Download, install, and configure ThinLinc Client to use Research Desktop (RED) at IU

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Install ThinLinc Client on your personal computer as you would any other application. If you need help, refer to the platform-specific installation instructions in Chapter 8 of Cendio's ThinLinc Administrator's Guide.

Once ThinLinc Client is installed on your personal computer, launching the application opens the ThinLinc Client login window:

ThinLinc Client login window

Before you log into the Research Desktop with ThinLinc Client, you'll need to configure some ThinLinc Client settings.

In the ThinLinc Client login window, click Options to open the "ThinLinc Client Options" window. (If you don't see the Options button, click Advanced>> to expand the login window.)

ThinLinc Client Options window

In the "ThinLinc Client Options" window, on the Display tab, you can choose a display option. The default display option is Windowed. Normally, the Windowed and Full screen on current monitor options are the most useful.

Note:

UITS recommends not using the Full screen on all monitors or Full screen on selected monitors options, because they may cause unexpected display problems.

ThinLinc Client display options

To set up public key authentication:

1. In the "ThinLinc Client Options" window, on the Security tab, select Public key.
2. Click OK to return to the ThinLinc Client login window. You should now see a "Key" field in place of the "Password" field.
3. In the "Key" field, type the path to your locally stored private key. Alternatively, click the ... (browse) option to locate and select the key on your local file system.

If you want to give your RED session access to drives and/or directories on your personal computer:

1. In the "ThinLinc Client Options" window, on the Local Devices tab, select Drives, and then (next to it) click Details.
   
2. In the "Export Local Drives" window, click Add, and then, under "Drive Options", click ... (file browser).
3. Locate and select the desired local drive and directory, and then click OK.
   Note:

   ThinLinc Client will not allow you to export the root directory ( / ) of your local file system.
4. Under "Permission", use the drop-down to select Read Only or Read and Write permissions for location indicated in the "Exported Path" field.
   Note:

   With Read and Write permissions enabled locally, you can drag and drop (or click and drag) files between your personal computer and your Carbonate account. However, do not use drag and drop (or click and drag) to copy large (multi-gigabyte) files.
5. To select other directories to export, repeat this process. Otherwise, click OK to return to the "ThinLinc Client Options" window.

The first time you launch ThinLinc client, the login window contains the following items by default:

• "Server" field (if you don't see the "Server" field, click Advanced>> to expand the login window)
• "Username" field (or "Name" field, depending on your system)
• "Password" field
• Connect, Exit, and Options buttons
• End existing session checkbox
• Status field (at the bottom; displays login status)

To connect to RED:

1. In the "Server" field, enter red.uits.iu.edu.
2. In the "Username" or "Name" field, enter your IU username.
3. In the "Password" field, enter your IU passphrase.
   Note:

   If you have public key authentication set up (see the instructions above), you should see a "Key" field in place of the "Password" field. Make sure the "Key" field points to your private key file, and then continue to the next step.
4. Click Connect.
5. In the "Authentication" window, enter a Duo passcode, or enter 1 to select a Duo Push, and then, click OK:

   

6. The first time you connect to RED, ThinLinc Client will prompt you with a warning that the server's host key is not cached in the registry. Click Continue to connect to RED.

As the connection is established, the field at the bottom of the login window will display details about the process. The RED window should open within a few seconds.

In a RED session, "logging out" and "disconnecting" are two different actions:

• Logging out: This closes any applications currently open in your RED session, terminates the session on the server, and closes the RED graphical desktop window. The next time you launch ThinLinc Client and click Connect, a new RED session will be launched on the server.

  To log out and terminate your current RED session, on the RED desktop, double-click Log Out.

• Disconnecting your session: This suspends any currently open applications and keeps your RED session running on the server, allowing you to reconnect to it later.

  To disconnect (but not terminate) your current RED session, on the RED desktop, double-click Disconnect Desktop Session. Alternatively, simply close the RED graphical desktop window.

  Note:

  • Disconnected sessions remain active for up to seven days after your last login, but they are terminated automatically at the start of the monthly system maintenance window.
  • If loss of internet connectivity causes your session to disconnect unexpectedly, your session will remain active on the server, and you can reconnect to it whenever you regain network connectivity (if it's within the aforementioned timeframe).

  When you have an existing disconnected RED session, clicking Connect in the ThinLinc Client login window will reconnect you automatically to your session, and all applications, terminals, and file browsers that were open when you disconnected will still be running.

  Alternatively, to launch a new RED session instead, in the ThinLinc Client login window, select End existing session, and then click Connect.

If you are using Research Desktop (RED) and need help or have questions, use this form to contact the Research Desktop development team directly.