Remote Access to the Rice Network

Recommended Tools to use with Internet Access to Reach the Rice Network

For customers who have Internet access established, several tools can be used to review or edit e-mail, calendars, publications or files stored on Rice servers.

Web-based E-mail Access: A web-based e-mail system allows for the sending and receiving of Rice e-mail from any machine equipped with a Web browser. Note that in order to prevent unsolicited e-mail from being sent through Rice machines, the university does not allow the relaying of e-mail. For details about how to configure e-mail clients affected by this policy, see the E-mail relay page.

Dynamic Proxy Server: Fondren Library makes over 120 journals and databases available online for use by Rice faculty, staff and students using campus computers. For customers who are using a computer without a Rice IP address, the dynamic Proxy server provides access to these publications. To get a Rice IP address for your current computer, the existing dialup service will work, or connecting with a VPN account will provide a Rice IP address for new Rice-Level 3 customers. IT is investigating a solution that would result in a Rice IP address for Rice-Level 3 customers and will publish an update to this web page in the near future. NOTE: Proxy is selective about the web browsers it accommodates. Compatible web browsers must support automatic proxy configuration via a script. Make sure your web browser is included in the Proxy list of acceptable browsers.

SSH: Off-campus customers can read or edit files on a Rice server from an off-campus location by using SSH. SSH Communications Security Ltd. developed Secure Shell (otherwise known as simply SSH) as a program to log into another computer over a network with minimal risk of data or network vulnerability. Should an attacker manage to take over a network, they can only force SSH to disconnect, not play back the traffic or hijack the connection. SSH is able to guarantee this type of security because the entire login session is encrypted, including the transmission of the password.

VPN: (Virtual Private Network) uses a set of protocols for communicating securely over a public network. Rice University students, faculty and staff can obtain VPN accounts and clients software that enable them to use many services from off-campus that would otherwise require the user to be on-campus, such as many library resources. Note: In order to facilitate access to Rice-restricted resources, the default VPN group to which most users are added directs the VPN 3000 Client to send ALL traffic to Rice. This is necessary because the electronic resources of the library are all over the Internet. We strongly encourage you to disconnect from the VPN when you are not working with Rice resources. By doing so, you will help reduce unnecessary load on Rice's Internet connection and improve the performance of your Internet accesses that don't need to involve Rice.

Web-based Calendar Access: Review and edit Calendar entries through this web tool for any machine equipped with a Web browser.

Other Alternatives

Continue to logon while you travel! If you are in a location that does not have a local Rice-Level 3 access area, you can still connect to the Rice network with the new 800 service. Remember that VPN accounts are required to access restricted areas of the Rice network.

• VPN information for security clearance to access the Rice network from off-campus

E-mail Travel Advisory

Sending and Receiving E-mail from a Non-Rice Computer System: In order to prevent unsolicited e-mail from being sent through Rice machines, the university does not allow the relaying of e-mail. Read about how to configure e-mail clients affected by this policy.