Trouble with Vista and VPN?

Okay so I installed Vista today - looking quite good. However when I installed the NUS VPN client (provided by Cisco), it all went well, except when it came to connecting the damned thing - the drivers aren't compatible!! So I went googling to find a solution, as I knew even though it's normally these low level things that have issues after upgrades (my Intel wireless driver was another problem), Cisco would have had some sorta fix ready with Vista's official release soon (it's already RTM). After a while I came across this link: http://vpn.doit.wisc.edu/download/test/vpnclient-win-msi-4.8.01.0590-k9.exe
It's beta if I'm not mistaken but does the job well - there's only one problem - it's generic i.e. after you install it (you have to uninstall the NUS one first - it won't proceed with installation otherwise), you have to set up the connections, unlike the NUS specific one which is ready to go.

The easiest way to set up your profile is by importing the ones that NUS VPN already installed for you, therefore BEFORE you do anything else, i.e. before you install the new version, do this:

Copy these two files over to a location such as your desktop: "inside-nus.pcf" and "outside-nus.pcf" from "C:\Program Files\NUS-VPN\profiles" (or wherever you initially chose to install NUS VPN).

These two files are profiles that contain all the information to connect to NUS via VPN.

Next uninstall the NUS VPN client, it will prompt you to reboot - do so and then install the new client, it will prompt you to reboot again.

After installation and reboot, this is what you do:

Run the Cisco VPN client and click on Import icon.

Browse to where you saved those two profiles and import them one after the other.

Voila! That's all, you should be able to connect to NUS VPN just like before :D

No probs yet :)

Having connection problems on campus?

Okay, so we all know, NUS' internet of late has been crap..well more like shithole...so much for world class. I've heard and experienced bad or no connectivity and at a time like this (exam time) it can be quite distressing and frustrating!

Nevermind I think I've found a workaround to the problem. I'm not too sure what's the problem, but from the looks of it, it's either the DHCP or duplicate IPs or something along the lines of that.

So if you can't access the internet, this is what you can try:

1. Use VPN - if this connects - great! Else:
2. Go to Start --> Run...
3. Type "cmd" without quotes and then Enter - should take you to Command Prompt
4. Type the following commands IN ORDER followed by the Enter key each time:

• ipconfig /flushdns (followed by Enter)
• ipconfig /release (followed by Enter)
• ipconfig /registerdns (followed by Enter)
• ipconfig /renew (followed by Enter)

This should solve your problems try connecting to VPN and start surfing - if not...oh well....just suck it up I guess :D

Remote Desktop eh!

True, you don't need any additional software to do this 'cos WinXP's Remote Desktop can do it for you generally. But what if,

* the comp ur on and the comp u wanna get to cant make contact due to being buried in different subnets.
* ur on a mac and you wanna access your WinXP comp. (btw macs can access windows shares easily)
* ur on a version of windows other than XP.

Solution? I hunted for a few but this is the best option in my opinion - just go LogMeIn.com, all of these work! You have to install software on the comps you wanna access but after that it's a breeze. All you need is a browser and an internet connection! It runs off an ActiveX control or Java, whichever you want. It's pretty quick, but not as fast as Remote Desktop (cos LogMeIn runs across the net I guess?) but c'mon it's free!!

LogMeIn Pro is awesome but the trial only lasts for your first week of usage, after that it's the free version (which works just fine too, minus the bells n whistles). So if u really wanna enjoy the Pro version, dont install it until u need to use it:D

[tried and tested across different networks in NUS - it works haha]

Web Shopping - How to get it to work for you WITHOUT DOMAIN

Okay so some of you might be out there wondering what is web shopping exactly? Well it's basically all university students having remote access to fully licensed software that they might need during their time at the university - ranging from Photoshop to statistical software to publishing software and the sort. Despite its name don't be fooled it's FREE! All you need is a valid user account to make use of the features. To me it's a really good example of free usage that doesn't violate copyright! Contrary to popular belief (bitch thinks this too), that you can't use the software available without being on domain, but I thought about it and there shouldn't be any difference if you're on domain or not. Also the fact that I'm on domain and using IE7 Beta 3 led me to believe that the problem has nowt to do with that but rather the browser and settings on the computer (IE6 gave me no issues in the past).

