Connecting to a fileserver via VPN

How to establish a VPN connection and access files on your company’s file server

Use the Viscosity icon in the menu bar and select Connect (your company)

Wait for the green light

Once you see the green light, you are connected to the company network, and you can now access services (file servers & printers) via thier IP address.

Connec to Server…

In the Go menu, choose Connect to Server…

Allow the connection to complete

Enter the IP address of your file server and click Connect.

You can hit the + button to save it in the favorites list.

Enter your username and password and click connect

It’s best to enter your "short name" and password here. Your shortname is ususally either your full name with no spaces, or your first initial and last name, again with no spaces. Example: willoneal or woneal. Ask your system administrator if you don’t know your shortname.

If you select "Remeber this password in my keychain" before clicking Connect you won’t have to remember the password each time. Bear in mind this presents a security risk, as anyone who gains access to your computer will be able to connect to the company file server without entering a password!

Mid-Atlantic Computer Solutions recommends having a strong password, a separate keychain for storing passwords for servers and sites not local to your machine, as well as an excellent backup mechanism!

Select the share point you want to access

Once connected, to access the shared files

Usually, a new window will pop up showing you the contents of the selected file server volume. If it does not, or if you close it for some reason, this is how to get back to it.

1. In a new Finder window, on the left side quick access area, you’ll see a section called SHARED, and in there, you should see your file server. Click that to see all available share points.

2. If you don’t see the quick access area, click the button next to the 2 to change the window style to show it.