- What
is a CUHK Hostname Service
- Who
can Apply for a Hostname Service
- How
to Apply for a Hostname Service
- Rules and Guidelines for Selecting a Hostname
- Related Internet Applications
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a CUHK Hostname Service?
ResNet/ClassNet VPN users, however, do not currently have a fixed IP address or a hostname for their computers. Hence, they may find it inconvenient to use some network applications which require the identification of a computer by IP address or hostname, like video conferencing or net meeting.
With CUHK Hostname Service, users can register a hostname using a convention alias (alias.idv.cuhk.edu.hk or alias.cuhost.cuhk.edu.hk). Whenever they login to the VPN service through the CUHK Hostname Service, their computers can be identified by their registered hostnames.
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2.
Who can Apply for a Hostname Service?
The CUHK Hostname Service is now open for individual and group applications.
For individuals, their applied hostname will be in the convention alias of name.idv.cuhk.edu.hk.
For groups included in the following, their hostnames will have a different subpart convention alias of name.cuhost.cuhk.edu.hk.
- Academic and Administrative Units
- Faculties and Departments
- Student Societies
- Courses
- Specific Projects
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3.
How to Apply for a Hostname Service?
The same registration procedure is applicable for both individual and group applicants.
1. Click on https://helpdesk.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/group/cuhostname-help for the ITSC Electronic HelpDesk system.
2. Login with your CWEM account. For group applicants, you should first register a CWEM account for your group and use that account to login.
3. Fill in the form.
- Under Section 2. Problem/Request Information,
- specify "CUHK Hostname Application" under both the subsections,
Problem/Request Subject and Problem/Request Details
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- Under Section 3. Application for the CUHK Hostname Service, please specify the following:
a. the application type
personal/department/unit/project/student organization
b. your desired hostname
your name or name of the department/unit/project/organization
(Details please refer to 4. Rules and Guidelines for Selecting a Hostname)
c. a justification for using this service
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4. Submit the form.
The result of the applications will be sent through e-mail within three working days. And you can always login to the ITSC Electronic HelpDesk System to check your application status.
Once the application is approved, the registered hostname will be effective after 10 minutes of each dialup or VPN connection you have made with the corresponding CWEM account.
If you like the hostname to be used in your department, you can enjoy this service by setting up a CUHK VPN connection (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/itsc/network/vpn/vpn.html) over your departmental LAN.
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4. Rules and Guidelines for Selecting a Hostname
a. First-come, First-served
The selection of hostnames is served on a first-come, first-served basis. The hostname convention of Individual and group applicants are:
Individual applicants: name.idv.cuhk.edu.hk
Group applicants: name.cuhost.cuhk.edu.hk
b. Requirements
- All selected names should contain 3 to 32 characters, with only numbers and alphabets. Hyphen "-" can be used but it cannot be used as the first or last character.
- Please be aware that the names are not case sensitive. For example, “JoeChan” is equivalent to “joechan”.
- The names should reflect the nature of usage. For group applications, the hostnames should reflect the business activities of the department/unit/student organizations.
c. Accountability
Accountability is encouraged in communication. Names like 'superman', 'handsome-boy', 'little-pig' are discouraged.
d. Reserved Names
Some names or words are reserved and should only be used by the corresponding department/unit/student organizations. They are:
- Names of the University departments, faculties, student societies and units;
- Names of the University officers such as the Chancellor, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the Dean-of-Student; and
- Names of system accounts such as 'root', 'postmaster' and 'system'.
e. Decency
The chosen hostname must be decent and it should not embarrass or harass any person.
If you are in doubt in your choice of hostname, you can always consult our Electronic Helpdesk. ITSC has the reserved right to delete the inappropriate ones without advance notice.
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5. Related Internet Applications
5.1 What kind of Internet applications needs CUHK Hostname Service?
When other users wish to connect to your Internet applications provided by your own computer, they need an IP address. However, on one hand, an IP address is difficult to remember. On the other hand, we are using a VPN connection for ResNet/ClassNet connection. The assigned IP address changes from time to time. Hence, you have to give out an IP address to others again whenever it changes.
CUHK hostname service helps to translate your registered hostname to your most updated IP address, which other users no longer need to know your current IP address before connecting. For most server–client based Internet applications, they need this service.
5.2 More about the common types of Internet applications
The following are the common Internet applications in which you can learn them more at Wikipedia webpage.
5.3 Will ITSC support on setting up or troubleshoot the above Internet applications on my computer?
Due to limitation of our resources, we are sorry that we can only support on basic network problems related to CUHK hostname service but not on the various Internet applications that set up in any non-ITSC computer.
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6. Frequently Asked Questions
6.1 What kind of internet applications requires a personal hostname?
They are mostly server–client based internet applications that require a personal hostname, e.g. Web server, FTP server, Remote Desktop, VNC and Telnet.
6.2 Do I need to take any special security measures when using Internet applications with CUHK hostname service?
Access via CUHK hostname (like name.idv.cuhk.edu.hk) is no different from access via an IP address (like 137.189.190.211). Therefore, you need to take regular security measures:
6.3 What is the difference between a hostname and an IP address?
An IP address (e.g. 137.189.190.211) is difficult to remember, so a hostname (e.g. joechan.idv.cuhk.edu.hk) is used to mask an IP address. Resnet/ClassNet VPN users have dynamic IP addresses - your IP addresses change every time when you go online. And the CUHK Hostname Service can provide you with a fixed hostname.
6.4 Must I use a VPN connection (over ResNet, ClassNet or public ISP connection) before others can find my computer via my registered CUHK personal hostname?
Yes, you must use the CUHK VPN service over a Resnet, ClassNet or public ISP connection.
6.5 I'm a ResNet user. While using some network services like ftp or web, others can find my computer only when they are using a campus connection but not through any other off-campus access (e.g. over a public ISP connection), why?
To provide a stable network connection for ResNet users, some well-known network services (e.g. web, ftp and e-mail) have been blocked from off-campus access. It is because these services are usually attacked by network worms. Hence, by blocking off-campus access to these servers, PCs in ResNet could be saved from this kind of attack. This may be inconvenient for some users, but protection thus provided to many other users is essential. Though those network services may not be available, many peer-to-peer applications (e.g. video-conferencing) can still be used by off-campus access through the CUHK hostname service.
6.6 I am at home and connect to the campus network using CUHK VPN service over my subscribed ISP connection. Can others still find my computer using my registered CUHK hostname?
Yes, CUHK Hostname service also covers the VPN connection over a public ISP network. Hence, you may provide servers at home for others to access.
6.7 ITSC has accepted my application for CUHK Hostname Service. However, I still fail to use the registered hostname. What should I do?
Be sure that you have waited for at least 10 minutes after every logon to the VPN server. Otherwise your may not be able to use your registered hostname.
If the problem still exists, you may try to input your hostname (e.g. joechan.idv.cuhk.edu.hk) in the “DNS lookup” (the box at the top right) of http://dnsstuff.com:8080/. Click "Lookup" to see if your hostname is translated into your IP address, which is shown on the top right corner as: "Your IP: 137.189.x.y." If you cannot see the translation, please go to our Helpdesk and leave the following information:
- your cuhostname
- your computing id
- the date and time of your failed access
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Campus-wide E-mail (CWEM)
