Client-based VPN

Request access

Financial System (Agresso) - Invoicing

To request access, log a ticket with the Library & IT Service Desk under the following category:

Include the following information in the Request Detail box

• The name of the staff member requiring the access
• Email address of the staff member
• University of Galway Staff ID
• Operating system of your off-campus device
• Remember to tell us that you require remote access to Financial System (Agresso) - Invoicing

Ensure that your PC/laptop meet ISS security requirements to allow the VPN service to be installed on your computer.

Custom application/system

To request access, log a ticket with the Library & IT Service Desk under the following category:

Include the following information in the Request Detail box:

• The name of the staff member requiring the access
• Email address of the staff member
• NUI Galway Staff ID
• Operating system of your off-campus device
• IP Address(es) of the service/system and ports that you require access to (for example: access to 10.1.2.3 over https tcp/443)
• Include as much information about the system or service you require access to.
• Reason for requesting access
• Remember to tell us that you require a Client-based VPN

Ensure that your PC/laptop meet ISS security requirements to allow the VPN service to be installed on your computer.

Note: Students/external users should log a ticket with an approval email from their Head of Unit.

Install the Client-based VPN

The instructions below are based on the use of Chrome Web Browser on a Windows 10 device. Other combinations will follow a similar process with slightly different screen messages.

Windows 10

1. Download the Pulse Secure Client for Windows
2. Open and run the installation executable
3. Once the client has been installed, create a connection: ‌
4. Click Connect
5. Sign in using your Campus Account Username and Campus Account Password and choose the correct realm - Staff, Student or 3rd Party.

6. When connected, you should also see the PulseSecure icon will be added to the taskbar and you can connect/disconnect from there: ‌

   

   You may log out of the VPN connection via the client itself by right clicking on the icon, and selecting disconnect.

macOS

1. Download the Pulse Secure Client for macOS
2. Open and run the installation executable
3. Once the client has been installed, create a connection: ‌
4. Click Connect
5. Sign in using your Campus Account Username and Campus Account Password and choose the correct realm - Staff, Student or 3rd Party.

6. When connected, you should also see the PulseSecure icon will be added to the top bar. You can connect/disconnect from there.‌

   You may log out of the VPN connection via the client itself by right clicking on the icon, and selecting disconnect.

Linux

ISS provide support for Linux versions on a best effort basis only.

The following Linux versions are currently supported by the PulseSecure.

• Ubuntu 18.04, 64 bit
• Ubuntu 17.10, 64 bit
• Ubuntu 16.04.04, 64 bitand 32 bit
• Debian 9.5, 64 bit and 32 bit
• Cent OS 7.4, 64 bit
• RHEL 7.4,64 bit
• Fedora 27, 64 bit and 32 bit

It may be possible to install the client on other versions of Linux and the following step by step instructions include steps for supported and unsupported client. These instructions covers installation on Ubuntu19.04 which is an unsupported client from the perspective of PulseSecure.

On a supported version of Linux, download the client, install it, install dependencies (step 4), and jump straight to the step 9

1. Download the version for your Linux Distribution (you may be asked to login to your Office 365 account to access these links):
   
   32 bit CentOS\RHEL - Click Here 

   32 bit Unbuntu\Debian - Cick Here
   64 bit CentOS\RHEL - Click Here    
   64 bit Unbuntu\Debian   - Click Here
   
   The below parts will require to switch to root either using the sudo su - or su -.

2.  Install the client:
   
   dpkg -i ps-pulse-linux-9.1r2.0-b69-ubuntu-debian-64-bit-installer.deb

3. Edit the hardcoded Ubuntu versions to add support for 19.04:
   
   cd /usr/local/pulse/
   sed -i "s/UBUNTU_VER\ \=\ 18\ \]/& \|\|\ [\ \$UBUNTU_VER\ \=\ 19 \]/" PulseClient_x86_64.sh

4. Install missing dependencies for the Pulse Client (there will be some errors that we fix later):
   
   cd /usr/local/pulse/
   ./PulseClient_x86_64.sh install_dependency_packages

5. Create extra folders for missing dependencies:
   
   cd /usr/local/pulse/
   mkdir /usr/local/pulse/extra
   mkdir /usr/local/pulse/debs

6. Download missing/old libraries:cd /usr/local/pulse/debs
   
   wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/i/icu/libicu60_60.2-3ubuntu3_amd64.deb
   wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/w/webkitgtk/libjavascriptcoregtk-1.0-0_2.4.11-4_amd64.deb
   wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/w/webkitgtk/libwebkitgtk-1.0-0_2.4.11-4_amd64.deb

7. Extract the downloaded deb packages, don’t install them:
   
   cd /usr/local/pulse/extra
   dpkg -x /usr/local/pulse/debs/libicu60_60.2-3ubuntu3_amd64.deb .
   dpkg -x /usr/local/pulse/debs/libjavascriptcoregtk-1.0-0_2.4.11-4_amd64.deb .dpkg -x /usr/local/pulse/debs/libwebkitgtk-1.0-0_2.4.11-4_amd64.deb .
8. Edit the Pulse Client shortcut (I use vim editor, but nano, emacs, etc. can be used):
   
   vim /usr/share/applications/pulseUi.desktop
   Change the Exec= to Exec=/usr/bin/env
   LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/pulse/extra/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH /usr/local/pulse/pulseUi
9. Download the CA certificate, open Downloads folder and right click -> Open in terminal:
   
   cp DigiCertCA.crt /usr/local/share/ca-certificates/
   update-ca-certificates
   Updating certificates in /etc/ssl/certs...
   1 added, 0 removed; done.
   Running hooks in /etc/ca-certificates/update.d...
   done.
10. Reboot your PC
11. Launch the Pulse Client UI from the Ubuntu Search utility
    
12. Add a new connection and save.
    
    Name:  University of Galway / NUI Galway
    URL: https://pulse.nuigalway.ie
    
    
13. Now you should be able to connect to the VPN.

Connect to the Client-based VPN

Windows 10

The instructions below are based on using a Windows 10 device. Other combinations will follow a similar process (with slightly different screen messages).

1.  Open the Hidden icons on the bottom ribbon.
   
2. Right click on the PulseSecure icon and select NUIGalway Pulse to connect.
   
3. Click Proceed and sign in using your Campus Account Username and Campus Account Password and choose the correct realm - Staff, Student or 3rd Party.
4. Client will connect.
5. To check status, right click icon, select Open Pulse Secure to view interface below.
6. Disconnect VPN connection by clicking on Disconnect button.

Linux

1. Launch the Pulse Client UI (e.g. from the Ubuntu Search utility or command prompt)
2. Connect to the VPN
3. You should now be connected:

Troubleshooting

Slow internet speeds when connecting to the Client-based VPN

We are aware of a bug affecting some Client-based VPN users who are using some editions of the Pulse Secure client on Windows 10. This has been reported to our software vendor who are working on a fix.

Affected users should download and install the latest version of the Pulse Secure client. 

Unable to access other websites while connected to the Client-based VPN

If you are able to access the required service/application using Client-based VPN, but other websites do not work, please contact the Library & IT Service Desk.