About the VPN interface
Login screen
Log in to the VPN with your usual University username and password.
Home screen
Once you have logged in to the VPN, the first screen you will see is the UoA VPN Home. Displayed on this screen are several folders. You can navigate these as you would folders in My Computer or Windows Explorer – simply click once on a folder to view its contents.
From the UoA VPN Home, you can:
- Map your home filespace as a drive on your laptop/PC and access it via My Computer or Windows Explorer. (Windows XP/2000, with admin rights, only)
- Use the browser-based file explorer to securely transfer files from and to your filespace.
- Access web resources on campus, e.g. Metalib, without the need to use the web proxy.
- Access online Information & Guides, currently: Web Proxy, Wireless help.
- Download/launch any shared applications that have been made available to you, e.g. Outlook Web Access (staff and RPGs only).
Note: The contents of your screen will depend on the applications and resources that have been made available to you and so may not look exactly like the one illustrated above. For example, you may not see the Applications folder.
It is not possible to map your home filespace as a drive on a Windows Vista laptop/PC or on a Mac.
VPN Toolbar
When logged in to the VPN, the VPN toolbar is added to your browser window. It appears at the top of all VPN windows and remains in place until:
- you log out of the VPN, OR
- you navigate away from the VPN by typing a new URL into the Address field.
Note: If you navigate away from the VPN, the disappearance of the VPN toolbar does not mean you have been disconnected from your home filespace. In order to disconnect you must return to the VPN by clicking on your browser’s Back button and then click on the Log out button.
- University home page – opens a new browser window (recommended if you plan to browse other web pages while using the VPN)
- Returns you to VPN homepage.
- Use the toolbar’s drop-down menu as an alternative way to navigate the VPN.
- The System Information button provides information about your PC and your VPN.
- The Portal Activity button displays any applications that are currently running over the VPN.
- The E-mail system Administrator button provides a direct e-mail link to the Help Desk.
- Log out of the VPN
Browser-based File Explorer
Use the VPN's browser-based file explorer if:
- you are not using your own laptop/PC (e.g. internet café)
- you do not have administrator rights on your laptop/PC (e.g. using a shared departmental laptop)
- your are running Windows Vista, or Linux
- you are using a Mac
- you have been unable to install the VPN components
