How to connect to LINCOMM on a Mac

This guide shows you how to sign in to a LINCOMM node from a Mac. LINCOMM is short for Linux Community Servers. You connect using SSH (Secure Shell), which is built into every Mac — you do not need to install anything.

Prerequisites

• A UW–Madison NetID and password.
• If your Mac is not on the wired Taylor Hall network, set up the campus VPN (Virtual Private Network) first: Campus VPN for Mac. Connect to the VPN before the steps below.
• The name of the node you want. To pick the least-busy one, open https://lincomm.aae.wisc.edu in a browser. If you are reconnecting to work you left running, use the node you started on instead — you can only be on one node at a time.

Steps

1. Open Terminal. In Finder, choose Go → Utilities, then open Terminal.

   

   

2. Run the SSH command below. Replace jdoe with your NetID and lincomm-node01 with the node you chose.

   ssh jdoe@AD.WISC.EDU@lincomm-node01.aae.wisc.edu

   Note the @AD.WISC.EDU after your NetID. "AD" is the campus Active Directory account system, and this part is required.

3. The first time you connect to a node, you are asked to verify its fingerprint. Type yes and press Return.

4. Enter your NetID password when prompted, then press Return. The screen will not show the password as you type — that is normal.

Verify it worked

You should see a command prompt ending in the node name. To confirm which node you are on, run:

hostname

It should print the node you connected to, such as lincomm-node01.

If something went wrong

• "Permission denied": Check that you typed your sign-in name as <netid>@AD.WISC.EDU and used your NetID password. Make sure the VPN is connected if you are off the wired Taylor Hall network.
• Connection times out or is refused: Confirm the node name is spelled correctly and that the VPN is connected.
• You are told you are already logged in elsewhere: You can be on only one node at a time. Disconnect from the other node first, then reconnect here.