Guides in this section

Connecting to GlobalProtect VPN

Updated

Getting Started

GlobalProtect should already be installed on your AU-issued laptop. Follow these steps to establish a VPN connection.

Launching GlobalProtect

Locate the application: Open your system tray located in the bottom-right corner of you screen by clicking the up arrow on your taskbar. Click the gray globe icon to launch GlobalProtect.

If the icon is not visible: You need to search for the application manually. Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click the magnifying glass icon in the bottom-left corner of your screen. Type GlobalProtect and press Enter. Once the application launches, return to the system tray and click the gray globe icon.

If GlobalProtect does not appear in search results: The application may not be installed on your laptop. Contact the ITS Helpdesk at itshelp@aurora.edu for assistance.

Connecting to the VPN

  1. Enter the portal address: When the GlobalProtect window opens, the portal field is blank. Enter the portal address securesso.aurora.edu and click Connect. You only need to enter this address the first time you connect—it will be saved for future sessions.
  2. Sign in through Okta: A browser window will open, directing you to the Okta login page. Sign in with your login credentials. If you are already signed into Okta, you will be taken directly to the GlobalProtect launch page.
  3. Complete the connection: A pop-up will appear asking you to open GlobalProtect. Click Open GlobalProtect to finalize your VPN connection. You can check the box to allow the launch page to always open GlobalProtect automatically, which will skip this step in the future.
  4. Confirming your connection: Once connected, the GlobalProtect application will display "Connected" status, and a pop-up message appears confirming your successful connection. If you receive a different pop-up message instead, your AU-issued laptop may be missing required security features. This could prevent you from accessing the X or H drives. Contact the ITS Helpdesk for further assistance at itshelp@aurora.edu.

Connecting to X and H Drives

After establishing your VPN connection through GlobalProtect, you need to reconnect the network drives following the steps below.

  1. To access the X and H drives, click the xmap.bat and hmap.bat attachments at the end of this guide to download the files.
  2. Save the files to your desktop for convenient access. You need to run these scripts each time you connect to the VPN to restore access to your drives.
  3. There are two ways to run the drive mapping files:
    • Double-click the file and select Run when prompted.
    • Right-click the file, select Open, then click Run.
  4. After running the scripts, the X or H drive should appear as expected in File Explorer. Remember that you need to run these files every time you connect to the VPN to access the network drives.