SSH/SFTP and Remote File Access

Note: If you are looking for information on VPN, please go here.

SSH'ing to your Physics account

Anyone with a Physics account can use an SSH client to connect to Physics and access their files and other resources. You will need to connect to:
login.physics.harvard.edu
(not just physics.harvard.edu, you must use the login server)
You will need your Physics username, Unix password (same as your e-mail password) and a good SSH client (clients which don't do 'keyboard interactive' authentication will not work. Most newer SSH clients will do this) .

Examples for various operating systems:

• Linux - Open a Xterm or Terminal window. Type ssh username@login.physics.harvard.edu. Enter your password when prompted.
• Terminals - Running Matlab - Open a terminal window, type ssh -X login.physics.harvard.edu, once logged in, type matlab
• Mac OSX - Open Terminal (in Applications/Utilities). Type ssh username@login.physics.harvard.edu. Enter your password when prompted.
• Linux/Unix/Mac X11: If you want to run a graphical program, such as mathematica, from a Linux, Unix or Mac running X11 (or an X11 equivalent), you need to add "-X" after the ssh command. Like so: ssh -X username@login.physics.harvard.edu
• Windows - You will need to install an SSH client. FAS provides SecureCRT to current Harvard affiliates. It can be downloded at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/computing/download. Be sure to select 'keyboard interactive' for Authentication method.

SFTP
You can also use a SFTP client to connect to login.physics.harvard.edu to download/upoload files in your home directory. Please note that you cannot use FTP, only SFTP (in particular, FTP over SSH). As above, Linux and Mac OSX have SFTP which you can access from a terminal window. Windows requires a client be installed (FAS offers SecureFX at the address noted above for SecureCRT). FAS also offers MacSFTP for Mac users who prefer a GUI interface.
FAS Software Download

Using SFTP is our recommended method for accessing files remotely. Using a SFTP client, like those FAS offers, makes it incredibly simple and secure.

sftp username@login.physics.harvard.edu

Mac Remote 'Drive' Access / Samba

NOTE: You may have to use VPN prior to connecting as shown below.
If you are having difficulty making this connection, please try VPN before contacting us.
You can remotely connect to your files the same way Windows users do (as shown below) using Samba. It's very simple:

1. Click on the Finder or your desktop and press Command+k (select Go, then Connect to server in the menu)
2. Type in: smb://physics.harvard.edu/[yourusername] and click Connect
3. Enter your Physics username and your Windows/Samba password

The share will mount on your desktop and in the Finder
If you haven't changed or don't know your Windows/Samba password, then we suggest you use SFTP instead (see above).

Windows Remote 'Drive' Access / Samba

NOTE: You may have to use VPN prior to connecting as shown below.
If you are having difficulty making this connection, please try VPN before contacting us.
Users can connect to their home directory or any shared drive they have priveleges on using Windows 'drive mapping'. There are a couple of ways to go about this, but the most common are:
1.

• Click "Start" and select "Run"

• In the text box that pops up type \\physics.harvard.edu\[username] where [username] is your Physics username
• An authentication box will pop up if you are able to successfully connect to Physics.
• Enter your Physics username and password (the one you use to log into Physics Windows machines - please make sure you've logged into one of our WIndows machines at least once before trying this remotely)
• Click 'Finish' (or 'Done' or 'OK', depending on your Windows version)
• A window should pop up momentarily showing the top level of your home directory. All of your Physics files (including your Desktop) are accessible from here.

2.

• Open "My Computer"

• Select "Tools" from the top menu
• Select "Map Network Drive"
• Select a drive letter to use from the drop-down list (this is completely arbitrary - select any letter you like)
• For "Folder", type in: \\physics.harvard.edu\[username] where [username] is your Physics username
• Do not check 'reconnect at logon'. If you do, this share will try to connect all the time, even when you are not on the Net.
• An authentication box will pop up if you are able to successfully connect to Physics.
• Enter your Physics username and password (the one you use to log into Physics Windows machines - please make sure you've logged into one of our WIndows machines at least once before trying this remotely)
• Click 'Finish' (or 'Done' or 'OK', depending on your Windows version)
• A new drive will appear in "My Computer". Opening it will lead you to the top level of your home directory. All of your Physics files (including your Desktop) are accessible from here.

IMPORTANT: If your Internet connection is broken, even briefly, you may experience a disconnect from Physics. If you need to work on a file, make a local copy of it first. Then copy it back over when you are done. I can't stress this enough.