Working from home

Accessing network drives (J, G, & M) from off campus

There are two different ways to access files stored on the College's computer network (the M:, G:, and J: drives) from off campus:

NetStorage
NetStorage is a web-based interface that can be accessed on Windows or Mac. For details, see that handout Accessing Network Files Using NetStorage.

NetDrive
NetDrive is a free program for Windows XP only which must be installed on the computer. For details, see that handout Accessing Network Files Using NetDrive.

For general information about College network drives, see the handout Network Drives.

Accessing SNC e-mail from off campus

WebMail
The College's web-based e-mail program, at http://www.snc.edu/webmail, allows you to access your e-mail account from any computer with an Internet connection and a web browser, with no special configuration. With WebMail, your e-mail and folders are stored on the mail server, so you can access them from any computer on the Internet. Instructions for using WebMail are in the handout WebMail Basics.

Thunderbird
The College supports and strongly recommends the Thunderbird e-mail program, which can be downloaded for free from mozilla.com. This program must be installed on each computer on which you wish to use it. Thunderbird stores your e-mail and folders on the mail server, so you can still access them from any computer on the Internet via WebMail, even when you don't have access to your own computer. You can set up multiple accounts so, for example, you can access your SNC e-mail and your Internet Service Provider's e-mail through the same Thunderbird window.

When setting up Thunderbird, the only difference between on & off campus is the outgoing server. To send mail from your SNC e-mail address from off campus, you must use the College's secure relay server (smtprelay.snc.edu) for your outgoing mail. Note that Thunderbird's address books and settings are per-computer, so you either need to re-create your address book or export and import it to copy it from one computer to another. Instructions for Thunderbird can be found in the handouts Installing & Configuring Thunderbird for SNC E-Mail and Thunderbird E-Mail Basics.

Other programs
No other e-mail programs are supported at this time, but if you choose to use one, the information you will need to configure it is in the handout Accessing Your SNC E-Mail.

Accessing Banner from off campus

In order to use Banner from home, must be granted access to the VPN (virtual private network), given a special login/password for it, and install the VPN client software on your computer. To request this access, complete the Service Request form or e-mail net.support@snc.edu.

Using MS Office at home

Office 2003 is available for home use by SNC employees who have Office 2003 on their office computers. This "Work at Home" option permits you to use it for College-related use only, and you must sign an agreement to that effect. Microsoft does not allow us to distribute copies of the installation CD; they require that you burn your own CD. To do so, go to the IT office, Cofrin 119, M–F, 8–4:30, to sign an agreement and get the instructions. If you don't have a CD burner in your office, bring a blank CD with you so that you can burn your CD in the computer lab.

Using McAfee VirusScan at home

Anti-virus software is useless if you don't keep it up-to-date, so if you have an old program/version, like Norton with an expired subscription, get rid of it! St. Norbert College's license for the McAfee VirusScan permits SNC students, faculty, and staff to install and use the program free of charge on their personal/home computers. Use it! See the handout Computer Viruses: McAfee VirusScan 8.5 (Win 2000, XP, & Vista). The College's version of McAfee VirusScan 8.5 is configured to automatically update. (If you use dial-up & aren't online much/long, the updates may not happen, so remember to update manually.)

Other SNC computer resources/systems

Most other SNC computer resources and systems, such as KnightLine, Moodle, and Educator, can be accessed normally from off campus just like any other web site.

Cascade Server can be accessed from off campus, but the test server, cms.snc.edu, cannot. You can do anything you normally would in Cascade, including publishing pages to the live server or the test server, but you cannot preview them on the test server.

If you have questions about any system not mentioned here, contact the Help Desk.

Other at-home issues

Spyware

If a computer is connected to the Internet, chances are good that it has already been infected with spyware, viruses, or other bad things that can wreak havoc on your computer and your life by helping criminals steal your identity. It's extremely important to have effective anti-spyware protection on your computer. McAfee VirusScan is great for protection against viruses, worms, and trojans, but it doesn't protect against spyware, adware, and other similar threats. For more information about spyware and how to avoid it, see the handout Spyware, Scams, & Other Online Hazards.

Wireless security

If you have a wireless network set up at home, people you don’t know may be accessing it and using your Internet connection! Before you say you don’t care, consider this: What if that person sharing your connection commits a crime, such as hacking into a computer, spreading a virus, or putting illegal materials on the Internet? You could get in trouble, because the activity would be traced back to your Internet connection. In addition, that person may also be able to intercept your online transactions and access files on your computer.

Most people who set up wireless networks in their homes don’t secure them properly, leaving their connections wide open and themselves vulnerable to these dangers. The solution is to secure your wireless access point. Because each wireless access point model is different, we can’t give you specific instructions, but the manual for your wireless access point should have instructions for enabling the following security precautions:

Change the administrative account password
Turn on WEP or WPA encryption
Change the SSID
Disable SSID Broadcast

Assistance and questions

If you have any questions or need more information, contact the Help Desk at (920) 403-HELP (4357) or helpdesk@snc.edu. The Help Desk is for St. Norbert College students and employees only.