Department of Mathematics

Computing FAQs

To log into username@math.uchicago.edu

• On Windows, you can use the PuTTY program, which you can download here. Open a connection using the following settings: (then, when prompted, enter your username, i.e. username, and your password)
  • host name: math.uchicago.edu
  • port: 22
  • connection type: SSH
• On Mac and Linux, you should use the ssh command in the terminal, like this:
  ssh username@math.uchicago.edu
• One important comment: the first time you do this, there will probably be a warning about the "host key" of the server being unknown. Theoretically, unless you verify with Ed Friedman or John Zekos that this has the correct value, your password (and any other information you send) could be being intercepted. In practice, it's unlikely that anyone is targeting you specifically, so feel free to just proceed.
• You also can go to the computer lab in Eckhart 28 to log in.
• For transferring files between your computer and your account, probably the easiest approach is to use a graphical interface like Filezilla, which is available for any operating system. If you want to stick to the command line, on Windows you can use PSFTP (available at the same place as PuTTY), and for Mac and Linux, use the sftp command in the terminal.

To get emails for username@math.uchicago.edu in Gmail

• In your home folder, which is the top level folder for your account, there should be a file called .forward (note the period at the front of the name) - or, if there is not such a file, then create it.
  
  (Be careful, file names that begin with a period are often not shown by default; in Filezilla, for example, you need to go to "View", then "Filename Filters", and uncheck the box next to "Configuration Files" in order to see them.)
• Edit the file .forward to contain your Gmail address. You can forward to multiple addresses by putting each on a new line, or by separating them with a comma followed by a space.

To send emails from username@math.uchicago.edu in Gmail

• In Gmail, click the gear icon, click on "Settings", then go to the "Accounts and Import" tab.
• In the "Send mail as" section, click the link for adding a new email address.
• After specifying the email address username@math.uchicago.edu, here is the information to enter:
  • use the SMTP server authsmtp.uchicago.edu
  • use port 465
  • use SSL, not TLS
  • use your CNet ID username and password (neither of which are necessarily the same as for your math department account)