VPN
Secure access to computing resources at Pitt State
What is VPN?
VPN or “Virtual Private Network” is required to access a few of the traditional e-services on campus. These include but are not limited to:
- P Drive (including shared department folders not already migrated to Microsoft Sharepoint / Teams)
- Remote access to your desktop computer (Reminder: your machine on campus must be left on and not asleep
- Secure Shell (sometimes called the IBM System) access
- Access to departmental printers (not GUSPrint)
- Cascade CMS
VPN is not required for most PSU e-services like Canvas, O365 (including OneDrive and Teams), GUSCloud, and other hosted applications. These applications use encrypted sessions already. While VPN can be used to access these already-encrypted services, it’s not necessary unless you’re trying to connect from an open public WiFi connection… where using a VPN is always recommended as a general security precaution.
How does a person get access to VPN?
If you are faculty, staff, or a student employee you already have access to VPN services using your PSU Email Address (employees: @pittstate.edu - students: @gus.pittstate.edu) and your PSU password.
What is PSU's VPN Policy?
Click here to review PSU's VPN Policy.
FAQs about VPN:
- VPN access does not, by itself, provide internet connectivity. Users are responsible for providing their own internet connectivity via dial-up, cable modem, DSL, or other means to use the PSU VPN.
- Currently, VPN software is available for Windows, Android, IOS, and Mac OS X.
- VPN users will be automatically disconnected from the VPN after 90 minutes of inactivity. The user must then reconnect to the VPN. Pings or other artificial network processes used to keep the connection open are not allowed.
- Only one active VPN connection is allowed per user and maximum connection time is limited to 8 hours at time. After 8 hours you will be prompted to login again.
- Using the VPN to access internet resources external to PSU is not recommended.
- The VPN is an IP only resource. Other protocols are not supported.
- Peer-to-peer software is not allowed over VPN.
- The first Sunday of every month between the hours of 12:00 am and 7:45 am is reserved for regularly scheduled maintenance. Emergency maintenance will be scheduled as needed.
Operating specific directions for VPN can be found below. Please note that when your machine or mobile device goes to sleep, is turned off, or changes networks you will need to reconnect to VPN by re-entering your PSU email and password.
Learn how to use GUSVerify (aka DUO's Multi-Factor Authentication) with VPN at our GUSVerify Page. Scroll to the bottom for directions under Using Duo.