Faculty and Staff members are welcome to bring their own laptops on campus to connect to Pacernet.  Initially the laptop should be brought by the Help Desk to have it checked and configured to connect to USC Aiken's wireless network.

Once your laptop is configured, you'll simply need to open your browser each time you arrive on campus and log into the PacerNet Impulse screen as shown below.

Once you've logged in as shown above, you should have access to the internet.  If you run into any further issues, please give the Help Desk a call for assistance.

Connecting a network drive from a campus owned Mac, is a fairly simply procedure.  Once done correctly, repeating the task is even easier.

The video below explains this procedure.

New video available soon

To connect to the campus network while you're away from campus, you'll just need an internet connection and our Junos Pulse VPN software installed.

Please visit our VPN (Off-Campus Network Access) topic for instructions on how to install Junos PulseSecure.

Faculty and staff should connect their laptops and wireless devices to the PacerNet wireless network, which uses Impulse SafeConnect software.

Desktop users connecting through a wired connection will also need to install the Impulse software.

The setup for Impulse is very simple.  As a result, the screen shots and instructions below are not meant to be step-by-step instructions or to walk you through installation.  These instructions are provided only to make you familiar with what you will likely see the first time you open your web browser after connecting to PacerNet.

Off-Campus Install

If you are off-campus and would like to pre-install the SafeConnect client, you may do so by downloading and installing it directly.  After running the downloaded file, the installation process will be similar to the screens shown below.

Install Impulse on a Windows system: Impulse SafeConnect Installer 

Install Impulse on a Mac system: Impulse SafeConnect Installer

On-Campus Install

You should first connect to PacerNet through wireless, or by connecting your computer through a wired connection.

To install Impulse SafeConnect, open your web browser. You should immediately see a screen similar to the one show below.

NOTE: In some cases this screen may take several minutes to appear. If the screen doesn't appear immediately just continue to use the web as you normally would until the screen is displayed, then continue with the instructions. If the screen fails to eventually display, or if you are off-campus, you should follow the Off-Campus Install instructions.

Enter your Pacer Account username and password as shown. Then click Submit.

You'll be shown this screen, and given the chance to read the terms and requirements regarding use of Impulse. To continue, and receive access to the internet, you must click Yes stating that you accept the terms as shown below.

At this point the software will automatically begin downloading. You may see a pop-up bar at the top of your browser asking if it is OK to download or install the software, if so, you must permit it.

A pop-up window similar to the one shown below will be displayed. To begin installation click Run.

You may be presented with a second pop-up window, if so, again click Run as shown below.

Within just a few seconds, the software will be ready to install. You'll then see the window below. Click Install.

The installation should take only a few moments. When it's complete, you'll be show the window below. Just click OK. Impulse SafeConnect is now fully installed on your system.

You should be left with a web page like the one shown here. Close and reopen your web broswer. Impulse SafeConnect will then automatically check your computer to ensure that all anti-virus and Windows Updates are fully updated. If anything is found to require an update, Impulse will instruct you on how to proceed.

All campus owned computers have the Symantec anti-virus software installed.  If at any time, Symantec pops up a warning regarding possible detection of a virus, spyware, or any other malware related issue, you should immediately contact the Help Desk for assistance.

A few things to keep in mind regarding viruses on campus:

• Many spyware/viruses will attempt to mimic anti-virus software warnings, by stating that your system is infected with viruses.  For this reason, if at any time you see ANY such warning, we ask that you not continue using your system until after you have contacted the Help Desk and we have eliminated any threat from your system.  If you do continue using  your system, you are taking a serious risk of further infecting your system and those of your coworkers.
• No one from CSD or the Help Desk will ever ask for your password through an email.  Any email you receive which requests this information should immediately be forwarded to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and then deleted from your mailbox.  
• NEVER open an attachment with the extension of EXE or ZIP, without first contacting the sender to ensure that they did in fact send you the attached file.  Many viruses are spread using these file types.  For this reason these file types are automatically stripped from emails going to or coming from your USC Aiken email address.
• If for any reason the Help Desk or CSD requests you disconnect your computer from the network, or do so themselves due to an infection on your system, you MUST NOT reconnect this cable yourself.  Doing so can cause an immediate spread of infection to your coworkers computers, do damage to the network and servers, and could lead to expensive damage to other network resources and components. 

To access on-campus resources (J-drive, K-drive, etc) from off-campus, you’ll need to install a VPN (Virtual Private Network) client. USC Aiken currently uses the PaltoAlto GlobalProtect Agent for VPN access.

Please follow the instructions below to install the GlobalProtect agent on your campus-owned or personally-owned system. If you need help with the installation or have a problem, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.

Install PaloAlto GlobalProtect VPN
To install the GlobalProtect agent:

• Go to: https://pa-vpn.usca.edu
  
  
• GlobalProtect uses the same account and authentication as your USC Aiken Microsoft Office and email account.
  • You may be prompted to sign in with your USC Aiken email address and password, as well as complete the Microsoft MFA authentication process, just as if you were signing into Outlook on the web.
    
    
• Once you’ve authenticated, you’ll be given links to download the GlobalProtect agent.
  
