Questions & Known Issues

Get started

• What login and password do I use?
• I logged in twice and got a warning page.
• What is the VPN toolbar?
• How do I get to library resources once I have logged in using VPN?

Use the VPN

• I closed the VPN window and now I am no longer logged in.
• I typed a URL directly into my Web browser instead of navigating to it from within the VPN window and now I can't access library resources.
• If I find links to articles using Google Scholar or while conducting a Web search, will I need to authenticate to get to the actual articles?
• I like to use multiple windows when I am searching and viewing resources. Can I use multiple tabs in Firefox or multiple browser windows once I login to the VPN service?
• What if I'm browsing normally without the VPN, and come across a site I need to use the VPN for? Can I use my bookmarks in the VPN?

Known Issues

• Are there Web sites that don't work with VPN? How do I access these sites?

Get started

What login and password do I use?

Your UC Davis login and password. (You may request an account (https://computingaccounts.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin/services/index.cgi) if you are a UC Davis student, faculty, or staff member.)

I logged in twice and got a warning page.

Only log in once using your UC Davis Kerberos username and password.

What is the VPN toolbar?

The VPN toolbar is persistent while you are in VPN; you should always see it in the upper right corner. If you do not see it, you are not in VPN. Clicking on the house icon will bring you to the VPN welcome screen. VPN help will be displayed if you click on the life preserver icon. You may logout at any point during your session by clicking on the door icon.

How do I get to library resources once I have logged in using VPN?

Use the links in the "Web Bookmarks" section or type a URL directly into the browse box beneath the VPN toolbar in the upper right corner. You must navigate from within the window from which you logged in using VPN, i.e. Don't use your browser bookmarks.

Use the VPN

I closed the VPN window and now I am no longer logged in.

Don't close the VPN window. To keep the session active you need to navigate using the links available within the VPN window.

I typed a URL directly into my Web browser instead of navigating to it from within the VPN window and now I can't access library resources.

You must navigate to the resource from within the VPN window; not by typing the URL directly into the browser because you will no longer be recognized as an approved UC Davis faculty, staff, or student.

You may use the browse box under the VPN toolbar to type URLs directly into the VPN session. Click on the house icon in the VPN toolbar from wherever you are, then type the URL you want to look up into the VPN browse box.

You may add a View in VPN bookmark to your browser. You can use this to "get back" to the VPN if you accidently typed an address directly in your web browser.

If I find links to articles using Google Scholar or while conducting a Web search, will I need to authenticate to get to the actual articles?

You must be recognized as current UC Davis faculty, staff, or student to access the full-text of articles. Logging into the VPN service before beginning to search for resources may be the most efficient method.

I like to use multiple windows when I am searching and viewing resources. Can I use multiple tabs in Firefox or multiple browser windows once I login to the VPN service?

Yes, if you open the tabs or windows from within the VPN window. If your browser supports using multiple tabs, you may right click on a link accessed through the VPN and choose "Open Link in New Tab." If you want to open a link in a new window, right click on the link and choose "Open Link in New Window." You can then access library resources in the new tab or window. Alternatively, you may open a resource in a new window by clicking on the window icons shown in the image below.

What if I'm browsing normally without the VPN, and come across a site I need to use the VPN for? Can I use my bookmarks in the VPN?

You can add a View in VPN bookmark to your browser. This will redirect your current page to the VPN. You can open your bookmark, then redirect it to the VPN.

Known Issues

Are there Web sites that don't work with VPN? How do I access these sites?

Yes, we have found some sites do not work with the VPN. In the cases where a site does not work with the VPN, we will work with the vendor to resolve the problem. Here is a list of sites we have found do not work with the VPN and the workaround.

ArtStor

To use all Artstor functions and collections, please use the proxy server.

Classical Music Library, Smithsonian Global Sound, and African American Song (Alexander Street Press)

Internet Explorer does not work correctly with these sites. Please use another browser such as Firefox, or the proxy server.

EBSCO Visual Search

All features of EBSCO databases function well, except the visual search feature. If you wish to use the visual search feature, please use the proxy server.

PDF Documents Containing Hyperlinks

PDF documents which contain hyperlinks to resources outside the document are known to not work. External hyperlinks embeded in PDF documents must be extracted and accessed manually. Alternatively, the proxy server may be used.

PubMed

Due to recent changes in PubMed, UC e-Links do not currently work in the VPN. While we work with the vendor to resolve this, please use the proxy server.