Wired Networking

The wired network generally offers better performance and reliability than the various wireless networks, and so it is recommended that it be used where possible. Before a machine can make full use of the wired network, its MAC address must be registered by PPE IT support.

Linux and Mac OS X users can obtain the MAC address of by using the ifconfig command. The item of interest is usually labelled HWaddr, and will appear on a line which looks similar to the following:

$ ifconfig
eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:23:AE:94:B1:1E

PPENetwork

(See also CampusNetwork for some wider issues.)

The PPE network has one public subnet and several private subnets. If an unknown machine is connected to a PPE data sockets, it will receive an IP address within the restricted Un-Trusted subnet. Once a machine has been registered with the PPE SystemAdministrators, it will be added to either the Trusted, Laptop or Public subnets depending on the machine type.

No machine should ever be given a static IP address without the prior knowledge and agreement of the SystemAdministrators.

Any machine that is thought to be a risk to the PPE network as a whole will be placed in an un-routed private subnet, and will therefore not be able to send or receive any internet traffic.

Laptop Subnet

Browsing for Windows shares is not possible from the Laptop subnet, but users can open Windows shares directly, e.g with Start->Run->\\ppesmb.

Wireless

The Wireless network covers all PPE offices and labs and much of the rest of the Kelvin building. The wireless network is administered by the faculty IT SystemAdministrators. If at any time wireless coverage is found to not be complete please alert one of the PPE SystemAdministrators.

This wireless network is intended as a convenience to guests, and to users who wander around with a laptop, but it does not replace wired connections to the PPE network. The wireless network will not permit all types of network traffic.

After connecting to the departmental wireless, open a web browser and enter the month's PIN. Without entering the pin, users are not allowed to use the wireless network. Pins can be obtained from http://www.physics.gla.ac.uk/dept-only/wlesscodes/current.txt.

WARNING: The levels of access given to the wired and wireless network are different. To prevent confusion please use the wireless or the wired network, not both at once. The wireless system is heavily filtered - there are no special exceptions for PPE. Outbound ssh, secure mail, web browsing etc. should be fine, but don't expect more complicated things, like videoconferencing, to work. Also, keep in mind that the network itself is unencrypted, so don't do anything confidential except via protocols which themselves are secured (ssh, https etc.).

Checking a PC's IP Configuration

Windows

Start->Run->cmd

2. Type

ipconfig

(ipconfig options can be listed by typing ipconfig /?)

Linux

/sbin/ifconfig

(Further information can be found on the ifconfig man page.)

-- AndrewPickford - 03 Feb 2009