Why Use VPN?

There are several reasons why the use of a VPN is a good idea. These include the following:

• To secure all of your traffic between Penn State and your remote connection. Please note that this does not apply to connections made from your third-party ISP to a non .psu.edu domain (for example, a connection from your third-party ISP, AOL, to abcnews.com).
• To access Penn State resources that are restricted to Penn State IP addresses. When you use a VPN, you are assigned a Penn State IP address, which allows you to connect to certain Penn State services and resources. Some Penn State services and resources, such as library services, require you to connect with a Penn State IP address. In a manner of speaking, a VPN lets you make a connection via a third-party ISP cable modem, dial-up, or DSL as if you were "on campus."
• To authenticate to/access a wireless network (via the Telecommunications and Networking Services Standard Wireless Connection; or, to connect to the wireless networks in the University Support Building II (USB II), the Telecommunications Building, or the Computer Building)