Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh
Internet Starter Kit
Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh (CK:P) is one of four network test-beds funded by the National Science
Foundation. The project looks to provide wide area network services to the teachers and students in the Pittsburgh
Public Schools.
CK:P is a collaboration between the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh
Supercomputing Center.
The CK:P grant provides free Internet access for PPS staff.
Your login is ____________________
Your password is __________________
Your Internet address is your-login-name@pps.pgh.pa.us
Anyone in the world who uses telecommunications on networks such as the Internet, Prodigy, CompuServe or
America OnLine can reach you by sending email to the above address.
We ask that you please read the ethics policy. It is important that you understand the rights and responsibilities of your CK:P account.
One point we would like to emphasize is that your account is not to be shared with friends, family or
colleagues. The only way to maintain security, confidentiality and appropriate network use is to
maintain sole access to your account. Your password keeps your account secure.
Logging into a CK:P Server
Presently, Common Knowledge Pittsburgh provides direct Internet access to eleven school sites. The project also
offers dial-up access from home and school. Dial-up access is provided through the CMU and Pitt modem pools.
When you connect with the Common Knowledge computer (oberon), you will see the following:
ULTR1X V4.3A (Rev. 146) (oberon.pps.pgh.pa.us)
Login: (use your login name)
Password: (type your password - your password will not appear on the screen)
Last login: Sun May 21 18:57:40 from ANNEX-V32BIS-32.
********************************************************
ANNOUNCEMENTS - May 17, 1995
1. New CMU Modem Pool Phone Numbers
2. PC SLIP Demo/Workshop
3. Changes to the CMU Password should be in effect by June 5, 1995
There's further information on each of these items in ckp.news
********************************************************
Press ENTER/RETURN to continue....
Initializing your terminal...
Current terminal is reported to be: vt100
WELCOME TO COMMON KNOWLEDGE: PITTSBURGH (CK:P)
To start the CK:P menus type "menu"
To read CK:P Announcements type "ckpnews"
To get quota information and help, type "myquota"
To see who is logged on type "finger"
If you have problems or questions, send e-mail to:
trouble@pps.pgh.pa.us pgh. pa. us
---------------------------------------------
[userid@oberon] -> menu
Once you are on the system you will see this opening screen.
Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh
Main Menu - Version 1.0
1 Gopher
2 World Wide Web
3 Electronic Mail
4 Newsgroups
5 Libraries
6 Virtual Communities
7 Passwords and People
8 Announcements
Enter Selection:
Type q to logout, ? for help, p for previous menu, m for main menu
You can use either the arrow keys to choose an item or type its number and press the return/enter key. Directions
on how to navigate through screens are always listed on the bottom. You should feel free to explore the system and
find valuable resources.
To access the Internet from home, you will need the following:
- a computer
- modem
- telephone line
- telecommunications software
- an account name(login) and password for the Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh (CK:P) system
Using the telecommunications software. your computer will make a phone call to a modem pool in the Oakland
area of Pittsburgh. At present, the only cost associated with this access is the cost of the local phone call. Once you
connect with the modem pool, you will be able to reach the CK:P server (oberon) or the school server
(hermia, sparta, gw, mother-goose, etc) and the Internet.
To begin this activity you will have to set up your modem and telecommunications software correctly. Since there
are many different telecommunications software programs these directions are generic. You may have to use your
software manual to help you.
Setup as follows:
- The phone line must be attached to the "wall or line" outlet on the back of the modem
- If the modem is external to your computer, it must be plugged in and turned on
- Start your telecommunications program and set the terminal emulation to VT-100 or VT-102, the baud rate
to that of your modem (i.e 1200, 2400, 9600, 14400) and the appropriate phone number.
Both Carnegie-Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh graciously allow CK: P to use their modem pools to access
the Internet. You can access the CK: P system through either modem pool. Choose a modem pool and follow the
steps listed.
