Working from Home - Hints and Tips
Over the last couple of months we've all become accustomed to home working and the many challenges it brings - we've provided guidance for getting started on the Working from Home webpage.
This page focusses on answers to your Frequently Asked Questions, Training and Guidance and insider Top Tips.
Follow us on Twitter for more Home Working tips and tricks: @EdNapITBytes
Information from the Library can be found here.
We've pulled together these FAQs based on the top queries coming in to the IS Service Desk:
Virtual Private Network (VPN), Virtual Desktop Service (VDS) & Remote Desktop Connect (RDC)
When should I use the VDS or VPN?
The majority of the University's online services can be accessed without being connected to the VDS or VPN. It is recommended that you connect to services directly where possible to avoid performance or access issues.
The following image explains what to use to access online services off campus:
View a PDF version of the above image.
What's the difference between the VDS and VPN?
The VDS provides access to an Edinburgh Napier desktop from anywhere, anytime on almost any device, whilst the VPN creates a secure tunnel through which you can log on to secure University websites such as HR Connect - find out more
How do I Remote Desktop Connect to my office PC?
You can access the majority of the University's online services directly from your home machine however you can Remote Desktop Connect (RDC) to your office PC from home if required. You will need to connect to the VPN and some setup is required - find out more
How do I disconnect from a Remote Desktop Connection (RDC) without shutting down my office PC?
To disconnect from a RDC session without shutting down your office PC click on the Close button (X) on the top left of the screen - find out more
Software and Services
How do I access Agresso off-campus?
You can access the Agresso website by connecting to the Virtual Private Network (VPN) and logging in using your University login ID and password. If you need to connect to the Agresso desktop client you can do this using the Virtual Desktop Service or a Remote Desktop Connection to your office PC - find out more
How do I access HR Connect off-campus?
All you need to do is connect to the Virtual Private Network (VPN) and then log in to HR Connect, using your Login ID and password (you don't need to connect to a Virtual Desktop or Remote Connect to your office PC) - find out more
Can I access Autodesk off campus?
Yes, Autodesk have a free download available for Edinburgh Napier's staff and students, providing access to Autodesk software from home - find out more
Can externals with a limited associate account access SharePoint?
Yes, however they need to log in using a slightly different procedure - find out how
Communicating
Do I need to connect to the Virtual Desktop Service (VDS) or Remote Desktop (RDC) to communicate via Webex or MS Teams?
No, in fact we would advise you against connecting to the VDS or RDS when participating in any type of video call - find out more
Are softphones available for staff members?
Yes, softphones are now available for all staff members - find out more
Can I use MS Teams?
We're currently managing a project to rollout MS Teams. In the meantime you can use MS Teams for chatting and for conference calling without having a dedicated "team" set up - find out how
Can I set up my office telephone to divert to my home / mobile number?
Yes, you can do this when off campus, however you will need to connect to the Virtual Private Network (VPN) - show me how
Can I put an out of office message on a generic mailbox?
Yes, you can do this via Outlook on the Web - find out how
Teaching & Learning
How do I get started with Panopto for recording lectures?
This First Steps with Panopto guide will help you get started, and you'll find lots more useful information on the Learning Technology Hub.
Do I need to connect to the VDS, VPN or RDC to communicate via Webex?
No, we would advise against connecting to the VDS, VPN or RDS when using Webex - find out more
Information Security
What do I need to do to secure my devices?
The Secure your Devices blog article from our information security team gives guidance on protecting your devices.
How do I spot a phishing email?
Unfortunately there are a lot of phishing emails doing the rounds at the moment, guidance on how to deal with these can be found on the National Cyber Security Centre website.
If we've not answered your question you can check our askNapier knowledge base or contact the IS Service Desk.
While working from home, why not take the opportunity to learn about:
Check out this video by our own Steve Yorkstone, giving tips on working with screens and webcams:
These helpful articles were created by IS colleagues as they adapted to home working:
We've come across these guides on the web which we also found useful: