These instructions are intended to be used by Illinois State University students whom wish to avoid paying for expensive software, and/or gaining access to systems otherwise unavailable to them. Using VMWare is a valuable resource to students of all majors from computer science all the way to English.

Materials:

Computer

Internet Access

Note: images provided are taken from google chrome, website layouts, locations of files, and download settings may vary depending on the browser/operating system of your choice.

Step 1: Getting to Illinoisstate.edu

Open your internet browser (we recommend Google Chrome)

Go to: https://helpdesk.illinoisstate.edu/downloads/

Scroll down to Cisco AnyConnect click on the header for the software to go to the download page.

Select the download link based on your operating system, if you have a windows computer it will be the top option, if you have a mac it will be the bottom one.

It will prompt you to login to your ISU student account.

Step 2: Installing AnyConnect

On the bottom left click on CiscoAnyConnect3...MSI Download File

*If prompted, click on "run" *

Click next on the new window.

At the next step it will give you the End User License Agreement. (We recommend clicking on agree without reading it).

After clicking agree you will be brought to the installation page, you can click 'back' to review the agreement, 'cancel' to close the program without installing, or 'install' to install the software needed to access the ISU VPN.

Wait until the program installs, then click 'finish'.

Step 3: Installing the VMWare

For this step go to: http://itk.ilstu.edu/support/tutorials.php?c=VMwar...

Scroll down to the appropriate download link for your operating system (should match the specifications of the previous step).

The download link will be to the far right, and below, the header.

Click Download on the new page and the installation file will be downloaded.

Restart your computer after downloading the program.

Step 4: Accessing VMWare

To begin accessing the software you will have to connect to the ISU VPN by using AnyConnect.

To do this, search for the AnyConnect software that you just downloaded and open it. if you cant find AnyConnect go to the bottom right hand corner of the desktop and click on the up arrow (may be different on Mac or older versions of Windows).

Step 5:

Once Anyconnect is opened and running, it should look like the image above.

Since you downloaded Anyconnect from Illinois State, the information to the VPN server should be already entered and saved for you.

If not the the VPN server is: VPN01.ILSTU.EDU.

Once the server is entered, click connect.

After connecting you will be prompted to enter your ISU ULID and Password. After entering your credentials click ok.

A message will prompt asking to connect to ISU VPN, Click accept.

You are now logged in and virtually connected to ISU VPN.

Step 6:

Now that you are logged into ISU VPN you are ready to use VMware.

Click and run VMware software (The green icon in our image).

You may also have to locate the file in your "Downloads" folder in your file manager if you don't want an icon on your desktop.

Step 7: Connecting to ISU Server

One of the final steps is to connect to the ISU server. Keep in mind that you are not on ISU network and you still must build a connection to access the schools network.

Once VMware is opened and running click on "Add Server."

A window will appear prompting you to enter the servers name which is "vdi.ad.ilstu.edu".

After entering the name of the server click connect.

A disclaimer window will appear, click accept.

Lastly, a login window will appear where you will once again enter your ISU username and password.

Click login.