SCSU-Remote VPN Installation & Setup for Windows

Introduction

St. Cloud State offers faculty and staff members access to campus files and resources while off-campus through various methods. VPN access is one of the methods available to faculty and staff who have a specific need for a secured connection to their work environment. 

Through this VPN service, you will be able to access internal St. Cloud State services. 

(Due to security concerns, you will not be able to access web sites that are outside the St. Cloud State domain.)

Requirements

• Be a current faculty/staff member with a valid StarID and password.
• Written approval from supervisor
• State-owned computer
• Windows 7 or newer.  Mac OS X 10.11 or greater. 

You can request VPN access by filling out the VPN Request Form

ITS will review the request. If the request is approved, you can install the software on your state owned computer using the following directions.

Instructions

NOTE: This will only work from 32-bit Versions of either, Internet Explorer or Edge Web Browser.

​​​If you are using a 64-bit version of any of the major web browsers (chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari), you will only have the  option to "Web Launch" by directly to logging in to the VPN service without downloading and installing the client software as described in the steps below.

1. Navigate to https://scsuremote.stcloudstate.edu/CACHE/sdesktop/install/start.htm 
2. Click “Continue to this website” or "Advanced" to accept the websites security certificate. 
3. The website will attempt to install an Add-on into your browser, you will have to click the notification bar at the top, and select “Install This Add-on for All Users on This Computer…” 
4. User Account Control will pop up to verify that you really want to install this program, click “Yes” to accept the prompt. 
5. When trusting a Java application from St Cloud State, you should check “Always trust content from this publisher” and click "yes" to continue.
6. The last security option you must approve is from Cisco, so you should click “Always trust content from this publisher” and click "run" to execute the application. 
7. If everything worked correctly, you will now be at the login screen for Cisco VPN. 
8. Log in with your StarID and password. 
9. Once you log in, you will need to install the client, so please click the ActiveX bar at the top of the web browser and select “Run Add-on”. 
10. Click "yes" to the Security Warning Dialog box to accept security settings. 
11. Click "Allow" on the Next security settings box to install the application on your computer.
12. Finally, you can click "yes" to accept the Security Certificate and finish the installation. 
13. Once installation is finished, you will get the following dialog showing that you now have the VPN icon near your clock in the bottom right of your screen. 
14. You will get a pop up near the icon to indicate to you that your VPN connection is successful. 

Using VPN (after installation)
 

1. If you followed the Installation Instructions, then the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client application will be installed on your computer. You can find this by browsing to your Start Button, All Programs, Finding the Cisco folder and opening it. Inside there you will find the application to launch in order to connect to the VPN. 

2. Once you open the application, you will need to type in your SCSU credentials; this will allow you to connect inbound to the St. Cloud State network. 

3. The connected bubble will pop up if you entered in the correct credentials; you are now connected to the St. Cloud State network. 

Disconnecting from VPN
 

1. Once you are connected, if you want to disconnect all you need to do is find the VPN Icon in the bottom right of you screen, right click it, and select Disconnect. You could also choose to Quit, however if you plan on using the VPN often, then you will only want to disconnect so that you can connect to it again without navigating to your Start Menu.

2. Occasionally you might get a dialog box letting you know that the VPN client has been disconnected. It suggests that you clear your browsers cache which can be done in the options of you browser. This is to maintain the security of your user account and the files you accessed. 

Troubleshooting

• “Login Failed” – If you received this error, it means you are not using a correct StarID or password, please check your information or contact the HelpDesk at 320-308-2077 for assistance.

• “Login Denied” – If you received this error, it means you are not approved for VPN access. To get approval please complete the VPN Request Form and return it to the SCSU HelpDesk in the Miller Center, room B43.  The HelpDesk will contact you within 5 business days regarding your request. If your request is approved, you will be notified to reattempt the installation of VPN software. If you have any questions regarding installation or access, please contact the HelpDesk at 320-308-2077.