VPN for Wired Remote Users

Introduction

If you're a remote user and access the Rice network through a third-party Internet Service Provider (ISP), the Virtual Private Networking (VPN) system can provide you with a unique benefit. Certain Rice services will only provide full access to computers that have a Rice IP address, and the number of services with restrictions will continue to grow. The VPN system is the only way for Rice users connecting through third-party ISP connections to claim a Rice IP address in order to access these restricted services.

When you won't need a Rice IP address to access Rice services

You can access the most common Rice services, such as WebMail and public Web pages, without a Rice IP address.

When you will need a Rice IP address to access Rice services

The number of servers requiring a Rice IP address will increase as a result of Rice firewall service plans that will permit network and system administrators to restrict non-Rice access to groups of machines. The restriction options available range from "accessible by any IP address" to "accessible only by Rice addresses;" the intermediate levels allow worldwide access to some but not all of the services on a machine in that category. If the machine you are trying to connect to has been placed under partial or complete Rice firewall restrictions, you will only be able to access it when your machine identifies itself as part of the Rice network. That means either being on campus, using Rice-provided connections, or using the VPN server with a third-party ISP connection.

When you may need more assistance to connect

If access is restricted to a certain subset of the Rice IP range and the addresses assigned by the VPN server are not part of that list, using the VPN server will not completely eliminate your remote access problem. In this case, contact your network administrator or system administrator to ask for the VPN server's IP addresses to be added to the list of permitted IP addresses, and to clear up any details regarding any possible additional authentication requirements expected by that system.

If you have a firewall and/or a cable modem between your location and the VPN system, you may have some additional difficulties making a VPN connection. For more information, see the VPN FAQ.