- Choose a phone number that is appropriate for your modem
and type it into the telecommunications software.
for 1200 baud 621-5864
for 2400 baud 621-5954
for 9600 baud 621-2582
If you are using Kermit or manually connecting, you will have to type: atdt# for a touch-tone phone or atdp#
for a rotary phone. (e.g. atdt6215954 or atdp6215954)
Put *70,or 1170 before the number if you want to disable your call waiting while connected to the Internet
(e.g. atdp11706215954 or atdt*706215954)
- Have the telecommunications software dial the number.
You should hear the modem dialing.
- After successfully dialing into Pitt, you will see connect 2400.
Hit Return/Enter. You will then get a Pitt script.
- At Username: type your login name
- You will then be connected to the server where your account resides.
At login: type your login(username)
At password: type your password.
(If prompted to change password, refer to the section on Changing Your Password).
You are now on the Internet. Type menu to navigate the system.
- When finished, logout from the server.
At annex: type logout
- Exit your telecommunications software.
- Choose a phone number that is appropriate for your modem and type it into the telecommunications
software.
V.32bis (9600 baud and above, SLIP) 268-9900
300-2400 baud annex 268-9800
300-2400 baud MICOM 268-9700
CMU alumni pool 268-9600
If you are using Kermit or manually connecting, you will have to type:atdt# for a touch-tone phone or atdp#
for a rotary phone. (e.g. atdt2689800 or atdp2689800)
Put *70 or 1170 before the number if you want to disable your call waiting while connected to the Internet
(e.g. atdp11702689800 or atdt*702689800)
- Have the telecommunications software dial the number. You should hear the modem dialing.
- After successfully dialing into CMU, you will see connect 2400. Hit Return/Enter. You will now get the
Annex username prompt.
- Follow the script and type in the appropriate information.
Checking authorization, Please wait...
At Annex username: type (your login name, followed by @ckp.edu) e.g.
smith@ckp.edu
At Annex password: type pps
- Once it says permission granted type: telnet (sitename).pps.pgh.pa.us
- You will then be connected to the server where your account resides.
At login: type your loginname (username)
At password: type your password. (If prompted to change password, refer to section on Changing Your
Password).
You are now on the Internet. Type menu to navigate the system.
- When finished, logout from the server. At annex: type hangup
- Exit your telecommunications software.
- When you log into the CK:P system for the first time, you must change your password. The following script will
appear on the screen:
- Your password has expired please change it.
- Changing password for userid
- Old password:
- At the old password prompt, type in the password that was used to create your account. In most cases it
was your social security number.
- At the new password prompt, type in a new password.
- At the verify prompt, retype the new password.
This new password then becomes your password every time you login.
- Use the following guidelines when choosing a password:
- It must be between 6 to 9 characters long.
- It should be something that is easily remembered, however not real obvious to someone else.
- Good passwords are not real words or obvious sequential numbers. You might think of a familiar saying and
use the first letters of each word.
- Example: Every good boy does fine most times. Password = egbdfmt
- You might mix capital and lower case letters (EgbDfmT), or use a combination of letters and numbers
(8pears4me).
- Common problems include:
- Once connected you get strange characters.... either the baud rate or emulation may be set wrong
- The modem will not dial.... the modem is not turned on, with a PC, the incorrect COM port is
chosen, or there is an IRQ conflict, the phone line is in the wrong port on the back of your modem.
- You're afraid.... go ahead and try it (nothing bad can happen)
If you are having trouble connecting call the Common Knowledge staff at 622-5930 and they will be glad to
provide assistance.
- Electronic mail
- Local and remote Libraries (Internet Resources
- Over 2000 Newsgroups (Internet Resources)
- Thousands of Mailings lists (Internet Resources)
- Searchable databases such as ERIC (Common Knowledge Gopher)
- Government databases (Common Knowledge Gopher)
- Other educational institutions (Common Knowledge Gopher)
- Museums (Common Knowledge Gopher)
- Software and graphics' archives (Common Knowledge Gopher)
- Connectivity to most universities (Common Knowledge Gopher)
Return to Technical Support
Revision 1.35:July 15, 1996:CJR