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Vol. 7, No. 1
Winter 2007

The Newsletter of the Office of Library and Information Technology

I Need that File

What is a VPN?

* Get the VPN
For detailed instructions on downloading and installing the VPN to a PC,
download this MS Word document:
vpn_install.doc

Or, for a Mac or a computer running Linux, use the links provided at lakeforest.edu/vpn/
A VPN allows your computer to be "on-campus" when it is physically "off-campus."

First introduced to the Lake Forest campus in the spring of 2005, the VPN was widely implemented in the fall of 2006. Though no longer required for on-campus wireless access, it is still the key to accessing your files remotely.
Faculty, students, and staff can choose to download the software to a home computer or laptop in order to easily access online journals, research databases, Moodle, and personal files stored on the College server, all while off-campus.

Many faculty and commuter students who frequently do research from off-campus prefer the VPN software to using passwords and barcode numbers for authentication. The VPN also provides an extra layer of security to your connection. You are strongly advised to use the VPN when connecting wirelessly to the Internet, especially when working on a wireless network in a public area or on wireless networks provided by merchants in places such as coffee shops, restaurants, or hotels.
And, the VPN allows users to work on documents without having to back up files on a jump drive or via email.

So you left it at the College.
No problem.
Once you have the VPN software installed* on your computer, you can access your networked files from home.
Follow the simple steps below if you have a PC running Windows XP and the VPN set up.
  1. Open the "My Computer" window.
  2. Click: Tools > Map Network Drive
  3. In the Folder box, type:
    \\dfsservices.lakeforest.edu\facstaffhome$\username\
    (students would enter: \\dfsservices.lakeforest.edu\students\username\ )
  4. Click the link for "Connect using a different user name."
    Type your username and password.
  5. Click Finish.

As with the installation and set-up of VPN, you will only need to Map to the Network Drive the first time you access it from a computer.

On a Mac:

  1. With the Finder activated, hold down the Apple Command key, and strike the K key.
  2. Enter this address:
                smb://dfsservice.lakeforest.edu
  3. Enter your username and password

If you need further assistance with setting up or using the VPN software or accessing your networked files, just call the Help Desk at x3456, and a friendly voice will talk you through the process.

For passwords or additional help with subscription databases or journals, call the Library at x5074 and a Reference Librarian will be happy to assist.