VPN connection to UK Campus Resources

VPN connection to UK Campus Resources

Info: Users (both UKy students/staff and external) need to have activated their linkblue accounts. See Activating your linkblue (specifically the FAQ page) for more information.

Attention

Before you follow the instructions on this page, you first request VPN access. Instructions are available at the following page: How do I request main campus VPN access?

After you are granted access to the VPN service you can continue with this document.

If you have any issues with the VPN client, please contact campus IT by submitting a ticket, as described in the following guide: Where can I get tech help?. If your VPN connection works but you are unable to log in to LCC/MCC, submit a support ticket at the following page: UKY HPC Help Center.

This document will describe how to connect to the campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) service with a VPN client. It describes instructions for Mac, Windows and Linux OS.



Requirements

To access remote services over a Palo Alto GlobalProtect client session, your system must have the following setup:

  1. The client application must be installed locally on your system.

  2. The operating system must be Microsoft Windows 7/8/8.1/10, Linux (RHEL/Centos 7.0 & up, Ubuntu 14.04 & up, ), or Mac OS X 10.10 & up

Download Palo Alto GlobalProtect client

The client is available from the UK VPN website.

Mac or Windows OS users:

  1. From your browser, go to https://ra.uky.edu (Login using your linkblue credentials)

  2. Select the appropriate download for your OS.

Screenshot with arrows pointing to the 'Download windows 64 bit' and 'Download Mac 32 64 bit' links.

Linux OS users:

  1. From your browser, go to the UK Software Downloads page and login using your linkblue credentials

  2. Select “Enterprise” from the “Software Categories” and select “See Downloads” in the “Palo Alto GlobalProtect” section.

    1. image-20260311-181941.png
  3. Select the “Download” button within the Global Protect (Linux) section (You may have to click on another download button on a new page). You can also optionally view the “Install Guide”.

    1. Screenshot of palo Alto GlobalProtect page with multiple sections. The 'Download' button and 'Install Guide' link within the 'Global Protect (Linux)' section are highlited.

     


Windows OS Users Guide:

When the download is complete:

Double click on the executable file and click "Next"

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Welcome' page with 'Next' button highlited.

Click "Next" to confirm the location of the installation.

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Selected Installation Folder' page with 'Next' button highlited.

Click "Next" to confirm the installation.

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Confirm Installation' page with 'Next' button highlited.

Click "Close" when the installation is successfully finished.

If you do not see the following welcome screen, look in your system tray and click the globe icon.

Screenshot of the GlobalProtect widget with a input box and a 'Connect' button.

Once the "GlobalProtect" portal is open, enter the address: ra.uky.edu

Then, click the "Connect" button.

Screenshot of the GlobalProtect widget with a input box with 'ra.uky.edu' filled in and a 'Connect' button.

After this, it will open up "GlobalProtect" Login window, Sign in using your linkblue credentials.

Screenshot of UKy themed GlobalProtect Login window. It has input fields for username and password and a 'Sing in' button.

The login screen will indicate you are connected to the VPN.

To end your session, click "Disconnect"

Screenshot of the GlobalProtect widgit with arrows pointing to a 'Connected' text indication user is connected to the VPN and a 'Disconnect' button.

Mac OS Users Guide:

When the download is complete, click "GlobalProtect.pkg" to start the installation.

From the “Introduction” page click "Continue"

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Introduction' page with 'Continue' button highlited.

From the “Destination Select” page click "Continue"

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Destination Select' page with 'Continue' button highlited.

From the “Installation Type” page click "Continue"

Screenshot of GlobalProtect installation wizard 'Installation Type' page with 'Continue' button highlited.

Enter your computer's password if prompted to install the software.

Click "Install Software"

Screenshot of MacOS prompt to add local device username and password with the 'Install Software' button highlited

Now, enter the portal address: ra.uky.edu

If you don't see the sign-in box, click on the globe icon from the menu bar.

Then, click "Connect"

Screenshot highliting a selected globe icon on the MAC menu bar. There is also a GlobalProtect widget with an input field and a 'Connect' button. The input field has the text 'ra.uky.edu' .  And the 'Connect' button is also highlited

Note: If it hangs here ("Waiting...") or you see error "some components of the GlobalProtect app could not be launched" please follow these instructions or else, skip to sign in step.

