VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. The VPN allows you to securely connect to university resources, such as CICS, from off campus as if you were on the university network. In doing so, this eliminates issues with firewalls and ISP restrictions in communicating with Louisiana Tech computing resources. The VPN client must also be installed in order to use the university's wireless network.
32-bit Vista Clean install
If you have a clean install of 32-bit Windows Vista, you can install the Cisco VPN client. To download the VPN client, please go to Downloads, select VPN and perform the following steps: - Click OK or Continue to any warning dialog boxes that may pop up.
- Enter your Tech USERNAME and PASSWORD and click OK.
- Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Yes to accept the license agreement.
- Click the link of version you wish to download. For example, if your computer is running Windows 2000 or XP or a clean install of Vista (not upgraded from XP), click the link with Windows in parentheses.
- A dialog box will pop up asking if you want to run or save the file. Click Run.
- Once downloaded, follow the on-screen instruction to install the VPN client.
Once the client has been installed, using it is simple: - To start the client, go to Start > Programs > LaTech VPN Client > LaTech VPN Dialer.
- Select your location, LaTech Remote for off campus access or LaTech Wireless for secured wireless areas.
- Click Connect and enter your Tech USERNAME and PASSWORD in the dialog box.
- After the session is negotiated, the client will minimize as a padlock into the system tray in the lower right hand corner to indicate you are connected. Any subsequent communications to the Louisiana Tech University network will be secure.
- To disconnect, simply right click the padlock in the system tray in the lower right hand corner of your screen and click Disconnect.
Note: Non-Tech communications will not be transmitted over the VPN connection unless you are on the wireless network, which will secure all communications in the wireless area, but will become insecure after exiting the wireless network. You may disconnect from the VPN when secure communications are no longer required by right clicking on the padlock. If you use the VPN frequently, you may wish to create a desktop shortcut from the main VPN window under the "Connection Entries" menu. Upgraded InstallIf you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista, the Cisco VPN client will not work. However, you should be able to use the builtin VPN client of Vista to connect. Configure it to connect to vpn.latech.edu. The only caveat is that it will transport all of your network traffic through Tech which is probably not desirable for most situations. In this event, you will want to only have the client active when it's needed. The Cisco client is configured to only send traffic destined for Tech through the VPN, so this is not an issue. 64-bit Vista
If you have the 64-bit version of Windows Vista, the Cisco VPN client will not work. However, you should be able to use the builtin VPN client of Vista to connect. Configure it to connect to vpn.latech.edu. The only caveat is that it will transport all of your network traffic through Tech which is probably not desirable for most situations. In this event, you will want to only have the client active when it's needed. The Cisco client is configured to only send traffic destined for Tech through the VPN, so this is not an issue. This set of instructions will help you set up VPN client in Vista.
1. Click on the Start button and click Control Panels.
2. Click on Network and Internet.
3. Click on Connect to a Network.
4. Click Set up a connection or Network
5. Click Connect to a workplace, then click Next
6. Click Use my Internet connection (VPN).
7. In the Internet address box enter vpn.latech.edu In the Destination name box enter LaTech VPN
Make sure the DO NOT Connect now box is checked. Then Click Next.
8. Enter your Username and Password when prompted. Click Create when finished. |
