(Windows 11) Connecting via Remote Desktop

Key Terms to Know

  • Host (Target) Computer: This is your office or campus computer. It is the machine you want to access and control remotely.

  • Client (Local) Computer: This is the computer physically in front of you right now (e.g., your home laptop or personal device) that you are using to make the connection.

Part 1: Prerequisites (Do before leaving campus)

To connect to your office computer, you need its specific "address." You must find this while at your office (Host) computer.

1. Find your Full Computer Name (with Domain)

  1. Click the Start Menu and open Settings (the gear icon).

  2. Click on System in the left sidebar, then scroll down and click About.

  3. Look for Device name and Full device name, and record this information somewhere you will be able to find it again later!

    Uploaded Image

2. Find your IP Address

If the computer name doesn't work, your IP address is a useful backup.

  1. Click the Start Menu, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.

  2. Type ipconfig and press Enter.

  3. Look for a line that says IPv4 Address. It will be a series of numbers separated by dots (e.g., 10.20.30.45). If you have multiple IPv4 addresses, your computer is using multiple connection types (like Ethernet and Wi-Fi) and you will want to record all of them somewhere you will be able to find it again later!

Part 2: Connecting from Home or Off-Campus

Step 1: Connect to the GlobalProtect VPN

If you are not physically on the campus network, your connection will be blocked for security reasons. You must turn on the VPN first.

  1. On your Client (Local) computer, look at the bottom-right corner of your screen (near the clock) for the GlobalProtect icon (it looks like a small gray or blue globe). If you don't see it, click the small up-arrow to show hidden icons. If you still do not see GlobalProtect, search for it in the Windows Search bar. If it does not appear, you will need to install it from https://vpn.alaska.edu/.

  2. Click the globe icon, enter vpn.alaska.edu as the "Portal Address," and click Connect.

  3. Enter your UA username and password (and authenticate with Duo, if prompted). 

    • A smaller login window may appear, saying 'Authentication Failed.' Enter your UA password again.

  4. Once the globe turns solid blue or shows a green checkmark, you are securely connected to the UA network!

Step 2: Launch Remote Desktop Connection

  1. On your Client (Local) computer, click the Start Menu.

  2. Type Remote Desktop Connection into the search bar and click on the app to open it.


     

Step 3: Enter Connection Details

  1. In the Computer field, type in the Full Computer Name or the IPv4 Address you wrote down in Part 1.
         

  2. Click Connect.

Step 4: Log In

  1. A window will pop up asking for your credentials.

  2. Important: Because you may be on a personal computer, you need to tell Windows to log into the campus network. Type your username as UA\username or username@UA.

  3. Enter your UA password and click OK.

  4. If a warning appears saying "The identity of the remote computer cannot be verified," check the box that says "Don't ask me again for connections to this computer" and click Yes.

You are now connected! Your office computer's desktop will appear in a window on your screen. When you are done, simply close the window or click the X on the blue bar at the top of the screen to disconnect.

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