Linux - System Setup

This page is meant to help you get your computer ready to connect to the CS server. What you need to do depends on your operating system.

Your Personal Computer

Windows

You will need to install software that will allow you to connect to the CS server. The following are all options that would work.

1. Putty or WinSCP - these allow you to connect to the CS server and gives you a text-based terminal to run commands on the server.
   Putty download WinSCP download [video demo]
2. Cygwin - this gives you a text-based terminal that you can use on your local computer as well as allowing you to connect to the server.
   download/install [video demo]
3. Virtual machine - you can install VirtualBox on your computer and then install Linux inside VirtualBox.
   VirtualBox download Ubuntu Linux download [video demo]
   You could use a different Linux distribution other than Ubuntu as well.
4. FileZilla - to transfer files between your computer and the CS server, you need an sftp program. One that is free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux is FileZilla.
   download [video demo]

Mac OS

On a Mac you already have the software needed to connect to the CS server, or you can install the Virtual machine just like on Windows. The following are options that work.

1. Built-in terminal - you can use the built-in Terminal program in Mac OS to connect to the cs server, and you can also use the Terminal program to run commands on your local computer.
   [video demo]
2. Virtual machine - you can install VirtualBox on your computer and then install Linux inside VirtualBox. You could also install Windows inside of VirtualBox, if you have software that you need to run that requires Windows.
   Download / video demo - see above under Window - Virtual machine above
3. FileZilla - to transfer files between your computer and the CS server, you need an sftp program. One that is free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux is FileZilla.
   [video demo] download link - see under Windows - FileZilla above

Chromebook

If you have a Chromebook, please be in touch with Jeff Kinne or Steve Baker so we can get you setup and also put some instructions here for others to have.

Linux Desktop

If you are already running Linux on your computer, then you already have the software needed to connect to the CS server. As with Mac OS, you can also install VirtualBox and virtual machines if you would like. [video demo]

ISU CS Lab Computers

The computers in ISU CS labs (Root Hall A-015, A-017, A-019) are already configured with Linux. You can use these computers as long as you have a CS account. CS accounts are normally distributed during the first week of classes. If you are a CS major, you can also request a permanent CS account. See CS Accounts and CS Lab Computers.