About Connecting the HDrive

Please follow these instructions for connecting to your HDrive from your residence—either off campus or on campus. If you have trouble, contact the Help Desk at 856.256.4400. If they cannot help you (and have told you as such), email me exactly what the problem is (Example of what not to email me: “I can’t connect! Please help!”), at what stage you are getting the problem, and what you have done up to that point. Tell me also if you are using a wireless computer. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to fix your problems, but I will try.

Connecting

Here is what you need to do to connect:

You will need to know your Home Directory information, which you can find at http://www.rowan.edu/myhome/. Enter your username (the one you use for your Rowan email), click the button and keep this window open so that you have the information in front of you when you need it.

If you live on campus you do not need to download and install any software to connect. Instead, follow the instructions listed at: http://www.rowan.edu/toolbox/network/on_campus/#home_stu.

If you live off campus you first must download and install a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) application. This application creates a connection between your computer and the Rowan server system so, as the name suggests, you can transfer files back and forth.

Mac Users
Mac users, download Fetch by following the instructions at http://www.rowan.edu/toolbox/network/off_campus/fetch/. You will be asked to go to a the Fetch web site. To connect:

1. The New Connection box should open upon you starting the application. Press Cancel. In the top menu bar, click on Fetch and then Preferences. Unclick the box next to “Use passive mode transfers (PASV)” (its the second one up from the bottom). When complete press the red close window button.

   

2. Go to File | New Connection and make sure the window looks like the below, but with your information acquired on the MyHome page (described above). When complete hit Connect. (Note, if you are connecting to the OpenArea or Common, the Hostname should be: nwftp2.rowan.edu.)
   
3. To learn how to transfer files to and from the server, watch this nifty Flecth instructional video I made.

PC Users
PC users running Windows XP and Vista (yeah!!), download SecureFX at https://www.rowan.edu/download/vandyke/index.htm. You will see links to download and install the software, and also links for licensing information. Be sure to follow those carefully and incorporate them when instructed in the below connection instructions.

The download installs two applications onto your computer—SecureCRT and SecureFX. You can ignore SecureCRT.

The instructions on the web site for connecting are for an older version of the software. Please follow these instructions instead.

1. When you open the application you should see a box that looks like the one below. If you don’t see this, go to File | Connect and it will appear:
   
2. On the Connect window, click on the New Session icon:
   
3. Select “FTP” from the pull-down menu, and then Next.
4. Enter the information as requested, following the example below. The hostname is: nwftp.rowan.edu. Your username the string next to “Your full user Context:” on the Home Directory information page you opened at the beginning of this tutorial. Cope and paste the string (including ALL THE PERIODS) into the username form field area. Leave the Account blank. Unclick the box next to “Use outgoing data connections (PASV)” (this is VERY important). Then click Next. (Note, if you are connecting to the OpenArea or Common, the Hostname should be: nwftp2.rowan.edu.)
   
5. On the next page, name the Session. I recommend naming it “Rowan HDrive.” Click Finish.
6. You will be brought back to the Connect window, but this time all sorts of folders should appear with Rowan HDrive at the bottom of the list. Click it ONCE to highlight it, and then click connect. You should then get connected.
   Note: If you previously set up SecureFX to this stage at a prior time and then had trouble connecting to the server, right click on “Rowan HDRive.” Select “Properties.” You will see the screen shown in step 4. Unclick the box as described, and then re-do step 6.
7. For instructions on how to trasfer files to and from the server, watch this nifty video for SecureFX users (note: the video gets cut off at the end because I ran over the 5 minute limit—and it was hastily made without a transcript so don’t laugh!).