Connect to IU's SSL VPN in Windows or macOS
On this page:
- Overview
- Download the software
- Configure the VPN connection
- Connect to IU's SSL VPN
- Qualified and compatible platforms
Overview
IU's SSL VPN is for off-campus use only; it will not allow you to establish a connection if your device is connected (via wireless or Ethernet) to an IU network.
To connect to Indiana University's SSL VPN for individuals and groups from your Windows or macOS workstation, download and install the Pulse Secure SSL VPN client from IUware. After installation, you can use the Pulse Secure client to connect directly to IU's SSL VPN without having to open and log in through a web browser. Pulse Secure is the preferred application for connecting to IU's SSL VPN; it replaces Junos Pulse and Network Connect, two VPN clients you may have used previously.
Download the software
IU students, faculty, and staff may download the Pulse Secure SSL VPN client from IUware:
By default, macOS may only allow you to install applications from verified sources. Therefore, when you attempt to install Pulse Secure, you may see an error similar to "ps-pulse-mac.dmg
can't be opened because it is from an unidentified developer." To bypass this error (for this application only) and manually install Pulse Secure:
- While holding
control
, click the application's icon, and then select from the drop-down menu that appears. - In the new window, click to manually launch Pulse Secure.
Configure the VPN connection
- Open the Pulse Secure client to configure it for your first use.
- Windows: The Pulse Secure icon (
) will be available in your task bar.
- Mac: Pulse Secure will be installed in your
Applications
folder. (If you have trouble finding a folder, check for one named .)You also should have the option to launch the application from your menu bar by clicking the Pulse Secure icon (
).
- Windows: The Pulse Secure icon (
- After launching Pulse Secure, create a new connection by clicking (the plus sign).
- In the "Add Connection" box:
- Type: Make sure is selected.
- Name: Enter a name (for example,
IU VPN
) to distinguish this connection from other VPN connections you may configure (for example, to the Groups or HSN VPN; see the note below). - Server URL: Enter
https://vpn.iu.edu
.Note:If you use the IU Groups VPN or Health Sciences Network (HSN) VPN, add an additional connection using the appropriate URL:
- Groups VPN: https://vpn.iu.edu/groups
- HSN VPN: https://vpn.iu.edu/hsn
For more about these VPNs, see:
- Click .
Connect to IU's SSL VPN
Once you've created the connection, you can initiate it from the Pulse Secure icon in your task bar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac):
- To initiate the connection:
- Windows: From the task bar, right-click the Pulse Secure icon, and then choose .
- Mac: Click the Pulse Secure icon, choose the SSL VPN profile you created, and then click .
- Enter your IU username and passphrase; click .
- In the "Secondary Password" field, enter one of the following:
- A passcode (for example,
123456
): Generated by Duo Mobile, an SMS text, or a single-button hardware token push
: Sends a push login request to the Duo Mobile app on your primary smartphone or tabletphone
: Calls your primary phone number (whether mobile phone or landline)sms
: Sends a new SMS passcode to your primary device; once you receive the passcode via SMS, enter it into the "Secondary Password" field.Important:Enteringsms
will cause the initial login to fail with a "Credentials were invalid. Please try again." error message. However, you also will receive a text message with a passcode to enter in the "Secondary Password" field.Note:If you have more than one device of a certain type registered (such as a second smartphone or tablet), you can add a number to the end of your secondary password to direct login requests to a particular device (for example,push2
will send a login request to your second phone;phone3
will call your third phone).
- A passcode (for example,
- Click .
To disconnect:
- Windows: Right-click the icon, and then select .
- Mac: Click the Pulse Secure icon, and then, from the SSN VPN profile menu, select .
You can connect a maximum of two devices at a time to IU's SSL VPN. If you try to connect a third device while you already have a connection running on two other devices, you'll see a prompt asking whether you want to maintain the existing connections and cancel the new connection request, or break one of the existing connections and establish a new connection. Exceptions are provided for group accounts in certain situations.
Qualified and compatible platforms
To ensure that you are able to connect to the IU VPN, verify that you are running the latest version of Pulse Secure available on IUware. Information about operating system requirements and recommendations for Pulse Secure can be found in the Client Supported Platforms Guides at Pulse Secure Techpubs.
This is document aygt in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2019-01-18 17:25:15.