Activation Required Prompts and Microsoft Software

iSchool owned Windows computers are set up to periodically check-in with a license server on campus to verify the activation of Windows (the operating system itself).

If your computer has been off campus for quite some time and your computer has not connected to the Husky OnNet VPN for quite some time (at least once every 180 days), you can expect to see a prompt or message telling you that you are required to activate Microsoft Windows or your license will expire soon.

If you see a message about needing to activate Windows, connect to the Husky OnNet VPN, then wait. You may continue working. Your computer will automatically “check in” with the on-campus license server, activate Microsoft Windows, the “activation required” message will disappear, and you can disconnect or exit the Husky OnNet VPN application.

More about how activating Microsoft products works at the UW, can be found on UW-IT’s website:

https://itconnect.uw.edu/wares/msinf/software/activating-microsoft-products/

How to share your Outlook (read: Exchange) Calendar with others at the UW and with External Users

How to share your Outlook (read: Exchange) Calendar with others at the UW and with External Users

Before you proceed, note that by default everyone at the iSchool (and everyone else at the UW that uses the UW Microsoft 365/Office 365 service) can already see the default free/busy info of everyone else. This means people can already see when you are free, when you are busy, what your working hours are and when you are out of the office.

“Advanced” sharing options are possible, for example, if you want to give someone access to more details, if you want to give someone outside of the UW a view to your calendar, or if you want to give someone “delegate” (edit) rights to your calendar.

It is recommended that you configure “advanced” sharing options using the Outlook Web App. Detailed directions from Microsoft are available on this web page:

Advanced Microsoft 365 Calendar sharing directions

How to connect to your computer via Remote Desktop using the iSchool Remote Desktop Gateway

How to connect to your computer via Remote Desktop using the iSchool Remote Desktop Gateway

If your iSchool issued work computer is running Windows, it is possible to connect to it and use it remotely, from a separate computer.

If your iSchool issued work computer is a Mac and you are looking to connect to it and use it remotely, see this page.

In order to remote into your iSchool Windows work computer:

a) You need to know your computer’s name.
b) The computer must allow remote connections.
c) The computer must be powered on and not in sleep mode.
d) The computer must be connected to the UW campus network.

After confirming a through d above, follow these instructions to access your Windows work computer from a separate computer.

How to find your iSchool computer name

Windows 10

Windows 10

1) right-click the lower-left Windows icon, click System

your computer’s name is next to “Device name” or “Computer name:” (depending on Windows 10 version) and usually something like “is-YourNetIDx220” or “is-YourNetID450” or “is-YourNetID360” or “is-YourNetIDx1c”

Confirm your iSchool work computer will allow remote connections

Windows 10


Windows 10

1) right-click the lower-left Windows icon, click System, click Remote Desktop, click Select users that can remotely access this PC

2) confirm the following settings:

Enable Remote Desktop should be On
Keep my PC awake for connections when it is plugged in should be checked
in the Remote Desktop Users window, you should see NETID\Your NetID already has access.


Connect to your work computer from a separate computer (follow these steps from your home computer)

connecting from a Windows 10 computer
connecting from a Mac OS X computer


Windows 10

1) start the application Remote Desktop Connection (already installed on any Windows 10 computer)

start_remote_desktop_connection

2) click Show Options, click Advanced, click Settings…

 

3) for Connection settings:

check Use these RD Gateway server settings
Server name: rdp.ischool.uw.edu
Logon method: Allow me to select later
check Bypass RD Gateway server for local addresses

for Logon settings:

check Use my RD Gateway credentials for the remote computer

click OK

 

4) click General

for Computer: use your computer name (usually something like is-yourNetidx220, see this if you need to find your computer name)
for User name: use netid\yourNetID

click Connect, enter your NetID password when prompted

 


Mac OS X

1) download and install the free Microsoft Remote Desktop application from the Apple Store, you will need an Apple ID to download the application

microsoft remote desktop

2) start the Microsoft Remote Desktop application, (settings about improving performance or giving access to your microphone or webcam are up to you; select the settings you prefer), click the gear-looking-icon, click Preferences…, click Gateways

click the + button in the bottom-left, use the following settings:

Gateway name: rdp.ischool.uw.edu
Friendly name: iSchool RDP Gateway

click the drop-down next to User account:, click Add User Account…

use the following settings:

User name: netid\YourNetID
Password: YourNetIDPassword

click Add, click Add

close the Preferences window

3) in the Microsoft Remote Desktop window click Add PC, use the following settings:

PC name: usually something like: is-YourNetIDlc6 or is-YourNetIDly3 or is-YourNetIDl480

User account: select the user account you created in the previous step (netid\YourNetID)

Gateway: select the iSchool RDP Gateway (or whatever name you created in Step 2)

(Other settings are fine to leave as is.  They can be modified later.)

click Add

4) double-click the connection you made in Step 3, if a certificate-verification window appears it is fine to click Continue

Guidance for spam and phishing protections

Guidance for spam and phishing protections

UW-IT’s information about how to enable and maintain spam protections for UW Office 365 Exchange Online email accounts is on this web page:

https://itconnect.uw.edu/connect/productivity-platforms/microsoft-productivity-platform/exchange-online/email-protection-enhancements/early-adopter-access/#how_to

iSchool IT recommends following the steps in the “Enable” and “Maintain” sections of the web page linked above.

Even after configuring settings as recommended on the web page linked above, it is still possible for spam and phishing emails to make it to your inbox. When you do receive suspicious emails, follow the guidance in the “What you can do” section of this web page:

https://itconnect.uw.edu/connect/email/resources/protecting-your-email/