples of common WYSIWYG editors are Frontpage, Pagemill and HotMetal.
Here's a helpful tutorial to get you started on creating a web page.
How do I view my web pages?
The URL for your web pages is http://www.terpconnect.umd.edu/~username. You can type the URL into any browser such as Firefox or Internet Explorer to view the pages.
What is not allowed on my web pages?
- Your web pages cannot be used for commercial applications. In other words, don't try to make money from them.
- Your web pages cannot contain illegal software. Or links to illegal software.
- No illegal activities of any kind are permitted from your web pages.
- Your personal web pages are not official University documents. Any attempt to use them as such is also not permitted.
- If you have any questions, please see University of Maryland Policy on Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources.
What other website hosting options are there?
There are several options available to create websites at UMD.
For further details, see the Choose a Web Hosting Service article.