STACI LYNNEA GRIMES: April 2008 Archives
This may be one of the most common questions we get at the Mont Alto IT Help Desk.
If you're used to using a wireless network at home, you probably understand the idea that your computer's hardware needs to first 'see,' then connect to, the wireless signal that is being broadcast from a router or access point somewhere close by. You can usually figure out how strong the signal is by clicking on a little symbol in the system tray on a Windows computer, or by the Airport symbol on a Mac. The stronger the signal, the better the datastream. Pretty straightforward, right?
At Penn State, we extend the process a bit. There is a second step that must be completed before you'll be able to access a website through your wireless connection. Penn State provides a piece of software called a VPN client that you must install on your computer. You must use this software every time you use the network in order to reach the internet via wireless.
There are several reasons for this. First, it allows you to authenticate using your Penn State user ID and password. Only folks who have a legitimate account with Penn State are allowed to use the wireless network. Second, this VPN client encrypts your data as it travels through the Penn State network.
We have composed a web page that describes all the components needed for setting up and using wireless networking here at Penn State Mont Alto. Go here for instructions, complete with visual depictions of the process and links to the download site.
Happy Computing!
~staci
WOW! I'm eligible to receive a tax refund of $620.50!
I know this because an email arrived in my personal inbox last Thursday from "The Internal Revenue Service" telling me to click on the link in the message. Evidently I need to submit a request for the refund and provide this agency with personal information. This message also warns me that, should I input the wrong information, I may be "criminally pursued and indicated." What?
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF SPAM PLAGUING EMAIL USERS TODAY.
US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team), researches and warns against potential cyber-threats. They released an article on April 24 describing the very message that I had received. The best bit of advice offered by the team is not to follow web links in email messages that haven't been solicited. As well, they have created several documents to assist users in wise computing practices:
If you have received a message like this, please do not follow the directions in the message. You're always welcome to call the Help Desk to discuss any concerns you have about suspicious emails. It is NOT necessary to forward messages to us that you believe carry infected attachments. =)
~staci
I've recommended blogging at Penn State to several different folks on campus already. The thought occurred to me today that I should, perhaps, invest a little effort and time into researching the tool of blogging more thoroughly. Creating my own blog is probably the best way to do that.
It seems a logical way to make information available conveniently to a diverse audience. Stay tuned. There is more, much more, on the way.
~staci
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