If you're not on domain, these are the steps you should first undertake:

1. Connect to VPN. If you don't have VPN download it!
2. Go to My Computer
3. Go to Tools --> Map Network Drive...
4. Change Drive Letter to I: . Under Folder Type file:////emfs5/stupc
5. Finish the wizard - If prompted for your credentials just enter your NUSID

If you're using any browser besides IE6, this is what you can do to try and rectify your problem:

1. Visit the Web Shopping site.
2. Log in using your NUSID credentials if required.
3. Go to the software that you wish to download - Select Save As...
4. Make sure that in the file name you change the extension to *.ws# - IE has this habit of saving it as *.ws_ which will lead to the installation not working.
5. Go to the file where you saved it, Open it. Windows will ask you whether to use the web to search for the appropriate program or browse from list. Select browse from list.
6. Under location put this down: "I:\Webshop\Webshop-fps23\Program\WebShop.exe" without quotes. Please note that in order for this address to work you should have completed the aforementioned steps on mapping your network drive!
7. Installation should commence :)

Any problems let me know, and I'll try to help out :D

shahzadsk

Windows XP Professional Resource Kit

The Windows XP Professional Resource Kit Documentation is a comprehensive technical resource for installing, configuring, and supporting Windows XP Professional in networks that use Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server, and other server systems.

It's really looong and boring but can be quite useful during points of frustration:D

(there's still that problem of getting XP to prompt for a password when accessing my share we are yet to solve! any ideas anyone?)

NUS Domain - Logging on to your profile while on Vacation

Okay, so this is a problem I had for several weeks. I like to be on domain, because I like to be on domain - bitch would disagree and chooses not to be on it, I choose otherwise.

Many reasons why I like domain:

• Access to resources
• Seamless access to email - Outlook 2007 just sets up your profile for you within seconds!
• IVLE - You can use the ENTER - Campus Login button
• Remote Desktop and all other remote features ;-)
• Other reasons that I fail to recollect at this point in time

Many reasons why domain sucks:

• Monitoring - Yes if you join domain those with Domain Admin access can traverse your computer, and when u sign the EULA of NUS network you give them the right - scary
• Trend MicroScan - Yes this is great antivirus, but you hardly have any control over it - at least it gives you the option not to install - though uninstall means you have to call Computer Centre for a password :@ I recommend McAfee :D
• Black Ice Defender - I'm not sure if it's even called this these days. This nasty little critter will install itself by itself. There are instructions to clean your computer of this if you wish (Maybe subject of another post?)

Okay enough pro/con bullshit - let's cut down to the chase. So I'm on domain. And I go on vacation like to Malaysia for a week or even worse somewhere else like Pakiland for 3 months. I can log on to my domain account which is basically the only account I use for a while and then all of a sudden I can't. This is why this happens:

So when we all add NUSSTU\userid to our Administrator group and add our comp to the domain and then log on as that id - the computer will create a local profile but note that NUSSTU\ thing?? Well that actually means its NOT LOCAL. The server is still needed to authenticate your credentials. Basically when you join domain your laptop is not a laptop anymore but a workstation - so yes even your friends can log on to your computer like any other computer once its on domain.

But after a while of usage you store all your documents, pictures, and other x rated stuff on your profile - making it local - or at least you treat it that way. It's all good and seamless except when you no longer can access your server.

I know what your thinking -but Shaz my lan point wasn't working and I could still log on and yes that's true that's due to this setting in Windows XP Pro that allows you to log on by default 10 times without a server. Refer to (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q172931/) for more info.

So yes if you read that article you can set that limit to 50. That's good but its not unlimited. What if you're away on extended stay then how the hell do you access your documents and other important stuff. There are two ways I know of:

• Log on as the local administrator i.e. instead of selecting NUSSTU from domain, select ComputerName and type the administrator logon credentials. As an administrator you have access to all files on your computer - of course this isn't seamless and it's not a good idea to use your administrator account (the admin account is normally used to troubleshoot problems with the computer and other accounts as its usually the least affected by spyware and such if it's not used).

• This is the way I discovered while overseas. Believe it or not its VPN!! Yes it makes perfect sense after all VPN does stand for Virtual Private Network - which essentially means even though you're physically not on the same network, you can be virtually. So I can be out of NUS and be connected to NUS - note I said out of - so theoretically you can be anywhere with an internet connection!

So how does one go about setting it up? First go download a copy, even if you're on domain.

Start it up and navigate to Options and then Windows Logon Properties.

Check the checkbox that says Enable start before logon

That's it. Next time you restart overseas this app will begin and you're good to go :D :)

shahzadsk

security settings and user rights assignments

some tips if you feel like messing with security policies! (it also says what you could screw up haha)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823659

Win XP Home - Join Domain

Yup so this is how it came about bitch and whore always had probs doing some very technical stuff. So bitch and whore would research the solution - find it, implement it. A few months later bitch and/or whore (usually bitch) would want to do the same thing again, but forgot the method implemented. Whore of course wouldn't remember either - so whore suggested to bitch we should set up that blog we discussed ages ago, so we don't have to go very far to look up the solution of already solved problems. Of course whore was too lazy to do it, so bitch decided to set it up :)

So as far as we knew, win xp home users couldn't join domain - well one person claims that it can --> Read up here:

http://vowe.net/archives/001639.html

Anyone with win xp home can verify this??

shahzadsk (bitch)