Remote VPN Tutorial for Mac OS
Introduction
Arkansas Tech University supports the connection of a Virtual Private Network, or "VPN", on Mac OS using the Palo Alto GlobalProtect VPN client. A VPN allows a user at a remote location to securely connect to campus and access the same network resources and services they'd have access to normally while on campus. A VPN may also be used in circumstances where an on-campus user may need to be connected to a network with higher security. Reasons to connect to and use the VPN connectivity may include, but are
- Student access to RemoteApp or Computer Science resources
- Staff and faculty access to Remote Desktop connectivity to office computers
The GlobalProtect VPN client is freely available to faculty, staff, and students and can be obtained by following the instructions below.
If you have not yet installed the ATU GlobalProtect VPN client, please visit this article first: How do I install the ATU GlobalProtect VPN on Mac OS?
Connecting
Connecting to the ATU GlobalProtect VPN client is quick and easy. To connect, please follow the following steps:
- Open your System Tray and click on the GlobalProtect icon. If it is not there, open the Start Menu and type "GlobalProtect" and choose it from the search results.
- If this is not the first time you've connected with the ATU GlobalProtect client on this device, proceed to Step 3. If it is, you'll need to configure the VPN portal address to "vpn.atu.edu" (see Figure 2) and then choose "Connect".
- The next screen will ask for your username and password. This will be the same username and password that you use to access your ATU email, OneTech, and other ATU services. Once you enter your login credentials, choose "Sign-In". You can also choose to cancel your connection by choosing the "Cancel" button.
- GlobalProtect will now attempt to form the VPN connection to the ATU network using the login credentials provided.
- If the connection is successful, the client will update and indicate it is connected. This screen will also provide the means to disconnect which will end the VPN session (this should be done when you no longer need remote access).
- Once connected, the GlobalProtect icon in the System Tray will also update to indicate the connection status.
- Once finished with the remote session, please disconnect the VPN connection.
Note: During the initial connection, Mac OS may ask if you'd like to trust the paauth.atu.edu certificate. Trusting this certificate is necessary in order to complete the connection and the VPN will not connect if the certificate is not trusted. If you're having connection issues and Mac OS did not prompt you to Trust the certificate, or if it did and you accidentally clicked no, you can do the following:
- Open the Keychain Access application
- In the Name column, find the entry labeled "paauth.atu.edu" like in Figure 7
- Double-click it to open the settings and choose "Always Trust" for all of the options like in Figure 8
- Close out the Keychain Access application and try to connect to the VPN again.
Conclusion
This concludes the tutorial on how to connect and use the GlobalProtect VPN client. If you have any questions regarding connections or use, please submit a ticket or contact the Campus Support Center at 479-964-058