If you are a Population Research Institute faculty affiliate or graduate student, you have access to our applications server. This server provide access to expensive licensed programs that you would otherwise have to purchase to use. (If you will be using a program on a daily basis we request you purchase a license and we will install that program on your workstation.) The server can also be used to access your network drives.
Prerequisite:
- If you are not connecting from a computer in Oswald Tower, you must first sign in to the Penn State VPN. Instructions for configuring and connecting to the VPN on your Mac can be found at Use the Penn State VPN - Mac.
- If not already installed, you must download and install Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection for Mac.
- Open Applications from Finder > Go > Applications (or hold Command + Shift + A).
- Find the orange icon labeled "Microsoft Remote Desktop" and double-click on it.
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- If you already have a connection for s6-athens.ad.psu.edu, skip to Step 7.
- Within Microsoft Remote Desktop, click on the "Add PC" button or on the "+" button at the top and select "PC" from the drop-down.
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- In "PC name" type s6-athens.ad.psu.edu. In "Friendly Name" type Athens.
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- Click the "Display" tab in the middle of the window next to "General".
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- Change Color quality to "Medium (16 bit)".
- You may also want to uncheck the boxes next to "Use all monitors" and "Start session in full screen".
- Click the "Add" button at the bottom to save the connection.
- Double-click on s6-athens.ad.psu.edu or Athens.
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- If you see a message about the identity of the remote PC, check the box next to "Don't ask again for this PC" and click "Connect".
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- Login by typing your username in the form of PSU\userid, where userid is your university userid. For example, PSU\abc123. Then hit enter or click on "Continue".
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- IMPORTANT: When you are finished, on the SERVER:
- Click on the Start Menu.
- Click on the icon on the left side that looks like a person.
- Select "Sign out".
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- Do NOT select "Disconnect" or just click the X in the floating blue bar at the top of the screen. Unless you sign out, your session will remain active.