(Credit: Following solution has been taken from ITS)

If you are running on macOS, version 10.13 or later you may encounter  this error message when attempting to connect to your VPN gateway:

Screenshot with GlobalProtect error message. 'Some components of the GlobalProtect app could not be launched due to your operating system settings. This may cause some network traffic to be blocked. Please contact your IT administrator for assistance'

or, you might encounter the "Connecting...." status notice running indefinitely; not establishing a connection. These issues might occur due to new security measures by Apple.

Screenshot of GlobalProtect widget that shows 'Connecting...' with the 'Connect' button disabled.

In addition to the message and dialog above, you will see this message.

Screenshot of an error message with the title 'System Extension Blocked' and an 'OK' button.

Perform these steps to prevent the message from displaying:

         1. From your Mac, launch "System Preferences"

         2. Click Security & Privacy preferences.

Screenshot of the 'System Preferences' window with the 'Security and Privacy' button highlited

     3. Click the "General" tab (A).

Screenshot of the 'Security and Privacy' window with an arrow labeled 'A' pointing to the 'General' tab and an arrow labeled 'B' pointing to a button labeled by the text 'Click the lock to prevent further changes.'

 

    4. Click the lock icon (B) on the bottom left of the window to make changes and modify preferences.

    5. When prompted, enter your Mac Admin account credentials (Not Linkblue)

Screenshot of a System prompt for the username and password for the device with a highlited 'Unlock' button.

   6. After putting in your ‘User Name’ and ‘Password Click’, click Unlock.

   7. Click Allow.

Partial screenshot showing the text 'System software from developer palo Alto networks was blocked from loading' with a highlited Allow button

After this, it will open up "GlobalProtect" Login window, Sign in using your linkblue credentials.

Screenshot of UKy themed GlobalProtect Login window. It has input fields for username and password and a 'Sing in' button.

The login screen will indicate you are connected to the VPN.

To end your session, click on the globe icon on the top menu bar and click "Disconnect"


Linux OS Users Guide:

Once the download is finished. Go to the directory path where .tgz file is downloaded.

Extract the files from the package using the following command (replace <file_name> with the name of the file you downloaded :

$ tar -xvf <file_name>.tgz

Here is an example extraction, note that the version and filename for yours might be different

$ tar -xvf PanGPLinux-6.1.5-c3.tgz ./ ./GlobalProtect_deb-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_deb_arm-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_focal_deb-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_focal_deb_arm-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_focal_rpm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_focal_rpm_arm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_focal_tar-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./GlobalProtect_focal_tar_arm-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./GlobalProtect_rpm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_rpm_arm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_tar-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./GlobalProtect_tar_arm-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./GlobalProtect_UI_deb-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_UI_focal_deb-6.1.5.1-715.deb ./GlobalProtect_UI_focal_rpm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_UI_focal_tar-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./GlobalProtect_UI_rpm-6.1.5.0-863.rpm ./GlobalProtect_UI_tar-6.1.5.1-715.tgz ./gp_install.sh ./gp_uninstall.sh ./manifest ./relinf

You will see multiple installation packages for supported operating system versions

.deb for Debian and Ubuntu

.rpm for Centos and Red Hat

NOTE: Make sure to pick GlobalProtect_UI prefix is the package for the GUI version.

Now, use the appropriate installation command on an appropriate file based on the system you are installing on.
Below is an example for .deb (Debian based version)
Linux GUI Installation:

sudo dpkg -i GlobalProtect_UI_deb-5.1.0.0-101.deb

Once the installation is complete, GlobalProtect (a globe icon) will appear in your menu bar at the top of your Linux desktop.

If it does not appear, you can get the interface to appear by entering

globalprotect launch-ui

Once you are able to see the globe icon on the top of the desktop, click to open it. Add ra.uky.edu to into the portal address field and click “Connect”.

Screenshot showing a selected GlobalProtect Icon with and a open popup. Within the popup the input field, with the text ra.uky.edu, and Connect button are highlited.

After this, it will open up "GlobalProtect" Login window, Sign in using your linkblue credentials.

Screenshot of UKy themed GlobalProtect Login window. It has input fields for username and password and a 'Sing in' button.

The login screen will indicate you are connected to the VPN.

To end your session, click on the globe icon on the top menu bar and click "Disconnect"

Linux CLI Installation:

CLI mode installations of GlobalProtect do not support Two-Factor Authentication yet. GUI installation will be required to successfully connect.

Center for Computational Sciences