IT Support

WiFi, Printing, VPN, AntiVirus, Office, PDF & Common Software

Please, open a ticket in the Support Request Portal: http://bit.ly/palsitsupport or email pals.it@ucl.ac.uk.

For website updates, please send the request directly to dcal@ucl.ac.uk.

This guide will help you to identify and, maybe, sort out by yourself most common problems, issues and requests at DCAL and UCL. Each section splits the info in three parts:

  • How to guide: How to to set up the service you need
  • DONT'S, mistakes and what to avoid
  • TIPS: Any additional info or alternative solutions available to help with the request

Central UCL ISD services webpages and how to guides:Microsoft Outlook 2016 (for Windows)

'how to' guides at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/outlook-2016-win

Apple Mac Mail

'how to' guides at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/mac-mail:

Microsoft Outlook 2016 (for Mac)

'how to' guides: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/outlook-2016-mac

Connect your iPad/iPhone iOS9, iOS8 or iOS7:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/mobile/ios9-connection

Connect to Outlook for iOS and Android:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/mobile/outlook-ios-android-connection

Guides for all mobile devices:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/email-calendar/mobile

Don't ask the IT Officer with password related problems. You have to contact ISD Service desk here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/help to get support. Local IT representatives have no rights or responsabilities to access, change or sort out UCL password issues anymore.

Please, go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/services/email-calendar webpage for queries, troubleshooting, FAQs and links to related central ISD services.

UCL ISD main webpage with all the details and info: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/services/get-connected/wireless/eduroam

  • To connect to the UCL main Wi-Fi network you need to know your UCL ID username, like sslxxxx or ucjxxxx or syxxxxx, and your UCL email password.
  • Your UCL ID username is provided on the front of your registration slip.
  • Open the network settings in your mobile device or laptop, usually an icon next to the clock or the main settings menu, and look for a Wi-Fi network with the name eduroam.
  • Connect to this network and put the following information:
    username: UCL-ID-username@ucl.ac.uk 
    password: UCL-email-password
  • Check if there is any check-box or tick to save the credentials and then click on Connect

Older systems and devices might not be supported at this time so check the main UCL ISD webpage linked above.
*Computers with Windows 7 has a more complicated set up, please, don't try to do it automatically. You have to set up the connection by hand entering several bits of information about the network security settings. You have to follow the guide here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/wifi-networks/documents/jrs-eduroam-wpa2-peap-quovadis_win-7.pdf

WiFi troubleshooting & known issues:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/services/get-connected/wireless/help/troubleshooting
Also check the linked main ISD webpage above to see detailed instructions for your particular device.
For further info you can also check WiFi Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/services/get-connected/wireless/help/faqs

Please, open a ticket in the Support Request Portal: http://bit.ly/palsitsupport.

Anti-Virus software

UCL has agreements with F-secure and Sophos to allow registered students and staff to download virus protection for their home use.

Download F-secure (Windows machines) or Sophos (Apple Mac machines) from the software database.

You will need your UCL_ID and UCL password.

For Windows:
  • Access the site, type ‘FSecure’ and click in the search results page. Type in your UCL details and you can access the page with the software.
  • Go to downloads tab and select version 12. Go to Fsecure Client Security (version number) Premium and Click in that section ‘Download’ link.
  • Check the box where you agree to the terms and conditions. The software will be downloaded. You will receive an email from ISD confirming the ‘purchase’. This is normal.
  • Click on the setup and follow instructions.
For Macs:
  • Access the site, type ‘Sophos’ and click in the search results page. Type in your UCL details and you can access the page with the software.
  • Go to downloads tab and select version 9. Be sure you select the Mac version and not the Linux version and Click on download.

You will need this info for later:

  • Serial Key: The username is: em00234329 and the password is: 214vxl131 to connect to Sophos for the updates
  • Check the box where you agree to the terms and conditions. The software will be downloaded. You will receive an email from ISD confirming the ‘purchase’. This is normal.
  • Open the .ZIP file, click on the Sophos Installer package App and follow instructions.
  • After Sophos is installed, it can’t autoupdate itself. You need to go to the top Sophos small icon and click on ‘Open Preferences…’. It is ‘locked’ and it will ask for your own Mac login username and password. After opening it successfully, please type the above serial Key details from this guide. Lock the App again and close the window. Your antivirus will update itself and check for new virus database every hour.

Be sure you are using the right version of the antivirus and that the antivirus is updated before you try to use the UCKL VPN service.

