Table of Contents

What Is Virtual Sites?

You can access the Virtual Sites service from the web. Basically, you go to the Virtual Sites web page, specify how you'd like to connect to a Sites Windows machine, and request a connection. A connection file will be downloaded to your computer. Depending on the web browser you use, the file will either open automatically, or you'll need to open it. You can then log in to the Sites machine and use it.

Table of Contents

Who Can Use It?

If you are eligible for the Basic Computing Package, you can use Virtual Sites.

Table of Contents

Before Connecting—Macintosh Only

1. Go to Microsoft's Mactopia Remote Desktop Connection page and click the Download now link. As of October 2007, the current version of the software is 2.0 (Beta).
2. Check the system requirements and follow the installation instructions provided on the download page.

Table of Contents

Getting Connected

1. Go to the Virtual Sites web page at http://virtualsites.umich.edu and click the Connect Now button.

   

2. Select the appropriate connection options:

   a. Software package. If the software you need is included in the Sites Basic Package, select that option. There are more computers available with the Basic Package than with the Full Loadset Package.

   b. Connection speed. Select the kind of Internet connection you are using. Select Broadband if you are using DSL or a cable modem connection, such as Comcast. Select LAN if you are using an on-campus network connection. Select the appropriate modem speed if you are using a dial-up connection.

   

3. Select advanced options if you wish. You can use these settings to control the screen resolution within your connection window and more. See Appendix A. Advanced Connection Options for details.
4. Click the Request Connection button.
5. A connection file named Virtual Sites - Click To Connect.rdp will be downloaded to your computer's desktop. It may open automatically, or you may need to open it, depending on what web browser you are using and how you have it configured to download files. Here is what you can expect from some common web browsers (for screen shots, see Appendix B. Downloading the Connection File):
   • Internet Explorer. The information bar at the top of your browser window will state that Internet Explorer has blocked a file download. Click the right side of that bar for options, then, in the menu that appears, click Download File. In the dialog box that appears next, click Open.
   • Firefox. A dialog box will open that asks you what you want to do with the file. Select Open with, then click OK.
   • Safari. Find the Virtual Sites - Click To Connect.rdp file on your desktop and double-click it.
6. Log in to the Sites computer using your uniqname and UMICH Kerberos password.

   

7. Read the message about appropriate use of U-M computing resources, and click OK.

   

8. You can now use the Sites machine from your Remote Desktop window.

NOTE: You can only have one Sites connection open at a time. If you request and open a connection from another computer, your first connection will be closed.

Changing Connection Options

Table of Contents

Log Out When You're Done

Five minutes after you have logged out or otherwise disconnected, your connection file will become unusable. You can move it to your Trash or Recycle Bin and delete it.

Table of Contents

Tips for Working Remotely

• Save your work to your IFS home directory. You will see an icon for it at the left side of your Remote Desktop window. When you save a document, in the Save As dialog box, first click Desktop, then My IFS Home. You can then select the folder within which you want to save your file.

  

  If you prefer, you can use mFile to access your IFS home directory.

  Do not save to the remote computer's desktop! You will not be able to recover files on the remote computer after ending your session (or disconnecting for more than five minutes) and the remote computer's desktop should only be used for temporary files you aren't planning on keeping.

• Save often! Introducing an extra network connection into your computing adds a new potential point of failure, and your best defense is to save your work frequently to your IFS space.
• Log out when you are finished using your connection to free the machine up for other users. Virtual Sites is a shared resource. Sites staff reserve the right to terminate sessions lasting more than 24 hours following a 30-minute warning message.

Table of Contents

Additional Resources

We welcome your comments; please send e-mail.

ITCS's Online Help Desk provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help getting connected to Virtual Sites, send e-mail to online.consulting@umich.edu or phone (734) 764-HELP. For help using Virtual Sites, send e-mail to virtual.sites@umich.edu.

Table of Contents

Appendix A. Advanced Connection Options

• Display. The Desktop Size option lets you set the screen resolution of your connection window. The lower the numbers, the larger the text will be in your connection window. The Number of Colors displayed affects the quality of color display. The more colors displayed, however, the more bandwidth is required. If you are using a modem connection, you may want to choose a lower number here.
• Local Resources. Checking these checkboxes allows the remote Sites computer to connect to any printers or drives that are connected to your local computer. Checking the Disk Drives checkbox, for example, would allow you to open a file on your computer using software on the Sites computer. Checking the Printers checkbox, would allow you to print from the Sites computer to printers that are connected to your local computer.
• Performance. These settings let you optimize for bandwidth. When you choose your connection speed, appropriate selections are made to the performance settings automatically. You can change them if you wish, however.

Table of Contents

Appendix B. Downloading the Connection File

Using Internet Explorer

1. The information bar at the top of your browser window will state that Internet Explorer has blocked a file download. Click the right side of that bar for options.

   

2. In the menu that pops up, click Download File.

   

3. In the dialog box that appears next, click Open.

   

Using Firefox

Using Safari

Table of Contents

Information Technology Central Services at the University of Michigan

ITCS Home  |  University of Michigan