Remote Network Access using VPN

Introduction to updated procedures

In an effort to comply with new security standards and updated technologies, Fairfield University has upgraded the service that allows users to connect to the Fairfield network remotely (from off campus).

As a result, C&NS will be terminating off-campus use of "Achilles" to the university network as of Tuesday, September 15, 2008. Furthermore, on-campus access to the "Achilles" server will end as of Tuesday, September 29th, 2008.

The description and instructions to the old service "Achilles" can still be found on the bottom of this page. Please take the time now to remove any files that you may have stored on "Achilles" and save them to an alternate, secure location (Xythos file storage, USB key, etc.) Please contact C&NS if you need help migrating your information off of "Achilles."

How to access network resources without "Achilles"

Achilles users who used Outlook in their session to access their e-mail can now use OWA (Outlook Web Access) which can be found at www.fairfield.edu/mail. This upgraded version of OWA provides almost all of the functionality of your Outlook client on your office computer. For more information about OWA, please go to the following website: http://www.fairfield.edu/cns/cns_owa2003.html

Users who accessed their Artemis shares via Achilles can access their shares via the new VPN service described below. More importantly, users who have Artemis shares will be asked to move their files to Xythos, which is the new file storage and sharing server. Once you do this, you will not need the new VPN service to access your files on Xythos. You will only need to use a web browser. For information about Xythos, please go to the following website: www.fairfield.edu/xythos

The new VPN service

In place of "Achilles" will be a new web application called VPN (Virtual Private Network) This application will allow you to access the university network just by using a web browser to use Fairfield specific applications such as Banner and info.fairfield.edu as well as other network resources.

Users who need to access their PC/Windows office computer remotely to get to files or programs (like the full version of Outlook) that are only on their office machine, will be able to login to your office computer remotely using the "Network Connect" feature in the new VPN. See instructions below.

-Important-

In order to connect to the new VPN service, your off campus computer must have the latest operating system updates from Microsoft or Apple and an Anti-Virus program with the latest up-to-date virus definitions. If that computer does not comply with these security requirements, you will not be allowed to use that computer to login to the VPN. If you attempt to connect to the VPN with a computer that does not have the security requirements, you will receive a security failure notice and the login process will be stopped.

If you are unsure on how to update your computer and use anti-virus software, please consult the following instructions to prepare your computer to use the VPN:

Instructions on how to use the VPN

To access the new VPN:

  1. Open Internet Explorer on the PC or Safari on the Mac.
    • Firefox is not a supported web browser for the VPN.
  2. Go to the following website: http://www.fairfield.edu/vpn

Instructions on how to use the VPN can be found in the PDFs below:

To access Banner, info.fairfield.edu, and Artemis; use the following instructions:

To use an off campus computer on the Fairfield network and login to your Windows office computer; use the following instructions:

C&NS will be offering lunchtime demonstrations of the new VPN service. Please read the University Announcements e-mail for upcoming dates and times.

For additional assistance on the new VPN, Xythos, or any other remote access issues, please contact C&NS at ext. 4069 or via e-mail at cns@fairfield.edu