An InfoHelp How To...? Guide
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a private network that uses a public network (usually the Internet) to connect remote sites or users together. Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection such as leased line, a VPN uses "virtual" connections routed through the Internet from James Cook University's private network to the remote site you are connecting from. What this does is allow you to make a secure connection to JCU and lets your machine behave as though it was on the university network, even though you may physically be sitting at a PC on the other side of the world.
If you are trying to establish a VPN connection from the Walkabout Wireless network on campus, please follow the instructions here.
Note: For security reasons you cannot VPN to a non-JCU network from on the JCU Campus.
VPN connection to JCU from Windows XP | VPN connection to JCU from Mac OSX
VPN connection to JCU from Windows XP
To establish a VPN connection to JCU from a Windows XP computer follow the steps below:
- Go to Start >> Control Panel and open the Network Connections option
- Click on the Create a new connection option, to begin the New Connection Wizard
- Once the New Connection Wizard window has opened click on the Next button to begin
- Choose "Connect to the network at my workplace" from the list of options available, then click Next
- From the options available choose "Virtual Private Network connection", then click Next
- Choose a name for the connection and enter it into the Company Name field, then click Next to continue. Any name will do as it is just a way for you to identify the connection, for this Guide we will use the name JCU VPN.
- Now you need to enter the name of the VPN server that you are going to connect to, the JCU VPN server name is access-gw.jcu.edu.au, enter that into the Host name field and select Next to continue
- The next window wants to know who on the computer can use the connection, just you or anyone. Choose whichever option best suits your needs then click on the Next button to continue
- You have now successfully completed the steps needed to create a VPN connection to JCU, click on the Finish button to complete and close the Wizard
- A window should now appear titled "Connect to JCU VPN", enter your JCU username and password and click on the Connect button.
To connect to the JCU VPN server in the future do the following:
- Go to Start >> Connect To and select JCU VPN from the list of available options.
- A window should now appear titled "Connect to JCU VPN", enter your JCU username and password and click on the Connect button.
VPN connection to JCU from Mac OSX
To establish a VPN connection to JCU from a Mac OSX computer follow the steps below:
- Click on the Macintosh HD icon on the desktop
- Select the applications folder from the available list on the left.
- Find the Internet Connect icon
and click it to open the application up.
- Go to File >> New VPN Connection
- The machine will want to know what type of VPN connection to create, select PPTP from the list of options that appear then click Continue.
- The next menu that appears will have a Configuration dropdown menu on it. Choose the Edit Configurations ... option from this window.
- Now fill in the settings as required:
- Description is simply a name you wish to call the connection i.e. JCU VPN
- Server Address is the network name of the VPN server, this must be set to access-gw.jcu.edu.au
- Account Name is your JCU computer login ID i.e. jc123456
- Authentication method is Use Password, enter your JCU computer password in this field.
- Leave the Encryption setting on Automatic
- Click OK to connect to the JCU VPN
Once done go back to the main Internet Connect window and tick the option box titled "Show VPN status in menu bar." This will simplify connecting to the JCU VPN server in the future by allowing you to click on the VPN icon on the menu bar and selecting the Connect option form the drop-down menu.
Need further assistance?
Ask InfoHelp
If this information is inadequate, incorrect, or can be improved in any way, please let us know