UCL Virtual Private Network (VPN)What can I access?

Services that can be accessed whilst connected to the UCL Remote Access VPN service, that are not otherwise available for access from outside UCL, include:

  1. MyView (HR system)
  2. MyFinance (UCL Finance system). * MyFinance is currently only supported on certain browsers with specific Java versions. Please use Firefox ESR 32bits and Java 8 for full compatibility.
  3. Filestore@UCL
  4. UCL Microsoft Key Management Server
  5. Management Systems Database Servers
  6. UCL Desktop data/applications
  7. DCAL File servers and shared folders!
How do I connect?

Before you start... you need:

  • A computer or compatible device with a network connection outside the UCL Corporate network e.g. e.g. eduroam, broadband connection from home, café hotspot wireless, etc.
  • A valid UCL_ID and UCL password
  • Your machine needs to be running a firewall and anti-virus product. See other sections on how to get and install the Anti-virus. iOS and Android devices don’t need antivirus.
Connecting to the UCL VPN with Microsoft Windows

UCL ISD guide here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/remote-working/documents/win_user_guide
You need to download this software: Client software release version 4.5.02033
Install it onto your computer. After installation, launch it.
Enter “vpn.ucl.ac.uk” in the first box and click the Connect button.
When prompted at the Login screen, ensure the Group selected is “RemoteAccess”, and then enter your UCL_ID (without @ucl.ac.uk) and UCL_password.
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility client icon will be showing as connected in the task tray (with a small lock on it).
To disconnect from the VPN service, click on the icon and open the application, then click on the Disconnect button

Connecting to the UCL VPN with Mac OS X

UCL ISD guide here: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/isd/how-to/remote-working/documents/mac-user-guide-4.4
You need to download this software: Client software release version 4.5.02033
Install it onto your computer but be careful with the next step.
* Very important - Ensure you have ONLY the following modules selected:
[checked] VPN
Deselect [uncheck] any other module!
Click Continue and finish the installation. Launch it.
Enter “vpn.ucl.ac.uk” in the first box and click the Connect button.
When prompted at the Login screen, ensure the Group selected is “RemoteAccess”, and then enter your UCL_ID (without @ucl.ac.uk) and UCL_password.
Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility client icon will be showing as connected in the top menu (with a small lock on it).
To disconnect from the VPN service, click on the icon and open the application, then click on the Disconnect button

Connecting to the UCL VPN with Ipad

The Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client is an application that has to be downloaded from the Apple App Store. It is free.
After installation, launch it.
Select ‘Add VPN Connection’. Fill in the details:
Server Address: vpn.ucl.ac.uk 
Connect to it and add your UCL_ID (without @ucl.ac.uk) and UCL_password.
Be sure to disconnect when you finish!

While you are connected to UCL network, be sure you are not using any Peer-to-Peer software like Torrent clients or any other similar software or networks. You may be sharing illegal content and your machine can be banned from using the UCL VPN service forever.

If you find an error and you can't connect, be sure you have the antivirus updated and the VPN client is a current and supported version.

Because you are UCL staff, you have the right to install and license Microsoft Office at home in your devices (up to 5 of them). Macs or Windows or others, it doesn’t matter.

How to do it for your personal devices?

For desktop computers is easy: go online in your browser to https://outlook.com/ucl.ac.uk  and login using your your UCL_ID (without @ucl.ac.uk) and UCL_password as usual.

  1. On the top black bar, go to the right and click over your name (and photo if you have one there).
  2. Click on ‘My account’
  3. Check the section named ‘Install Status’ and click on ‘manage installs’
  4. In the new section that appears, click on ‘Install desktop applications’
  5. And now you have to choose what you want: language and version (click on Advanced and select 64bit). The webpage automatically select the Windows or Apple version by detecting which computer you are using.
  6. Download!

For iOS and Android devices you have to go to the proper App store and download the Microsoft Office suite from there. The only step afterwards is to provide your UCL_ID (without @ucl.ac.uk) and UCL_password and you are done.

If you need to delete the license for one device because you lost it or you are getting a new one, just go to the same online webpage as above to manage the licenses and delete your old computer or device from the list. That action will free the license and you can use it again.

If your SPSS license expires, just go again to the UCL Software Database Repository and look for the new Serial Key for your exact version of SPSS software as you did the first time you download it.

For the rest of the common software, apart from Antivirus, Microsoft Office, PDF and VPN, you have two options.