  
• Click the correct download link for your operating system.
  • For nearly all Windows systems, you’ll need to click the Windows 64-bit link.
  • For all Mac systems, you’ll need to click the Mac 32/64-bit link.
    
    
• Wait for the download to be completed.
  
  
• Run the installer. (The screenshots below are from the 64-bit Windows installer on Windows 11, but others will be similar. Screenshots for the Mac install will be available soon.)
  
  
• Accept all default options and continue through the installation until it is complete.
  
  
• You’ll see a small light gray globe icon in your Taskbar. This is the GlobalProtect agent.
  
  
• Click the GlobalProtect agent icon in your Taskbar.
  
  
• You’ll be shown a welcome screen, click the Get Started link at the bottom to continue.
  
  
• In the Portal field enter: pa-vpn.usca.edu and click Connect. 
  
  
• Once a secure VPN connection has been established the Global Protect icon will turn green and blue.
  
  
• To disconnect from VPN, click the GlobalProtect icon in your Taskbar and click Disconnect.
  
  
• GlobalProtect is now setup and available anytime you need it to connect remotely and securely to the USC Aiken campus network.

Connect to VPN
To connect to VPN, click the GlobalProtect icon in your Taskbar and click Connect.

Disconnect from VPN
To disconnect from VPN, click the GlobalProtect icon in your Taskbar and click Disconnect.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:
Anytime you are connected to VPN through GlobalProtect all of your internet access and data goes through the VPN connection. You are effectively using the USC Aiken campus for all of your internet traffic. As a result, all university rules and policies regarding the use of the network and internet apply. Please treat any VPN connection as if you were connecting to the internet while on campus.

Connecting to J and K drives while connected to VPN

Here are the instructions on how to connect to the J and K drives while connected to the VPN:

For the PC go Search and then type one of the following:

• For Student J-drive type: \\student.usca.edu\yourusername$
• For Faculty/Staff J-drive type: \\fileshare.usca.edu\yourusername$
• For K-drive type: \\fileshare.usca.edu\shared

For the Mac go to Go and then Connect to Server and then one of the following:

• For Student J-drive type: smb://student.usca.edu/yourusername$
• For Faculty/Staff J-drive type: smb://fileshare.usca.edu/yourusername$
• For K-drive type: smb://fileshare.usca.edu/shared

To access class folders on a Windows machine:

• Open File Explorer
• Double-click shared (\\fileshare) (K:)
• Locate your folders within the USCA CLASS FOLDERS folder

To access the class folders on a Mac:

• Connect To Fileshare.usca.edu
• Select SHARED
• Locate your folders within the USCA CLASS FOLDERS folder

NOTE: If you need to access these folders from off-campus you'll first need to connect to VPN and follow the instructions under "How do I access the K or J-drive while connected to PulseSecure/VPN?" to locate the USCA CLASS FOLDERS.

Students can turn completed work in using the ! Inbox folder which acts as a dropbox.  Students cannot see the contents of this folder and once they drop a file into the folder it is no longer visible to them.  Many professors request students name files using their last name and drag & drop completed work into this folder.  After it has been turned in, it cannot be retracted. The ! Inbox is located at: 

• K:\USCA CLASS FOLDERS\Professor Name\Class Name\! Inbox (Windows)
• Fileshare.usca.edu -> SHARED -> USCA CLASS FOLDERS -> Professor Name -> Class Name -> ! Inbox (Mac)

The class folders also contain a separate sub-folder for each student in the class. The individual student folders are periodically updated to ensure every student added to your class, even after the start of classes, will still have their own folder. Students can store assignments for a class within their sub-folder so that the student and professor can collaborate on files before completion.  Students cannot see files within another student's individual sub-folder, so it is safe for them to use without having to worry about cheating. Only the instructor and the individual student can see the contents of a student's individual folder.  The individual folders are located at:

• K:\USCA CLASS FOLDERS\Professor Name\Class Name\Student Name (Windows)
• Fileshare.usca.edu -> SHARED -> USCA CLASS FOLDERS -> Professor Name -> Class Name -> Student Name (Mac)

NOTE: The settings on the individual student folders may not always work properly on Mac computers.

Class folders are deleted at the end of each semester to make room for the following semester.  Be sure to backup any files you wish to keep before the end of the semester.

If you, or a student, needs to access these folders from off-campus you'll first need to connect to VPN and follow the instructions under "How do I access the K or J-drive while connected to PulseSecure/VPN?" to locate the USCA CLASS FOLDERS.  The Help Desk can assist with installation of the VPN software and locating the class folders once connected.

Setting up a wireless device like a phone or tablet for PacerNet Wi-Fi is quick and easy.  You shouldn't require any special setup or assistance to connect to Wi-Fi.

Just locate "PacerNet" in the list of available Wi-Fi connections. Connect to it by entering your Pacer Account username (without the @usca.edu) and password when prompted.

If your device asks for additional settings during setup, make sure to use the following :

• Set the EAP method to “PEAP,”
• Set Phase 2 authentication to “MSCHAPV2,”
• Set the CA certificate to “Don’t validate,”

If you don't see PacerNet listed or can't connect, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.