Remote Access - Virtual Private Network (VPN)

University faculty, staff, and students may access the campus network remotely using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection. A VPN creates a secure, encrypted Internet connection that is assigned a University IP address. Because the connection appears to be coming from within the campus network, the VPN allows access to campus IP-restricted resources that would otherwise be unavailable to remote users.

Multiple VPN options are available to members of the University community. We recommend the SSL AnyConnect VPN option for most users; University Health Care employees should use the Hospital VPN.

SSL AnyConnect VPN – uses SSL encryption and a "thin" software client that can be downloaded quickly, used during the session, and later discarded; all traffic through the SSL AnyConnect VPN is encrypted.

  1. Login at https://vpnaccess.utah.edu using your uNID and network password.
  2. Click the AnyConnect button on the left.
  3. Click on the "Start AnyConnect" link, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Some users have experienced difficulty connecting through the VPNAccess page. If this should occur, you can download the AnyConnect client directly:

  1. Select the appropriate SSL AnyConnect client from the VPN Clients Grid and save it to your preferred download location on your machine (i.e., the desktop, a "downloads" folder, etc.).
  2. Click the file to launch it, and follow the on-screen installation instructions.

Other University VPN options include:

  • WebVPN Portal - a quick, easy VPN solution for web browsing; no software installation is required. Login through a web portal at https://vpnaccess.utah.edu using your uNID and network password, then enter a URL in the address field at the top of the page to begin browsing through an encrypted Internet connection. While browser traffic is encrypted through the WebVPN Portal, be aware that some sites may not display correctly.
  • Individual "Heavy Client" VPN - a solution designed for older computers running 32-bit Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Solaris operating systems. You may download the client software at no cost from the VPN Clients Grid. All traffic through the Individual "Heavy Client" VPN is encrypted using IPsec encryption.
  • Department VPN - a solution designed for departments with firewall or other access restrictions; contact your department network administrator for setup and access information.
  • Hospital VPN - a solution designed specifically for use by University Health Care employees, and available through the "VPN Access" link at http://remote.med.utah.edu/.

Using a VPN connection with UGuest

The UGuest wireless network is bandwidth-limited. Wireless users who cannot use the UConnect network and wish to have full bandwidth access on UGuest can connect through a VPN solution:

  1. Login to UGuest.
  2. Browse to the VPN client of your choice (WebVPN, AnyConnect, or the Heavy Client) and login using your uNID and network password.
  3. Navigate to the resources you need.

 

For More

Frequently Asked Questions

Department VPN Solutions

VPN Clients Grid

For questions of assistance, please contact the Campus Help Desk at 801-581-4000 option 1.