Secure Connections for Mulberry, Contribute and Dreamweaver

During the Fall 2005 semester, we recommended using Virtual Private Network (VPN) for (a) campus-based wireless connections and (b) from off-campus broadband connections, because three software programs - Mulberry, Contribute and Dreamweaver - could not create secure connections.

These three programs can now create secure connections, but only if you have a recent version of the software, and only if it's configured properly.

New Requirements

UMD no longer allows users to edit web pages from off campus without a secure connection. That means web-page developers need to use a dialup modem, VPN software OR secure settings in Contribute 3/Dreamweaver.

During Summer 2006, UMD users will also be required to use a secure connection to access Mulberry from off campus. That means users will need to use a dialup modem, VPN software OR secure settings in Mulberry.

Which Connections Are Always Secure?

• If you access UMD email via a web browser (webmail) and don't create web pages (so you don't use Contribute or Dreamweaver), your connections are always secure.
• If you access UMD email from off-campus using Mulberry with a dial-up phone modem, your connection is always secure. (As above, if you access UMD email via a web browser [webmail], your connection is always secure, no matter how you connect to the UMD network).
• If you use VPN to connect to the UMD network, your connections are always secure.

Configuring Mulberry, Contribute and Dreamweaver

Secure connections are important when you use Mulberry, Contribute and Dreamweaver - whether you connect to the UMD network wirelessly from on campus, or via broadband from off campus - because secure connections ensure that nobody can read your password as you send it to the UMD server!

If you prefer, you can (continue to) create secure connections using VPN software. If you use VPN, we recommend downloading the new version that became available January 2006. It is more stable than the version we used in Fall 2005.

As of January 2006, our laptops on carts assume that students are not using VPN. Therefore, anyone using Mulberry and Contribute 3 on our laptops on carts should create secure connections using the instructions below (OR should continue to log in using VPN).

Mulberry

Our laptops on carts have the new, secure version of Mulberry (version 3.1.6). However, your connection isn't secure until you re-configure your Mulberry preferences! Please see the link, below, for instructions.

• Download Mulberry 3.1.6 SECURE Software
• Configuring Mulberry 3.1.6 for Secure Settings

Contribute 3

• Our cart laptops are set up with Contribute 3. See the instructions, below, for configuring Contribute 3 for secure connections.
• If you use Contribute 2 on UMD's wireless network, or from off campus via a broadband connection, you should continue to use VPN, because Contribute 2 cannot be configured to create a secure connection.

Configuring Contribute 3 for Secure Connections:

Create a Connection

• Name and email address.
• URL (address) of your web site: http://www.d.umn.edu/~kplass [where your user name follows the tilde (~)].
• How you connect to your web server: Use the popdown menu to choose Secure FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Settings:
  • Name of FTP Server: www.d.umn.edu
  • FTP Login: Your UMD user name (i.e., kplass)
  • FTP Password: Your UMD email ("X.500") password

Dreamweaver

• Anyone using Dreamweaver on our laptops on carts should continue to log in using VPN. Our version of Dreamweaer is old, and cannot be configured to create secure connections.
• Newer versions of Dreamweaver can be configured to create secure connections.

Configuring Newer Versions of Dreamweaver for Secure Connections:

If you are using a newer version of Dreamweaver - either on UMD's wireless network or from home via a broadband connection - here is how you can set up a secure connection within Dreamweaver, so you don't need to use VPN:

Dreamweaver has two tabs in Site > New Site: Basic or Advanced. The basic tab provides a "wizard" to help you set up your site. Click the Advanced tab and enter the information below:

Site > New Site >

Local Info (local settings)

• Site Name: Suggestion - use your email user name (i.e., kplass)
• Local Root Folder: Browse to the folder where your web site files will reside (suggestion - use your email user name - i.e., kplass)
• HTTP Address: http://

Remote Info (server settings)

• Access: FTP
• FTP Host: www.d.umn.edu
• Host Directory: www
• Login: Your UMD email user name (i.e., kplass)
• Password: Your UMD email password
• Below the Password box are several check boxes. Check the box that says Use Secure FTP (SFTP)