How to configure Imperial College's VPN on your computer

Note: This guide is provided for staff and students of Imperial College trying to access the Apple UK Higher Education online store. If you are living in residence halls or are currently on a computer at Imperial College, you do not need to make a VPN connection. Just open your browser and type in http://www.appleatimperial.ac.uk. This is because the HE discount is only for students and staff at an educational institution.



1) Log on to Windows XP as the Adminstrator (if unsure, use the account that was first created on the computer). Once windows is running, initiate your default internet connection. Now, go to this site using your browser to register yourself for the VPN service. You will be brought to an Imperial College secure website where you will have to enter in your IC username (e.g. adf03, bed05, etc) and your password. Follow the instructions till completion.

2) Next, open the CONTROL PANEL, either from the start menu or from MY COMPUTER.

3) If your control panel is in the graphical mode (you see a blue background and icons with text to the right of them), then click on "Network and Internet Connections", and then click on "Create a connection to the network at your workplace".

Otherwise, please click on "network setup wizard"


4) Once the New Connection Wizard launches, select Virtual Private Network Connection instead of Dial-up, and click NEXT.




5)Enter "Imperial College" for the Connection Name and press NEXT:




6) Some of you might see a prompt for which connection you want to use. Please choose "Do not dial a connection" option and click NEXT. Otherwise, go on to step 7.

7)Enter vpn.ic.ac.uk for the VPN Server Selection and click NEXT:



8)Now that the main details of the connection have been entered tick the add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop checkbox to make it easy to find and click FINISH:

9) You will now find an Imperial College icon on your desktop. Double-click the Imperial College icon. Before connecting there is an extra change that needs to be made so click the PROPERTIES button.

10) From the Properties dialog click on the Options tab. Now tick the Include Windows logon domain box. Because the Internet is sometimes slow and unresponsive it is possible that contact with the VPN service will be lost from time to time. If you are connected to the Internet via a LAN connection you may also wish is tick the Redial if line is dropped option. Once completed click OK:



11) Finally you will need to fill-in you IC Username, Password. You should also fill in IC in the Domain box. This is your college username and password that you use to log-on to college-based computers. Now click CONNECT:



12) Once you've successfully connection to the IC VPN Service you will see a network icon in the taskbar.



13) Using your preferred browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Netscape, etc), navigate to http://www.appleatimperial.com, which will redirect you to the official Apple store for Higher Education (http://apple.procureweb.ac.uk. Click on "access to the store for individuals" link, and enter in Imperial College for the name and London for the city.



If you experience any difficulties or trouble setting up the VPN, accessing the HE store, or have any general questions about Apple products, please feel free to contact me by email or by phone: 07916317636. The information on this site was taken from the Imperial College's ICT intranet and is meant only for Imperial College students and staff. This information is correct as of 24 June 2005