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FAQ

General Questions​

What is the Texas Cyber Range?​

The Texas Cyber Range (TxCR) is a virtualized infrastructure platform designed for hands-on learning, testing, and development in cybersecurity, networking, and system administration.

Who can access TxCR?​

Access is typically provided to students, faculty, and authorized personnel. Contact your administrator for account access.

Is there a cost to use TxCR?​

Pricing and access policies vary. Check with your institution or department for details.

Access & Connectivity​

How do I connect to the range?​

Access varies by service:

  • Web services (Xen Orchestra): No VPN needed—access directly at xo.txcr.dev
  • Authentik Dashboard: Access at sso.txcr.dev for centralized application portal
  • SSH to VMs: Requires VPN connection via GlobalProtect
  • RDP to VMs: Requires VPN connection via GlobalProtect

See our VPN Access Guide and Console Access Guide for details.

What if I can't connect to VPN?​

Common troubleshooting steps:

  • Verify you're using the correct portal: vpn.txcr.dev
  • Check your TxCR credentials at sso.txcr.dev
  • Ensure GlobalProtect client is installed and up to date
  • Contact support if issues persist

See the VPN Troubleshooting section for more solutions.

Can I access TxCR from off-campus?​

Yes! All TxCR web services (Xen Orchestra, Authentik) are accessible from anywhere. VPN is only needed for direct VM connections (SSH/RDP).

Virtual Machines​

How many VMs can I create?​

Resource allocations vary by user role and project. Check your quota in Xen Orchestra or contact your administrator.

What operating systems are available?​

Common options include:

  • Linux: Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, Rocky Linux, RHEL
  • Windows: Server 2019, Server 2022
  • Networking: OPNsense, VyOS, pfSense

Can I upload my own ISO files?​

Permissions vary by role. Standard users typically use pre-approved templates. Contact an administrator for custom ISO requests.

How do I snapshot my VM?​

Snapshots can be created through Xen Orchestra:

  1. Select your VM
  2. Click "Snapshots" tab
  3. Click "New Snapshot"
  4. Name it and save

Networking​

How do I get a public IP for my VM?​

Public IPs are limited and require approval. Most use cases work fine with:

  • Internal networking between your VMs
  • Reverse proxy through a gateway VM
  • Port forwarding arrangements

Can I create isolated networks?​

Yes! You can create private networks for testing:

  • Configure VLANs in Xen Orchestra
  • Set up your own routing with VyOS or OPNsense
  • Isolate lab environments from production

How do I set up a firewall?​

See our OPNsense Firewall Guide for a complete walkthrough.

Development & Software​

Can I install Docker?​

Yes! Docker and Docker Compose are supported. See our Docker Basics guide.

Can I run Kubernetes?​

Yes! We have guides for:

Can I host a website?​

Absolutely! Check out:

Can I use VS Code remotely?​

Yes! See our VS Code Remote Development guide for SSH and remote-SSH setup.

Storage & Data​

How much storage do I have?​

Storage quotas vary by user role. Check your allocation in Xen Orchestra.

Are my VMs backed up?​

Backup policies vary. Important: Always maintain your own backups of critical data and configurations.

Can I transfer files to/from my VMs?​

Yes, multiple methods:

  • SCP/SFTP: For Linux VMs
  • RDP: File transfer for Windows
  • Git: Clone repositories directly
  • HTTP: Download files via wget/curl

Security & Best Practices​

Should I use strong passwords?​

Absolutely! Follow these guidelines:

  • Use unique passwords for each service
  • Enable SSH key authentication
  • Disable password authentication for SSH when possible
  • Change default credentials immediately

Can other users see my VMs?​

Your VMs are isolated to your account. However:

  • Keep your systems patched
  • Don't expose unnecessary services
  • Use firewall rules appropriately

What if I suspect unauthorized access?​

  1. Change all passwords immediately
  2. Check system logs
  3. Contact administrators
  4. Review firewall rules and open ports

Troubleshooting​

My VM won't start​

Common fixes:

  • Check resource availability (CPU, RAM, storage)
  • Verify the VM isn't corrupted
  • Try reverting to a snapshot
  • Check Xen Orchestra logs

I'm locked out of my VM​

If you've lost access:

  • Use console access through Xen Orchestra
  • Reset passwords via single-user mode (Linux)
  • Contact support for assistance

Network connectivity issues?​

Debug steps:

  1. Verify network adapter is connected in XO
  2. Check IP configuration (ip addr or ipconfig)
  3. Test gateway connectivity
  4. Verify firewall rules
  5. Check routing tables

Support & Resources​

Where can I get help?​

Can I contribute to these docs?​

Yes! Documentation improvements are welcome. This site is built with Docusaurus and the source is available for contributions.

Are there video tutorials?​

Video content may be available through your institution's learning management system or YouTube channel. Check the External Resources page.

Don't see your question? Check the Troubleshooting guide or contact support.