Faculty and staff now can access their WSU Outlook account from remote locations — easier, faster, with full functionality, and without using their VPN client. Technically, this ability has been in place for several years, but many people have not been aware of its presence or how to use it.
Currently, most WSU employees access their Outlook accounts from home or on the road via the university’s virtual private network (VPN). However, the VPN is better suited to remotely accessing file servers.
Alternatively, people can access their Outlook accounts via https://connect.wsu.edu/. Although faster, this approach does not provide full Outlook functionality, and personal folders cannot be accessed.
By utilizing new technology built into Exchange 2003 and above — titled Remote Procedure Call over HTTPS (RPC-over-HTTPS) — Outlook connections can be made faster and more stable. To ensure computer safety, RPC-over-HTTPS uses a Secure Socket Layer [SSL] hypertext transfer protocol for connection to the servers. For the layman, this is a highly secure method allowing employees access into to the university’s network while away from the office.
With the right configuration, a user can access the WSU network and launch his Outlook 2003 or 2007 account. This method creates an e-mail tunnel from that computer’s network entry point to their campus Exchange server. Users get complete Outlook functionality, while computer administrators can efficiently block unauthorized remote attempts.
The RPC-over-HTTPS system can be utilized by:
- Laptop users who are traveling, at home, or away from campus
- On-campus users, who want security in transmitting messages
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Anyone that wants a single-configuration for access from anywhere on the internet
If you wish to configure your Outlook client to use the RPC-over-HTTPS system, go to https://infotech.wsu.edu/connectsupport/ for instructions and illustrations. Please note: this feature only applies to users on WSU’s central ITS mailboxes, not necessarily those on other Exchange Servers. Before making changes, contact your local computer support person to make sure it applies to you.
For questions call 509-335-HELP (4357) or e-mail helpdesk@wsu.edu.
