Getting Software
It is possible to access most Cornell network services without Bear Access through your web browser, or through a telnet application or other software such as FTP.
Web Browser
Access to Cornell Web Sites
No matter what web browser you are using or how you are connected to the internet, you can point your web browser to web sites at Cornell. Remember, however, that some Cornell services on the web require Kerberos for authentication.
Telnet and tn3270
Telnet allows you to use one computer to access another remotely through simple command-line instructions. You use Telnet when you access the library card catalog, mainframe and other timesharing systems, and some Bear Access services. TN3270 is a special version of the telnet protocol that is used when connecting to IBM mainframe systems, such as the Cornell University Library card catalog.
Specify Port Numbers
Server addresses for telnet connections sometimes include a number after the host name. This number is a port number, e.g., 400, as in www.cornell.edu 400. Depending on what telnet software your computer has, the syntax for specifying a port number may differ.
If you try to connect to a service that uses a port number, but you get a prompt that the server will not accept your Network ID and password, chances are that your software did not interpret the port number correctly. In this case, break the connection and try again, but specify the port number differently. For example, the following addresses are all legitimate, but your software may not accept them all:
- www.cornell.edu:400 [one colon designates the port]
- www.cornell.edu::400 [two colons designate the port]
- www.cornell.edu..400 [two periods designate the port]
- www.cornell.edu 400 [a space designates the port]
- "www.cornell.edu 400" [quotation marks and a space designate the port]
Telnet applications that give you an input field or box in which to type the host address may need to have the port number entered in a separate field rather than have it appended to the host address. TCP3270 for Windows is an example of a telnet program that works this way.
Get Telnet Software
If you have an account on a mainframe or time-sharing computer connected to the Internet, you probably have access to telnet software through your account. If you are using a remote computer at another university or institution, ask support providers if you can access telnet software. If you are using an ISP, ask if they can provide you with telnet software.
For Macintosh:
Download dataComet, Bear Access' telnet application, from
the Bear Access software page.
For Windows:
Windows comes with a telnet client from Microsoft.
To use it, choose Run from the Start menu and type "telnet"
followed by a host name or address in the box.
The Microsoft telnet does not include TN3270,
which you need if you use CornellC.
Download the Bear Access telnet client from the
Bear Access software page.
More about how to use telnet
FTP
To use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) you need software that allows your computer to transfer files back and forth between itself and a Cornell (or any other) FTP server. You can use FTP to retrieve copies of files from public servers that house collections of useful programs and archives of other information. You can also use FTP to transfer copies of files from your computer to an FTP server on which you have an account (for example, a departmental computer or the CU People system).
Kerberos Is Recommended with FTP:
Some Cornell FTP servers are set up to use Kerberos. If you have Kerberos installed on the computer you are using when you start FTP, then your password can be encrypted for safe transmission across the networks to a "Kerberized" FTP server. This precaution is highly recommended to help ensure the privacy of your NetID password.
Get FTP Software:
If you are using a remote computer at another university or institution, ask support providers if you can access FTP software. If you are using an ISP, ask if they can provide you with FTP software.
Your web browser software probably has FTP capabilities built in. Try it by entering a URL starting with "ftp://", such as ftp://www.people.cornell.edu/, in your browser's Address, Location, or Open box.
For Macintosh:
Fetch is the Bear Access FTP application for Macintosh.
You can download it from the Bear Access software page.
For Windows:
Windows comes with an FTP client from Microsoft.
To use it, choose Run from the Start menu and type "ftp"
followed by a host name or address.
You can download Filezilla, the Bear Access FTP client from the Bear Access software page.
More about how to use FTP