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Accessing Lightning Off-Campus with a Personal Computer

To connect to Lighting from a personal computer off-campus please follow the steps below.

(Note: If off campus, please first follow the instructions on how to set up VPN here and then follow the instructions below.)

 

Lightning on a Personal Windows PC

1. Log-on to a computer and set up VPN using the linked instructions.

2. Click on the "Start" button, and then "Run".

3. Without quotes, type in the address bar "\\lightning", then click OK.

4. Input YourUserName/Password combination. Students should type in their username as follows: "Student\YourUserName". Faculty and staff members should type in their username as follows: "Philacol\YourUserName".

5. Browse to the correct folder. For instance, academic file folders can be found in the Apps folder, inside the folder entitled Academic.

6. Right-click on the appropriate folder, select "create shortcut", and drag-and-drop a shortcut of that folder onto the desktop.

7. Double-click the desktop shortcut to access Lightning.

If a message appears stating that it cannot find the server, make sure the computer is still connected to the network. If so, try deleting the shortcut and re-creating it, replacing "\\lightning"with"\\lightning.facstaff.philau.edu".  

 

Lightning on a Personal Apple/Mac Computer

1. Log-on to a computer and set up VPN using the linked instructions.

2. At the Mac desktop, choose "Connect to Server" from the Go pull-down menu.

3. Choose the Lightning server, or type the server name (which can be expressed as smb://Lightning) in the address bar. Click 'Connect'.

4. Input YourUserName/Password combination. Students should type in their username as follows: "Student\YourUserName". Faculty and staff members should type in their username as follows:   "Philacol\YourUserName".

5. If the computer prompts the user to choose a volume to mount, choose the appropriate one and click OK. For example: academic file folders can be found in the Apps folder, so choose Apps as the folder to mount.

6. The icon should appear on the desktop. Find the desired folder and open it. The user now has access to files on Lightning.

7. To create an alias (shortcut) to a particular subfolder, hold down the 'Apple' and 'Option' keys and drag the icon to the desktop.

If a message appears stating that the computer cannot find the server, make sure it is still connected to the network. If so, try deleting the shortcut and re-creating it, replacing "smb://lightning" with "smb://lightning.facstaff.philau.edu".

 

Support

For further assistance, please contact the Technology Help Desk at 215-951-4648 or by Email at HelpDesk@PhilaU.edu

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