We provide secure remote access to BCOE file server and desktop resources through the VPN, Toaster, and Z: Drive.

VPN

You can think of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) as a secure data tunnel between your computer (either at home or while traveling) and BCOE and other resource networks. BCOE offers one type of VPN service: Cisco's AnyConnect Client VPN.

If you need to install the VPN follow the instructions here.

Remote Desktop

If you want to be able to connect to and remotely control your computer at work from another location, you must first be in the network.

  1. First connect to the VPN.
  2. Then activate your remote desktop application (on Windows: type "Remote Desktop Connection" in search)
  3. Type in the name of your computer. (To find out the name of your computer Go to System Information on Windows.) Be sure to include .engr.local after the name of your computer (for example: name.engr.local)
  4. Select Use Other Account
  5. When it asks you for a log in, use your engineering account as ENGR\(your username) (for example engr\bourns)

File Access - Toaster, Z: Drive, and Department Servers (Windows, Mac)

If you want to access your files from home you must be using the engineering VPN first.

VPN

Then go to your File Explorer(NOT INTERNET EXPLORER OR WEBSITE BROWSER) and type in the following address:

\\toaster.engr.ucr.edu

If prompted to log in, use ENGR\(your engineering username). By default some Operating Systems will try to use your local username and password to authenticate against our system; it will fail. You must use your Engineering username and password. For Mac systems, you can connect to a file server directly using the Connect To Server feature of Finder. To do so, from Finder, select Go>Connect To> and then enter smb://toaster.engr.ucr.edu as the server address.

Map a Network Drive:

To map a network drive on Windows 10, first log into the VPN, then, open file explorer and click on the "This PC" icon in the folder pane on the left hand side of the window. The menu at the top will display "Computer." Click on it and click on "Map a Network Location." use \\toaster.engr.ucr.edu

It may ask you to log in, use ENGR\(your engineering username). By default some Operating Systems will try to use your local username and password to authenticate against our system; it will fail. You must use your Engineering username and password.

Port Forwarding With PuTTY for Remote Desktop Connection (Windows)

These are the steps to connect to your work or research computer from a remote location using SSH port forwarding with the application PuTTY for Windows.

Open PuTTY. If you do not have PuTTY installed you can download it from our software page, here.

  1. Enter the following information.

    PuTTY Port Forwarding Guide Image 1

    • Host Name (or IP address)
      • gauss.engr.ucr.edu
    • Saved Sessions
      • Enter a description, in this example we chose "Work Computer Remote Desktop" but you can pick whatever makes sense to you. This will be the saved name of the connection.
    • Once you have entered the server and session name, click the "Save" button on the right side of the PuTTY window. This will save your session for future use.
  2. Locate the "Category:" section on the left side of the window.

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    1. Scroll down to the "Connection" category and expand it by clicking the "+" to the left.
    2. Expand the "SSH" section in the Connection category.
    3. Select the "Tunnels" section of the SSH category.
  3. Enter the following information.

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    • Source port
      • 60000
    • Destination
      • NAME.engr.local:3389
      • Replace "NAME.engr.local" with the name or IP of your computer.
  4. After you have entered the "Source port" and the "Destination" information, click the "Add" button located on the right side of the window. You should see the information you entered appear in the larger text box above.

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  5. Scroll to the top of the "Category:" section and select the "Session" category. Click the "Save" button again, this will save information that you entered in Step 4.

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  6. Select "Work Computer Remote Desktop" from the list of "Saved Sessions" and then click the "Open" button.

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  7. Click the "Yes" button.

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  8. This is a login prompt. Type your valid ENGR username and then press enter.

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  9. Type your password, the characters will NOT show on the screen as you type.

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  10. After successfully entering your ENGR username and password you should have a window that looks like this. Keep this window open while you use your computer.

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  11. In the search box on the taskbar, type "Remote Desktop Connection", and then select Remote Desktop Connection. When you open the application you will be greeted by a window that looks like this one.

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  12. Type "localhost:60000" in the "Computer:" text box and then click the "Show Options" button located in the bottom left corner of the window.

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  13. Type your ENGR username preceded by "engr\" in the case of someone with username "jcc" you would want to type "engr\jcc". Click the "Hide Options" button when you are done entering this information.

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  14. Click the "Connect" button in the bottom right corner of the window.

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  15. Click the "More choices" option, it is in the bottom left corner above the "OK" button. Do not click the OK button.

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  16. Select the "Use a different account" option.

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  17. In the first text box, type your ENGR username preceded by "engr\" in the case of someone with username "jcc" you would want to type "engr\jcc". Type your ENGR account password in the second text box. Click the "OK" button after you have entered your information.
    • If you want your computer to remember this information, make sure to check the "Remember me" checkbox.

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  18. Check the "Don't ask me again for connections to this computer" checkbox if you do not want to see this window anymore.

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  19. Click the "Yes" button located in the bottom right corner of the window.

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  20. You should see your work desktop now. If you have any comments or concerns about this guide, email them to systems@engr.ucr.edu

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