Faculty, staff and students making a VPN connection should use the new higher-capacity webvpn2.purdue.edu

ITaP is asking faculty, staff and students to switch to a new higher-capacity Virtual Private Network (VPN) service where possible.

A Virtual Private Network provides a secure connection from your laptop or desktop at home or another remote location to systems on campus.

To meet the needs of the campus community as people work remotely, Purdue’s current VPN service has been increased to accommodate 20,000 connections. To do that, a new VPN was added. The new VPN is named webvpn2.purdue.edu.

Cisco AnyConnect software for establishing a VPN with Purdue is available for download on Purdue’s Community Hub at https://communityhub.purdue.edu/storefront/browse/securitysoftware. There is a version that can be installed on personal computers (as well as a version for Purdue computers).

When you start a session, type webvpn2.purdue.edu into the Ready to connect box. The default, if any, may be webvpn.purdue.edu. You want webvpn2.purdue.edu. (See screenshots here.)

Sign in with your BoilerKey (pin,push) and a secure connection should be established. Now you can work as if you were working at Purdue. Note: the login box in AnyConnect will not look like the usual BoilerKey login box. Nonetheless, you need to enter your BoilerKey pin,push where it asks for a Password.

Other things to note:

  • Not all on-campus resources require a VPN connection, email for example. Examples of on-campus resources that require VPN include personal and shared network storage drives and advanced resources in SAP, typically accessed by staff in business and finance offices.
  • During times when faculty, staff and students are working remotely, VPN should be used only when needed and disconnected when not needed to help prevent overloading of the VPN system.
  • Users are encouraged to use webvpn2.purdue.edu, but if you are connected to webvpn.purdue.edu already, you will be able to continue working until you switch.

If you have problems or questions regarding VPN, and your computer is supported by your campus unit’s IT staff, contact them, or contact ITaP at itap@purdue.edu.

Last updated: March 18, 2020