VPN Overview
This article is an overview for faculty and staff on using the campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) service GlobalProtect.
What is VPN and when should I use it?
VPN allows you to connect to campus resources when you are away from your campus desktop computer. It is most often used to connect to campus resources when you are off-campus, although it may be needed when you are connected to the campus Wi-Fi network.
| Campus Resource | Do I Need To Use VPN to access it? |
|---|---|
| Campus Portal | No |
| Canvas | No |
| Campus Email (Outlook) | No |
| Most campus websites, including my.fullerton.edu | No |
| CSUF Dropbox for Business | No |
| Zoom | No |
| VCL (Virtual Computer Lab) | Yes |
| Virtual Labs: CSUF AppStream | No |
| Virtual Labs: Splashtop | Yes |
| Titan Online - general campus user access | No |
| Titan Online - advanced campus user access (typically developers and business analysts) | Yes |
| Retrieve files stored on your campus computer that are not saved in Dropbox | Yes |
| Remote desktop to your campus workstation or a campus server | Yes |
| Access sensitive campus data | Yes |
| Access secure campus websites | Yes |
If you're having trouble accessing a campus resource from off-campus, try connecting to VPN to resolve the issue.
- Obtain campus VPN permission:
- Faculty/Staff: most faculty/staff should automatically have this access, but if you find it doesn't work, please email [email protected] for assistance.
- Students: most students should automatically have this access, but if you find it doesn't work, please email [email protected] for assistance.
- Consultants and student employees: a Department IT Coordinator (DITC) needs to submit a VPN Access Request Form to request VPN access for you. Contact your supervisor if you do not know who your Department IT Coordinator is or whether the access request was submitted.
- Set up Duo two factor authentication (Faculty/Staff Duo or Student Duo) for your campus account.
- Install GlobalProtect on the computer/device you want to use to access campus resources.
- Connect to the appropriate VPN portal address.
Need to connect to your campus workstation? View instructions on using remote desktop with VPN.
GlobalProtect is the application that CSUF uses for VPN.
Portal Addresses
There are four portal addresses that CSUF uses for our VPN:
- myvpn.fullerton.edu (Students)
- csufvpn.fullerton.edu (Faculty/Staff rollout laptops)
- gpft.fullerton.edu (Full Tunnel)
- gpst.fullerton.edu (Split Tunnel)
VPN Portal Matrix
| VPN Portal | Gateway | Tunnel Method | Tunnel Traffic | Security | User | Device | Use Case | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| myvpn | myvpn.fullerton.edu | Split | Traffic to campus | Duo | Students | Any devices | Request from faculty or tech | Students access college and/or faculty resources |
| csufvpn | csufvpn.fullerton.edu |
|
|
Device certificate | Faculty, staff | Rollout laptop | Rollout devices and authorized users (domain-joined and interactive login) | Seamless user experience; update password, SCCM, patching |
| gpst | gpst.fullerton.edu | Split | Traffic to campus | Duo | VPN requested: consultant, student assistant | Personal, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), Consultant Work | Work remotely with personal devices | Consultant |
| gpft | gpft.fullerton.edu | Full | Everything tunnel | Duo | VPN requested; consultant, student assistant | Personal, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), Consultant Work | Work remotely with personal devices | Faculty, staff, student assistant |
GlobalProtect Supported Operating Systems
- Windows 7 or higher
- Mac 10.11 (El Capitan) or higher
- Apple iOS 10 or higher
- Android 6 or higher
- Linux CentOS 7.0 or higher; Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7.0 through 8.1 and 8.3 and 8.4; Ubuntu 14.04 or higher
Note that this is a general compatibility list. View the detailed matrix to see more specific information about supported operating systems.
FAQ
Generally, no you won't. If you are using the campus Wi-Fi, you may need to connect to the campus VPN to access some resources.
Students must use the Duo app, but the app can be installed on a cell phone or tablet. Learn more about Duo for students.
Faculty and staff have the option to request a keychain fob/token that can be used to generate a passcode. Contact the Help Desk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777 for more information.
NOTE: connecting to campus VPN using a keychain fob is a little more complicated, so if you have a personal mobile device that you are willing to use for Duo, it can make connecting to VPN easier.
Try refreshing your connection
Click on the three dots menu and then select Refresh Connection.
This often resolves connectivity issues with VPN.
Need More Help?
Faculty/Staff - contact the IT Help Desk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777.
Students - contact the Student IT Help Desk at [email protected] or 657-278-8888.