Squiggles research computer server

Introduction

"Squiggles" is a dedicated research computer server designed for the analysis and storage of MEG, Neurophysiology, and Epilepsy data. This guide elucidates the steps to connect using either the recommended FastX connection or the traditional VNC method.

Access Requirements

RCC Account

• To utilize "Squiggles", an RCC (Research Computer Server) account is mandatory.
• Register for an account on [MCW-Infoscope's Research Computing Center].
• If prompted, choose "others" followed by "squiggles" to indicate the server of interest.
• Adhere to the ensuing steps to kickstart a new session and gain remote access to Squiggles.

Connecting to Squiggles

Before proceeding with either the VNC or FastX methods, ensure you've chosen a unique port number to establish an SSH tunnel:

VNC User Ports: Each user has a dedicated port number for login (pick one that is not taken):

User	Port
Jeff Stout	5910,5911
Joe Heffernan	5912
Candida Ustine	5914
Manoj Raghavan	5913
Chad Carlson	5915
Chris Anderson	5916
Serena Thompson	5917
Patrick Bauer	5918
Jeff Binder	5919
Leo Fernandino	5920
Lisa Conant	5921
Aqil Izadysadr	5922
Nick Guzowski	5923
Zack Harper	5924
Bill Gross	5925
Michelle Kassel	5926
Greg McQuestion	5927
Monica Keith	5928
Priyanka Shah	5929
Vahab Youssofzadeh	5931
Songhee Kim	5935
Cameron J Stewart	5992

VNC Method

SSH Tunneling Method using Power Shell (for Mac/Linux/Windows)

In a bash shell, terminal, or Windows PowerShell, execute the following to set up an SSH tunnel for the VNC Viewer: ssh -N -L 59##:localhost:59## squiggles.rcc.mcw.edu

SSH Tunneling Method using Putty (for Windows)

PuTTY is an open-source software for SSH Tunneling (or SSH Port Forwarding) Download Putty for SSH tunneling, and follow below images for configuration:

Creating & Accessing a VNC Session:

• VNC sessions are initialized automatically during boot-up.
• If issues arise, manually start a session with: vncserver :## -geometry 1900x1200, replacing ## with your specific port number.
• For access, employ the [RealVNC viewer].
• In the server address bar, input localhost:##, where ## matches the last two digits of your port.

FastX Method

FastX is potentially a more seamless alternative to VNC, especially when handling many simultaneous users.

• Fetch the FastX client and then:

 ** Launch FastX.
 ** Press '+' to set up a new connection.
 ** Enter Connection Name, host (squiggles.rcc.mcw.edu), and your RCC username.
 ** To begin a session, tap '+' and use the command /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.

Troubleshooting

• VNC Black Screen: Experiencing a black screen after VNC login? Ensure you've deactivated Anaconda Python prior. Command: conda deactivate.
• Persistent VNC Issues: Switch to the FastX method.
• Killing a VNC session: In terminal, vncserver -kill :xx/. For manual termination:

rm -f /tmp/.Xxx-lock
rm -f /tmp/.X11-unix/Xxx

• Identifying Active Users: Command ls -l /tmp/.X11-unix.