Remote Login

Try the following steps to be able to use matlab on the class/lab machines from a computer somewhere else. Note that you will only be able to see the command window or matlab or the editor, and only one of these at a time. Your computer will be acting as an old-style computer terminal with only command line interactions with the computer in the lab.

Computer Names

There are two groups of Math Department computers with identical software. The first is in the classroom (Rm 210) and the second is in the smaller lab (Rm 206). The computer names have the format mathlab#_nnnnn where # is the seat number in the room and nnnnn is Colgate's "CUTag" for tracking the machine. In the classroom, the seats are numbered from the door to the window repeating for each row with 8 in a row. So seat 20 is the fourth seat in the 3rd row. The CUTag is 85566 plus the seat number. So seat number 20 has computer name mathlab20_85586

In the computer lab, the seat numbers start with 33 and work around the room with CUTag numbers 85468 plus the seat number. So the 3rd computer has computer name mathlab35_85503

To access a machine from another Math Dept machine, you can use the "Finder" window by looking in the "Shared" list. All the machines in the classroom and lab should appear there. From the command line you can use the "ssh" command to access another computer and the "scp" command to copy files back and forth. From outside the lab, but on campus, you can access the machines as described below.

From outside the lab

Find the section for your operating system and follow those instructions.

Mac OS X, Linux, or other UNIX-like OS:

The operating system comes with many command-line terminal programs called something like Terminal, xterm, etc. The Terminal program on Mac is in the Utilities Subfolder of the Applications Folder.
  1. Start the terminal window program.
  2. login to the math lab: ssh username@mathlab35_85503
    or any other machine.
    If your computer does not recognize mathlab35_85503, try the IP address:
    ssh username@149.43.41.38
    Note: if your username is the same in the lab as on your machine, you can use: ssh mathlab35_85503
  3. Type "matlab" (without quotes) to start the matlab program.
    If this doesn't work, try "/Applications/MATLAB_R2013a.app/bin/matlab -nojvm"

Windows

Windows doesn't come with a secure terminal communications program, but you can download a free one from the web. It is called PuttySSH. There is also a file transfer program to move files to and from the computers called psftp.exe. You will need to download PuttySSH or another "ssh" prorgam.
You can get PuttySSH here
  1. Download the ssh program and install it.
  2. Open the program and direct it to mathlab35_85503.colgate.edu (or other computer in the lab). It prompts for your username and password. Enter them as instructed.
    If your computer doesn't recognize mathlab35_85503, use the IP address instead: 149.43.41.38
    A command window opens with a connection to the lab.
  3. Type "matlab" (without quotes) to start the matlab program.
    If this doesn't work, try "/Applications/MATLAB_R2013a.app/bin/matlab -nojvm"

Editors

There are many good editors for editing files within a command window. The default for our machines is set to "nano". Basically, typing enters text to the file while holding the "control" key while pressing other keys gives command to the editor. A list of these commands appears at the bottom of your screen.