SME Server:Documentation:User Manual:Chapter1
Chapter 1 - Access
Passwords
The user's password gives access to server login, file storage, email accounts and the like. If a user's password is lost the administrator can reset to a new value, but not retrieve the old one. Passwords must be sufficiently complex, with the rules controlled by the server administrator.
Users can reset their passwords at www.yourserver.net/user-password
For windows clients, If the server is the domain PDC the user can reset his password after issuing a Ctrl+Alt+Del, Note that windows error messages may not explain clearly enough that the user password isn't sufficiently complex.
VPN Access
To configure VPN access the administrator must configure PPTP.
- First Admin must enable PPTP connections globally in the "Remote access" panel. Enter the number of concurrent PPTP connections that will be established. To disable all PPTP connections enter "0" (default).
- Then Admin must enable VPN access for each user that will be allowed to connect via VPN to your SME Server. Use the "Users" panel to configure each user that requires VPN access.
To configure your VPN client, in Win XP, go to Networking in Control Panel. (New Connection Wizard)
- Establish the connection from XP by double clicking the VPN icon for your connection & entering a valid SME user/password combination. Your connection to the Internet needs to be established first before you initiate the PPTP connection
- It is suggested/advised you to use the same login name on your Windows PC as you use on sme, it's easier (& seamless) to deal with permissions for ibays etc that way.
- When you then open up your Network Neighborhood window, you should see your server workgroup listed there. Alternatively, map a drive as required like:
net use M: \\192.168.1.1\ibayname
Shell Access
This is the preferred method of connecting to SME, as you can connect from any machine with an SSH Client. SSH is similar in function to Telnet, with the main difference being that it is heavily encrypted. It has many other very useful features, such as tunneling, which are outside the scope of this section of the manual.
Before a user can have shell access Admin must:
- enable ssh access at server-manager -> Security -> Remote Access
- then grant each user shell access:
chsh -s /bin/bash jim
- Password access
If your admin allows it you can connect with just a username and password.
- SSH Keys access
If you need to get SSH access to your server from outside the LAN (e.g. you want to get to your work server from home) then the advised method is to use Public / Private Keys.
During Logon, the server runs a check to see if your Private Key corresponds to its stored Public key for the user that you are trying to log on as. If they don't match then the server simply drops the TCP session.
Setup your keys with the information at SSH_Public-Private_Keys
When you have SSH Keys working, the server Admin can disable logging in using passwords.