Connecting your laptop to the net is a simple matter of letting your machine assume a new identity that is automatically assigned when you connect to a DHCP connection. To do so, you will need a laptop with a working ethernet interface and a 10BaseT connector. You will also need root access to your machine.

Non-DHCP connections are also available at both the 90" and 61" telescopes if you need to use an assigned IP address. If this is the case, please click here for directions on how to utilize these "static" network connections.
 

DHCP Connection of a Linux PC

This section describes how to connect a Linux PC based upon the RedHat 6.1 release. It is similar to many other distributions, but beware: if you are not running RH6.1 you may be on your own.

First become root and then type netcfg; a window will appear. Click on the ``Interfaces'' button. Double-click on the ethernet interface (eth0) and another window will pop-up. Simply make sure that ``Interface configuration protocol:'' reads ``dhcp''.

Now click ``Save'' at the bottom of the panel, and click ``Quit''.

Reboot your machine (shutdown -h now or reboot), and it should have a new identity assigned to it. To revert to your original configuration, merely follow the same steps with your original data.
 

Connecting a Windows 95/98 PC

WARNING -- Make sure that you remember your original network configuration. The change required to connect to the network using DHCP will erase much of this information.

First choose ``Start/Settings/Control-panel'' from the start icon. Click on the ``Network'' icon in the control panel.

In the window which appears, scroll down under ``Configuration'' and double-click on the line which says ``TCP/IP > (your ethernet adaptor brand)''. The ethernet configuration panel will pop up.

In this window, choose the ``IP Address'' flag at the top. Click on the ``Obtain an IP address automatically'' button.

Finally, click on OK at the bottom. When the machine asks if you wish to reboot, click on ``Yes''.

Again, to reset your machine to its original configuration, follow this procedure and enter the information in the relevant fields that was removed when when you clicked on the ``Obtain an IP address automatically'' button (above).