University of Nottingham

Web forum

Search suspended 

Web forum  >  Resources  >  Publishing > Preparing your new account


Preparing your new account for publishing

A newly created account (i.e. when you receive a new username and password) will need setting up to serve web pages. You will need to log into the Unix service using your new username and password) and run a program called webinit which will make the necessary adjustments for you. You only need to do this procedure once. Read the instructions below or see a demo of this process.

You need to use some software to make the connection to the Unix service.

If you are using a PC running Windows you can use some software called Telnet to make the connection. Telnet comes already installed with a Windows PC.

First you need to open Telnet:

  1. From the Start menu, choose Run.
  2. In the Run dialogue box that appears, type telnet.
  3. Click on OK.

The Telnet window opens.

IS recommend a more secure alternative to Telnet called SSH Secure Shell for workstations v2.4.

You can run SSH Client through NAL:

  1. From the Start menu, choose Run.
  2. In the Run dialogue box that appears, type nal.
  3. Click on OK.
  4. When NAL opens, open the Accessing the Internet folder and double-click on the SSH Client icon

Alternatively, you can download SSH from IS to install on your own PC. UoN access only

Next you need to make the connection to the unix service and log on.

In this example, we will log in to granby - the computer that runs the web server software:

  1. From the Connect menu, choose Remote system ....
    If you're using SSH Client instead of Telnet, from the File menu, choose Connect...
  2. In the Host Name: box, type granby
    (if you are attempting this from off campus, you will need to type granby.nottingham.ac.uk).
    If you're using SSH Client instead of Telnet, you should also enter your username in User Name: box.
  3. Click on Connect
    If the connection is successful, you will be prompted to enter your username.
    If you're using SSH Client instead of Telnet, you will already have entered your username and you will not receive this prompt.
  4. Type your username and press Enter or Return.
  5. When prompted, type your password and press Enter or Return.

When you have logged on successfully, granby will show you some details about your connection and there will be a dollar prompt ($) or something similar, indicating that granby is waiting for your commands.

Now you can run webinit

First we will check what is in your file space, then run webinit to set up your account for web publishing, then check what is in your file space again to see the difference that running webinit has made.

  1. Type ls (ell ess) and press Enter or Return
    granby shows you a listing of all your folders and files (none at the moment).
  2. Type webinit and press Enter or Return
    you are presented with information about the process of setting up your account on granby to serve your web pages.
  3. Press Enter or Return to agree to proceed
    granby sets up your account to serve web pages.
  4. Type ls (ell ess) and press Enter or Return
    granby shows you a listing of your folders and files (this time you should see listed the public_html folder that was created as part of the webinit procedure).

Note that all of your web pages and associated images etc. must be inside the public_html folder (or inside further folders within the public_html folder) in order for them to be accessible to people browsing the web.

Your account is now ready for you to publish your pages.

You will only need to perform this procedure once.

You are advised to change your password

Whilst you are still logged into granby, you should take this opportunity to change your web publishing password using the passwd command. IS have provided instructions in their Getting started on the Unix service. You might want to pay particular attention to section 3.2 for the instructions and section 9 for advice on choosing an appropriate password.

Logging out and closing your connection

You can close your connection to granby, and you can close the Telnet software:

  1. Type exit and press Enter or Return to close the connection to granby.
  2. From the Connect menu, choose Exit to close the Telnet software.
    If you're using SSH Client instead of Telnet, from the File menu, choose Exit to close the SSH software.