Overview
University faculty and staff can access campus resources remotely using UConnect, a VPN service powered by FortiClient.
Why is this important? From time to time, you may need to work remotely (not on campus) and may need access some resources on campus that are behind the campus' firewall.
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Resources that need a VPN Connection
- Desktop computer in your Office
- Department Network Share Drive
- Administrative Applications (Banner, FinAid, etc)
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Resources that don't need a VPN Connection
- Any Microsoft 365 Application (Outlook, Word, One-Drive)
- Microsoft Teams
- Moodle
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A UConnect account will establish a secure connection between your computer off-campus, to the resource on-campus.
HELPFUL HINT: If there is the slightest chance you may be working remotely (closure to campus due to weather emergency, illness, or other) you should request a UConnect account, and make sure you can perform your work duties from an off-campus location. If you wait until the event is occurring, you may not have enough time to get everything setup and working correctly.
Step 1 Request an Account
Before you are able to use UConnect, you will need to request a UConnect account.
Step 2 Download and Configure the VPN Client
For University owned machines you can install FortiClient through your computer's designated app management platform:
- Managed University Windows Devices: Install from Software Center or Company Portal.
- Managed University MacOS Devices: Install from Self Service
- Non-Managed University MacOS Devices: Reach out to ithelp@louisiana.edu for manual installation
For personally owned machines and some "non-managed" university devices, see the related article, How to Manually Configure VPN Client.
Step 3 (Optional) Connect to your Desktop or Shared Drive on Campus
If you will be connecting to a computer or server on campus, you will need to setup an application called "Remote Desktop Connection" on the device you will have with you off-campus.
- Configure Remote Desktop Connection on a Windows device
- Configure Remote Desktop Connection on a MacOS device
- Connecting to a departmental shared drive (mapping a network drive)
Putting it All Together
After setting up your UConnect account, installing and configuring FortiClient, and preparing your desktop for remote access (if needed), you can check the "connect to campus resources" box on your work remote checklist.
To connect to campus resources:
- Launch FortiClient VPN: Open the FortiClient VPN application and log in. Once connected, you can access mapped drives, Banner applications, and other campus resources.
- Connect to a Campus Computer (if applicable): If you need to access a specific computer on campus, launch the Remote Desktop Client and sign in to your campus computer.
- Disconnect from VPN: When you finish your session, remember to log out of or disconnect from the VPN. Leaving the VPN connected can sometimes interfere with other internet connections as it establishes a secure connection that may block certain network traffic.