Remote Desktop to your Campus Computer Using the Campus VPN
This article covers how CSUF faculty and staff can remote desktop (RDP) to their campus computer.
Currently only PC to PC and Mac to PC connections are available for campus PC users.
Enabling Remote Desktop for Your Campus Computer
Quick Summary
On your campus workstation:
- Your campus workstation must be turned on.
- Know the campus workstation's full name.
- Remote Desktop access must be enabled. If remote access is not enabled please contact the IT HelpDesk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777.
- Ensure that your campus workstation has the latest Windows Updates.
On your mobile device:
- Install Duo on your mobile device to authenticate with Duo from the Help Desk.
On your campus laptop:
- Install Global Protect VPN on the laptop you want to use to connect to your campus workstation (if not already installed).
- Ensure that your campus laptop has the latest Windows Updates or Mac OS updates.
You must follow all of these steps before you can use Remote Desktop!
1. Make sure that your campus PC workstation is turned on before you leave it.
You can turn off the power on your monitor, but your campus PC tower/box needs to be turned on. You do not need to log on to your computer.
2. Enroll in campus Duo Multi-Factor Authentication using a mobile device and push notifications.
Only these campus VPN connections will prompt you to authenticate with a Duo push notification:
- Staff/IT: gpst.fullerton.edu,
- Staff/Contractors: gpft.fullerton.edu
- Students: myvpn.fullerton.edu
You must be able to receive a push notification from Duo on a mobile device for several of the VPN connections.
View more information on the Two-Factor Authentication webpage and on the available campus VPN connections.
3. Find the Name of your campus workstation and check that Remote Desktop is enabled.
3.1. Click on the Start menu and then search for "remote desktop settings" in the search bar. Then choose Remote Desktop Settings.
- Click on the Start menu icon.
- In the search bar, type "remote desktop settings."
- Choose Remote Desktop Settings under the Settings section.
3.2. Locate your full computer name under PC name. Check that the Remote Desktop option is set to On.
For many campus rollout computers, the Remote Desktop option is enabled permanently by default.
- Locate your full computer name under How to connect to this PC. Write this down; you'll need to know it to connect to this computer.
- Check that the Enable Remote Desktop option is set to On. If remote access is not enabled please contact the IT HelpDesk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777.
4. Install Global Protect, the campus VPN application, on your campus laptop.
Connecting to your Campus Computer using Remote Desktop
1. Open Global Protect and connect to the campus VPN.
2. On your campus PC laptop, search for "remote desktop connection" in the search bar. Then choose Remote Desktop Connection.
- Click on the Start menu icon.
- In the search bar, type "remote desktop connection."
- Choose Remote Desktop Connection.
3. Type the full name of your campus computer. Then click Connect.
- Type the campus computer's full name (e.g., tuffytitan-w11.ad.fullerton.edu)
- Click Connect.
4. Click More choices. Then click Use a different account.
- Click More choices.
- Then click Use a different account.
5. Enter your campus username as ad\username and your campus password. Then click OK.
Be sure you are entering your username as ad\username (e.g., ad\tuffytitan).
- Enter your campus username as ad\username (e.g., ad\tuffytitan).
- Then enter your campus password.
- Click OK.
6. You will be remotely connected to your campus PC workstation.
7. When you are ready to disconnect, click on the X in the blue bar at the top of your screen.
If you don't see the blue bar, it may have hidden itself. Move your mouse to the top center of the screen and the blue bar should appear.
8. Click OK.
Don't forget to disconnect Global Protect when you are done accessing campus resources!
1. On your campus Mac laptop, open Global Protect and connect to the campus VPN.
2. Open the Windows app.
If you don't have the Windows app installed, you can search for it on the App Store as "Windows App" or "Windows remote app."
3. If this is the first time you are using the App, click on Devices in the left menu. Then click the plus sign icon at the top right to add your campus PC workstation.
- Click on Devices in the left menu.
- Then click the plus sign icon at the top right.
3.1. Select Add PC.
3.2. Enter the full name of your campus PC workstation in PC name. You may also want to enable the microphone and cameras under Redirect in the Devices & Audio section. Then click Add.
- Enter the full name of your campus PC workstation (e.g., tuffytitan-w11.ad.fullerton.edu).
- Recommended: Click Devices & Audio to allow sound from the remote computer to play on the local computer.
- Recommended: You may want to enable the microphone and cameras under Redirect.
- Click Add.
4. To connect to your campus PC workstation, double click on the computer name under Saved Devices.
5. It may take a minute for the connection to be established.
6. Enter your campus username as ad\username and your campus password. Then click Continue.
Be sure you are entering your username as ad\username (e.g., ad\tuffytitan).
- Be sure to enter your campus username as ad\username (e.g., ad\tuffytitan).
- Enter your campus password.
- Then click Continue.
7. You are now connected to your campus PC workstation.
8. When you are ready to disconnect, click on the Windows App menu and then select Quit Windows App.
Don't forget to disconnect Global Protect when you are done accessing campus resources!
- Click on the Windows App menu.
- Then select Quit Windows App.
- If you are going to connect to another device, you can instead click on the red icon at the top left to close just the current remote desktop connection.
Need More Help?
Contact the IT HelpDesk at [email protected] or 657-278-7777.