In Windows there is a place here: https://ninite.com/ where you can select the free software you want or need. Check all the boxes, go to the bottom of the webpage, and click on ‘Get Your Ninite’.

After download, just launch the tiny application that will download and install every single piece of software you just selected. Do not worry about unwanted apps, ninite will install only the main app and it will not allow any extra app to be installed.

For a basic useful workstation you will need:

  • Firefox
  • VLC Notepad++
  • 7-Zip
  • Paint.NET

Optionally, you may need:

  • Java 8
  • Evernote
  • Chrome
  • ImgBurn
  • Skype
  • PuTTY/WinSCP
  • Dropbox
  • Any other Office suite or PDF creator program

Alternatively, you can just look for each one online, download them and install them.

By default, it is the only option for Mac computers. There are versions of almost everything for Mac that is available for Windows computers in the above lists. In this case, you don’t need PDF programs or PuTTY. You will need to search for TextWrangler (instead of NotePad++), The Unarchiver (instead of 7-Zip), and Cyberduck (instead of Filezilla or WinSCP). Check the App store first. They should be free but sometimes there is a free version outside of the Apple store and the store version is not free.

To create a PDF file you have several methods:

You have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed (for Windows or Mac). This is paid software and all machines at DCAL have it by default. You have to buy a license for yourself as UCL don’t provide one. You have a Mac computer and you can ‘print’ or ‘save’ any document in PDF format without any other requisite.
  • You have installed ‘Office 2016’ in your Windows or Mac device (see the other section on how to do it) and you can ‘save’ any document as a PDF file directly.
  • Several browsers let you to save a text document or webpage as a PDF file, like Safari. Some of them, like Firefox or Chrome, can install a free ‘add-on’ that lets you to do it. In this case, look for ‘Web2PDF’, ‘Save as PDF’, ‘PDF Creator’ or similar verbatim. Be aware of confidential information in this case, some browsers will send the information to an online service to convert the file.
  • Other alternative Office suites have already the feature of saving the documents in PDF.
  • Other free software and methods are available, please, see ‘Common Software’ section.

Please, open a ticket in the Support Request Portal: http://bit.ly/palsitsupport.

IMPORTANT: Be aware of losing the password or pass phrase you used to create your encrypted device or file. Failure to retrieve it or remember it will cause the complete loss of the data!

Do back-ups and store them in a safe place to avoid any data loss.

You can encrypt an Excel file following this guide: Protect an Excel file - Office Support.pdf

You can encrypt your Windows device or Mac device with tools inside the operating system. In those cases, your password will be the login password. Sometimes it will ask you for a new password, just to use the device after encryption. Please, remember what you type or you will lose the content of the disk or volume!

Windows

Built-in solution is called BitLocker and it is available in all current Windows versions. Just go to the settings in your Windows and do a search for ‘Bitlocker’. A section in the ‘Control Panel’ will open and you can ‘Turn BitLocker on’ on every single volume or hard disk drive attached to the computer. Just follow the instructions. The computer needs to comply with several requisites. If you can’t activate the option because your Windows is not the right version or the device is not compatible then you must decide if that computer is safe for dealing with sensitive data.

Apple Macs

Built-in solution is called FileVault and it is available by default in all the current version of macos. To set up FileVault, you must be an administrator.

  1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, then click FileVault.
  2. Click the lock icon to unlock it, then enter an administrator name and password.
  3. Click Turn On FileVault.
    If a message says your computer needs to restart, click Restart. After restarting, log in and return to the FileVault pane.
  4. Choose how to unlock your disk and reset your login password if you forget it:
    - Use your iCloud account: Click “Allow my iCloud account to unlock my disk.”
    - Create a recovery key: Click “Create a recovery key and do not use my iCloud account.” Write down the recovery key and keep it in a safe place. 
  5. Click Continue
  6. If your Mac has multiple users, click Enable Users, click Enable User and enter the login password (or have the user enter it) for each user that you want to allow to login after the Mac starts up, then click OK.
    - If you don’t allow a user to log in after startup, an administrator must log in before the user does.
  7. Click Continue.
  8. Click Restart.

After you restart, encryption begins. It may take some time to encrypt your information, depending on how much is stored. However, you can use your Mac as usual while your information is being encrypted. 

If you need to borrow a laptop to collect data in the field or to go to a conference or exhibition, please, please open a ticket in the Support Request Portal: http://bit.ly/palsitsupport.