Connecting to Neon (Linux/Mac terminal)
You can connect to the Neon cluster on a Linux or Mac machine (or using Cygwin on Windows) by opening a terminal and using ssh with your HawkID and password:
ssh neon.hpc.uiowa.edu
Note that if, on the machine you’re using, your username is not the same as your HawkID, you’ll have to specify your login username:
ssh hawkid@neon.hpc.uiowa.edu
By default, ssh uses port 22, which is blocked from outside connections by the University of Iowa network. So if you are connecting from off-campus, you will have to specify port 40:
ssh -p 40 neon.hpc.uiowa.edu
Note, however, that you do not have to set up a VPN to connect to Neon.
Finally, you may be interested in the -Y flag:
ssh -Y neon.hpc.uiowa.edu
which allows X11 forwarding (e.g., if you try to plot something in R, a plot window will open).
Connecting to Neon (Windows)
On a Windows machine, you can use PuTTY to connect to Neon in essentially the same way as above, only with a GUI interface. Just be sure to specify:
- Connection: SSH (default)
- Host Name: neon.hpc.uiowa.edu
- Port: 22 (default) is fine on-campus, but you need to specify 40 if you're connecting from off-campus
You will then be prompted for your username (HawkID) and password.
Connecting by Remote Desktop
It is also possible to connect to Neon by remote desktop using NoMachine NX. I have never personally done this, but instructions are available here. If anyone has tried this out and has any tips to share, let me know and I will make them available here.