NUS WebVPN
FAQ and
Troubleshooting Guide
Version 3 (19 October 2015)
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Section 1: FAQ on WebVPN
Question:
What exactly is WebVPN?
Answer:
VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which provides a secured connection between end-users and the organization over a private network. The WebVPN is the VPN service enabled via web browser to provide secure remote access to NUS IT resources.
Question:
Why do I need WebVPN?
Answer:
Certain resources are restricted for users within NUS network, for example, updating of latest anti-virus signatures, network file and print services. Typically, these resources are accessible only within the campus. NUS WebVPN enables users from any part of the world to connect back to the University network through the Internet, as if they are physically in the campus.
Question:
Who should be using NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
Any staff and students who wish to access the NUS Intranet resources remotely.
Question:
How secure is the NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
The WebVPN connection between NUSNET and your PC is secured through a Secure
Socket Layer (SSL) tunnel. All the relevant information is securely encrypted.
Question:
Is there any situation where I cannot use the NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
The NUS WebVPN Clients will not work properly if you do not have local administrator right on your computer.
Question:
What are the charges for using the NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
NUS WebVPN is a free service provided to the University user community. However charges for user connection to the Internet via ISP still applies.
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Section 2: FAQ & Troubleshooting on the WebVPN Connection
Question:
What are the supported Operating System platforms and browsers for using the
NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
The NUS WebVPN service is enabled through the following supported OS and web browsers. Local Administrator Privilege is required on your computer to start the
Network Connect.
Platform
Windows
Operating System
Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise, 64 bit
Browsers and Java
Environment
Internet Explorer 11 1
Windows 8 Enterprise, 64-bit *
Internet Explorer 10 1
Windows 8.1 , 32 bit or 64 bit platforms
Internet Explorer 9.0
Windows 8, 32 bit or 64 bit platforms
Internet Explorer 8.0
Windows 8 Enterprise, 32 bit
Internet Explorer 7.0
Windows 7 on 32 bit or 64 bit platforms
Firefox 3.0 and above
Windows 7 SP1 Enterprise , 32 bit including FF10
Windows Vista, 32 bit or 64 bit platforms
Oracle JRE 6 and above
Mac
Mac OS X 10.7.4, 64 bit
Mac OS X 10.8, 64 bit
Mac OS X 10.9
2 & above
Mac OS X 10.6.x, 32 bit and 64 bit
Mac OS X 10.7.x, 32 bit
Mac OS X 10.8.x, 32 bit
Safari 7.0
Safari 6.0
Safari 5.1
Safari 5.0
JRE 6 and above
Oracle JRE 7
Linux 3
Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
OpenSUSE 12.1
OpenSUSE 10.x, and 11.x
Ubuntu 9.10, 10.x, and 11.x
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
Firefox 10-ESR
Oracle JRE 7
Firefox 3.0 and above
Oracle JRE 6 and above
1. IE 10 is only supported in Desktop Mode on Windows 8 with plug-ins enabled. Similarly IE 11 is only supported in Desktop Mode on Windows 8.1 with plug-ins enabled.
2. Network Connect is not supported on Windows 10 & Mac OS X 10.9 & above. Please install junos pulse or Pulse Secure Desktop Client.
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3. 32 bit NC support on 64 bit Linux is qualified for the following
Question:
I am behind a firewall, what configurations are required on the firewall to support
NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
Only TCP port 80 and 443 are required to enable the WebVPN access. Enabling UDP port 500 on the firewall will enhance the performance of the individual WebVPN session.
Question:
What do I need to install to access the NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
You do not need to pre-install any client software. You just need a web-browser to enable the access. However, you need to be a local administrator in order to use the service.
Question:
How do I access the WebVPN?
Answer:
Use a web-browser and access https://webvpn.nus.edu.sg
, and students & visitors can login using your NUSNET account and password.
Upon successful authentication with NUSNET account & Password Staff user will be prompted for additional “Security Code”
To mitigate the increasing risk of identity theft through email phishing and other cyber security threats, the University has implemented Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to protect your NUS account and access to sensitive systems.
You will require a Security Code in addition to your NUSNET UserID and password to access these systems. The Security Code can be generated from your smartphone, tablet or computer
For information please refer ( https://inetapps.nus.edu.sg/2fa/faq.html
)
After you have logged in, if you notice a message bar on top of your browser (typically
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happens to Internet Explorer only) asking you to install an Active-X control, right click on the bar and install it.
Thereafter, wait for the “Network Connect” Service to start up (the Network Connect
Icon at the system tray would change from to ).
If you are prompted to run any software, just click “Run”, and your WebVPN session will be established.
Question:
Am I supposed to put “nusstf\” or “nusstf/” before my login ID? Which slash should it be?
Answer:
It is NOT necessary to put in the domain prefix during login, just select “NUSSTF”,
“NUSSTU” or “NUSEXT” from the drop-down box below the password field.
Question:
What is the Timeout for my WebVPN session?
Answer:
There are two types of Timeout for the WebVPN: a) Idle Timeout
– The Idle Timeout of the WebVPN is set to 8 hours. If you are away from your computer for 8 hours or more after the establishment of a WebVPN session, you will be logout from the session. b) Session Timeout – The Session Timeout of the WebVPN is set to 24 hours. This means that a single WebVPN session will only last for 24 hours, after which you are required to re-login to the WebVPN.
Question:
I am a Mac user. Can I use the NUS WebVPN?
Answer:
Yes, you can use the NUS WebVPN through Safari browser.
Question:
I am using Mac OS X and Network Connect fails to install with the error message
"An error occurred while extracting one of the Network Connect components".
How do I get Network Connect to work?
Answer:
There is a workaround to the above problem.
You would need to launch the program "Terminal" under the Utilities folder, and enter
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the following unix commands: sudo keytool -storepasswd -new changeit -keystore
/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Resources/Deploy.bun
dle/Contents/Home/lib/security/cacerts -storepass changeme
Please note that you would be prompted for the Root password when entering the above command. When using the Mac for the first time, the root password would be disabled. The following steps will allow you to enable the root password:
1. Open the Directory Utility located in folder /System/Library/CoreServices/.
2. From the Edit menu, select Enable Root User.
3. User would be prompted to enter the Root password twice.
Re-login to the WebVPN and the Network Connect client would install successfully this time.
For MAC version 10.9 & above please user junos pulse or Secure connect to connect to
NUS WebVPN. Please refer URL https://comcen.nus.edu.sg/eguides/ for eguides and junos pulse installer.
Question:
Do I need WebVPN to access the NUS Libraries' Proxy service?
Answer:
No, there is no need to install or startup the WebVPN to access the Proxy service. The service only requires your NUSNET account and password.
Question:
I am a visitor to NUS, can I access the NUS Libraries' Proxy service via WebVPN?
Answer:
No, the service is only available to staff and students of NUS.
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