MSLN Network Management Tool (NMT)

Login and passwords
Adding and deleting computers
How to find the Hardware Address
Email Accounts

The MSLN Network Management Tool (or NM) can be found at: http://nm.msln.net/
The NM is a web-based utility that allows you to add new computers, change information about computers, view all the computers and their IP Address and Mac address information, add and delete mail user accounts.

Logins and Passwords

To use the NM you must have a username and a password. This is provided to the person who is on record with the MSLN Help Desk as the technical coordinator for your library or school. If you do not have the username and password, you can call the MSLN Help Desk at 1-888-367-6756 (1-888-FOR-MSLN). The technical coordinator or the Library Director should make this call. If the technical coordinator has left, the Help Desk can issue a new username and password to the new Technical Coordinator or Library Director. You can change the password at this initial screen by clicking on the link "Change your password for this server". Please make a note of your password or choose a password that you will remember!
Once you have the username and password you can go to the NM web site ‚ http://nm.msln.net

NM website graphic

When you click on the link Network Management Tool you will get a dialog box that looks like this:

NM login graphic

Just fill in the username and password; Click OK and that will bring you to your Network Management page. it should look something like the

NM graphic for site

Adding and deleting computers

If you click on the Networks button you'll get a screen that looks like this one below.

NM graphic with IP info

Click on the IP address under the word Subnet. You'll get a list of all your computers and their IP Addresses.
First decide which IP Address this new computer will be assigned from the numbers available at the bottom of the table.
Click on the New Host button.
Here you give the computer a name, fill in the IP address from your available list, and also fill in the Hardware Address of your Network card. This is a 12 digit number that can be found on the card, or easier by checking on your computer.
Note: The hardware address is also called the MAC address, or NIC address, Adapter Address or Physical Address.

How to find the Hardware Address

For Windows 95/98
Start --> Run: Type in winipcfg, then click OK. The adapter address is the MAC/ Ethernet. it is a 12 digit number

For Windows NT, 2000, XP
Start --> Run--> Type in cmd At the c:\ prompt, type in ipconfig/all.
Look for Physical Address underneath the heading Ethernet Adapter.

Once you have entered the Hardware address it is a good idea to document in the notes the date you added the computer and who added the computer.

If you click on the networks button and then on your subnet number you'll see the new computer that you added in the table. It is a good idea to print this page ‚ it contains a lot of information about your computers, your IP address range etc. Sometimes you need this information to configure the Network Properties on your computers.

To Add or Delete Mail User Accounts

Click on the Mail Accounts button on the right side of the page and you'll get a screen that has your library domain name and a list of all the mail accounts.
You have a choice of 2 buttons, New Mailid or New Alias.

To add a new mail user id, click on the New Mailid button.
To create an Alias, click on New Alias.
To change a password for a user or delete a user, click on the user's name.
All these screens contain these fields.

The ID is the mail user name (first initial, last name ‚ or whatever you choose).
If you are creating a new use ID remember that these user names must be unique.
If you type in a user name that has already been used you will get a message that says:
Unable to add jsmith: ID already exists. In that case, try another user name.

If you are deleting a user, just click the Delete button.
If you are changing a password, just type in the new password and click the Change button.
Please note: New passwords must be at least 6 characters and must be a combination of letters and numbers.
Sample password: jharmon416
There is additional technical information at the MSLN web site at: http://www.msln.net/msln/services/email.html

What is a New Alias?

Remember that each mail ID (username) on MSLN has to be unique? If it is not unique you get an error saying you have created a duplicate id. That duplicate id may not be at your library (but at another MSLN site). So you have to create a different id. BUT, if there is an ID you particularly want (i.e. principal, librarian, postmaster, jim, etc.) but is not available, you can create a mail alias.

Creating Mail Aliases on the MSLN Server

A mail alias is just mail forwarding. Any mail sent to a mail alias is forwarded on to one or more other e-mail addresses. Since an alias has no mailbox associated with it, the name only needs s to be unique within your mail domain (within your library, not all of MSLN as with the regular Mail Ids).
So you can have the mail alias "director@yourlibrary.lib.me.us" even if "director" is in use as an ID somewhere else on MSLN.
Using an alias, you can cause mail sent to director@yourlibrary.lib.me.us to be sent to the director's real e-mail address. You can also create an alias that will forward mail to multiple mail addresses. In this way you can create an alias like staff@yourlibrary.lib.me.us that forwards mail on to all/some of your staff e-mail addresses.

Click on the New Alias button. Add the ID "Director" (or whatever name you'd like). Then type in the "real" mail user ID in the Forwarding Addresses area.

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