Loaner-Laptops & Remote work

How to set up your loaner laptop or desktop to work from home.

Power on laptop

1) Plug in power cord, right side of the laptop.

2) Press the power button above the Delete key

3) The laptop will power on and log you in automatically. You'll see the following screens:

How to Setup VPN and Remote Desktop for the first time (for loaner laptop or PC).

Use these instructions if HSSOE gave you a loaner laptop or desktop

1) Make sure you have internet connection at home or wherever you're currently at.

  • Hover your mouse in the lower right of your screen and look for "Network Connected".

  • If you click on the connection icon in the lower right, the menu will open and you'll see your wi-fi options.

  • Test your connection by bring up a web page such as www.google.com.

2) Log onto the web version of email in order to retrieve your RDP shortcut.

3) Save the RDP shortcut onto your desktop.

4) Make a shortcut for Cisco AnyConnect

Go to > Start Menu, then Cisco,

Right click on Cisco AnyConnect, select More, then "Send to Taskbar"

5) Click on the shortcut you created. Type: vpn.uci.edu click Connect.

6) Log in with your UCINetID. Do not change the Default.

7) Accept the message

8) Verify your are connected.

You should see the following message:

Also, you can hover your mouse over the round icon and see a lock. It will say "VPN Connected"

Now you are now on Campus Network.

You may proceed with Remote Desktop ONLY after VPN is connected.

Otherwise you'll receive an error message

9) Click on your RDP shortcut that you saved and log in with your UCINetID

10) You should see your campus desktop.

How to connect to Remote Desktop (after setup):

1) Verify you are connected to internet

(Same as step 1 above)

2) Repeat steps 5-10 from above

1) Click on the Cisco Shortcut (for VPN) and log in,

2) Click on the Remote Desktop shortcut.

DO THIS EVERY TIME! Cisco Anyconnect (VPN) first then Remote Desktop!!

3) If your screen goes black while working or if you get an error message, then it usually means VPN is down.

Hover your mouse over the globe, lower right.

Does it say Disconnected? if it's disconnected then please connect again before contacting IT support.

How to setup Remote Desktop from your home computer

Use these instructions if you are using you're own device

1) Be sure to allow Remote Desktop on your work PC

  • See these instructions

    • You'll see instructions for how to use Remote Desktop and how to allow remote desktop (scroll down).

  • If you are administrative staff at HSSOE, send a message to helpdesk@eng.uci.edu and we can send you a shortcut to your work PC.

  • If you are other staff, grad student, or faculty, you'll need to get the IP address of your computer.

    • Do this before you leave UCI

    • If you don't have your host name or IP address, contact IT staff (helpdesk@eng.uci.edu) and we'll try to assist.

      • However, if you did not allow remote desktop before leaving UCI, you won't be able to remote to your PC

2) Make sure you have internet connection at home or wherever you're currently at.

  • Hover your mouse in the lower right of your screen and look for "Network Connected".

    • If you click on the connection icon in the lower right, the menu will open and you'll see your wi-fi options.

  • Test your connection by bring up a web page such as www.google.com.

3) Download the VPN client from OIT

4) Install the Cisco AnyConnect client you downloaded. Do not change any of the defaults.

5) Make a shortcut for Cisco AnyConnect

Go to > Start Menu, then Cisco,

Right click on Cisco AnyConnect, select More, then "Send to Taskbar"

6) Locate the Remote Desktop client software on your PC.

Go to Start Menu - Windows Accessories.

Right click on Remote Desktop and select "Pin to Task Bar"

Use these instructions if you cannot locate "Remote Desktop'

7) Now you're ready to connect.

1) Click on the Cisco Shortcut (for VPN) and log in,

2) Click on the Remote Desktop shortcut.

  • Type in your IP address or hostname, or click on the .rdp shortcut HSSOE sent you.

DO THIS EVERY TIME! Cisco Anyconnect (VPN) first then Remote Desktop!!

How to Troubleshoot VPN and Remote Desktop

1) Issue: You've clicked on Remote Desktop but you receive an error message:

HOW TO FIX: Log into VPN. Please remember to do this EVERY time before Remote Desktop.

See section: How to Connect to Remote Desktop (after setup)

2) ISSUE: How do I know if I'm connected to VPN?

Hover your mouse over the globe, lower right.

Does it say Disconnected? if it's disconnected then please connect again before contacting IT support.

3) ISSUE: How do I know if I'm on campus network?

Google the phrase "what's my IP address"

If you see something like this image with "vpn.uci.edu" included as part of the host name, then you are on UCI's VPN which is campus network.

last updated 3/23/2020

Lisa Preble