Remote Desktop – Connecting to your Tarleton Windows PC from home

If you are working from home on a personal computer and would like to remote into your Tarleton computer, you will need to do some preparation ahead of time. In this guide, we will walk you through this process. This guide assumes you have already been setup in DUO. 

If you are using your own personal computer and would like to “remote” in to your Tarleton computer, there are a handful of steps you must follow to both prepare for that environment and also execute each time you connect remotely to your Tarleton computer. The Quick Steps below outline the process.

Have a Mac?

Follow these instructions to connect your home Mac to your office Mac. Or, follow these instructions to connect your home Mac to your office Windows PC.

Quick Steps

  1. Setup your Tarleton Windows computer to accept remote connections
    • This step is required to configure the permissions properly for your office machine so that you can remote in from a home/personal computer.
    • You will need to complete this step on your Tarleton computer before you leave the office. This step cannot be completed remotely.
  2. Identify your Tarleton device name/host name
    1. You will need to know the name of your Tarleton computer. Each Tarleton computer has a unique name.
    2. You will need to complete this step on your Tarleton computer before you leave the office. This step cannot be completed remotely.
  3. Install the VPN Client on your personal device
    1. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is required to provide a secure network connection from a home environment to the campus network. VPN offers an additional layer of security for the network traffic from your home PC to your Tarleton PC.
  4. Remotely connect to your Tarleton Windows computer

Step 1: Setup your Tarleton Windows computer to accept remote connections

  • On your Tarleton computer (running Windows) find the search bar in the lower-left corner of your primary monitor.
windows
  • Type “Advanced System Settings” in the search bar and click the icon that appears. It will bring up the following window:
properties
  • Choose the Remote tab at the top right of the window.
  • Make sure the check box next to “Allow Remote Assistance connections to the computer” is CHECKED as pictured above.
  • In the lower section of this box, click on Select Users.
remote assistance
  • The Following box should appear.
remote users
  • In the highlighted section above, if your username is shown, you are already part of the Remote Users Group and you have permission to remote to your Tarleton computer. If this is not present, please make a ticket or call the help desk at (254) 968-9885.
  • Once you are in the Remote Users Group, your Tarleton computer is ready to be remotely connected.

Step 2: Identifying your Tarleton device name/host name

  • Now that your Tarleton computer is ready to receive a remote connection, you need to know what it is named. This is the device name/hostname. To find it, go back to the search bar.
windows
  • Type in: “About your PC” and click the icon at the top of the window.
  • In this window, the highlighted section seen below will have your device name/host name. Please note this device name/host name. You will need this important information when connecting from your home computer via VPN.
device
  • What you should see here will have the X’s replaced with numbers unique to your computer.

Step 3: Install the Tarleton VPN client on your personal home Windows computer

The remaining steps are all completed on your personal home Windows computer

  • Browse to CISCO ASDM 7.6(2)
  • Login with your NTNET credentials
  • Authenticate via DUO.
  • Once logged in, choose “AnyConnect”
anyconnect
  • Click on “Start AnyConnect”
startany
  • The following window will appear. Click the Download for Windows button. This will begin the download process.
download client
  • This will download the VPN client to your computer. Please save and run the application.
run app
  • Now you will need to click through the installation prompts. You can leave all choices as default.
wizard setup
next step
install step
  • It may prompt after clicking “Install”. If it does, click Yes.
finish step
  • After you click finish, Cisco AnyConnect VPN is installed on your personal computer.

Step 4: Remotely Connect to your Tarleton Windows computer

  • Open AnyConnect from the Start Menu or by typing AnyConnect in the Search bar.
  • In the window that opens, enter “TSU-ASA.tarleton.edu” and click Connect.
connect
  • Enter your NTNET credentials in the next window.
    • Where it says Second Password, you may type “push”, “SMS”, “phone”, or enter a passcode from the DUO app on your DUO registered cell phone.
      • “Push” will prompt you to authenticate on your DUO registered cell phone
      • “SMS” will text your DUO registered cell phone with a passcode which must be entered to proceed
      • “Phone” will call your DUO registered number and require a key press to proceed
      • Entering a passcode requires no additional action
login
  • Click OK. Accept the DUO Authentication.
  • Once you authenticate with DUO, the VPN will connect. If you see the following image, you are successfully connected.
successful
  • In order to connect to your Tarleton Windows computer, you will need to launch the Remote Desktop application on your personal home Windows computer. Type “RDP” in the search bar.
windows
  • The following window will appear
remote desktop
  • In the highlighted field, type in the device name/host name of your Tarleton Windows computer (see section 2 of this guide) and click Connect.
  • The window below will appear on your screen. Enter your NTNET password in the highlighted area and click ok.
enter login
  • Congratulations! You are now remotely controlling your Tarleton Windows computer and have access to all applications and data as if you were sitting at your Tarleton desk.

If you have any questions at this point, please make a ticket or contact the help desk at (254) 968-9885.