VPN: Complete Guide to VPN

What is VPN?

Setting Up VPN

Installing AnyConnect VPN Software

Need help?

What is VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network and its purpose is to provide additional digital security. Rice's VPN system enables the secure transmission of data between the university network and a remote computer connected to the Internet outside of Rice. For security reasons, many Rice resources can only be accessed from the Rice network– either from an on-campus location or using VPN. 

Setting Up VPN

You need to download the necessary software, Cisco Secure Client VPN, for your computer (also called "client"). Refer to the next section for links to download the software, which requires the use of the Duo authentication service. For more information on Duo, please refer to our article "Duo: Complete Guide to Duo."

Before you download the software, you must agree to certain conditions for using Rice's VPN software, including:

• You acknowledge that the software and your account are for your personal use only and may not be used by any other person or entity anywhere in the world for any purpose
• You will not grant anyone access to the VPN software or your account to access the Rice University network.
• You acknowledge that you understand that taking your computer with installed VPN software outside the United States is considered by the US government to be an export of the VPN software and may require prior government authorization for certain countries.

Installing Cisco Secure Client VPN Software

Use the links (campus login required) below to access information about how to install and use the VPN software for specific devices:

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for Windows using Duo Authentication

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for Mac OS X using Duo Authentication

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for iPhone and iPad using Duo Authentication

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for Android using Duo Authentication

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for Red Hat Linux using Duo Authentication

VPN: AnyConnect VPN for Ubuntu Linux using Duo Authentication

Need help?

If you need assistance setting up VPN or Duo, contact the OIT Help Desk.