University Computer Help Desk

Before You Begin

You can access network shares, like your Datastore share, through the WebVPN website. This is an alternative to mapping network drives in Windows or Mac OS X.

In addition to Datastore, you may have other network shares you need to access for class or work. For easier access, you can add links to those network shares in WebVPN. To add a network share to WebVPN, you must know the appropriate network path. 

Access Datastore through WebVPN

To access your Datastore share through the WebVPN website, do the following:

1. Go to https://webvpn.ilstu.edu and log in.
2. A link to your Datastore share is located in the Files section. The link displays the network path to your Datastore share and looks like this: \\Datastore\yourULID
3. To add or delete files from your Datastore share, refer to the information below labeled, "Using Datastore and Other Network Shares in WebVPN."

Add a Link to a Network Share in WebVPN

To add a link to a network share in WebVPN, do the following:

1. Go to https://webvpn.ilstu.edu and log in.
2. Locate the text box in the upper right, next to the Browse button.
3. Type a network path in this box using the format, \\computername\sharename, and then click Browse.
4. After a moment, the network share will open.
5. Click Bookmark Current Folder in the upper right, below the Browse button.
6. The Add Windows Bookmark page appears.
   • You may change the Bookmark Name if you like.
   • You may add a Description if you like.
7. Click Add Bookmark.
8. Your new network share appears as a link under the Files section on the main WebVPN page. To add or delete files from this network share, refer to the information below labeled, "Using Datastore and Other Network Shares in WebVPN."

Different User Name and Password

When you browse to a network share as described above, WebVPN uses your ULID and password. However, some network shares require you to supply a different user name and password.

If you attempt to connect to a network share that requires a different user name and password, WebVPN will display the message, "Cannot connect to server in workgroup/domain ADILSTU," and will provide you with Username: and Password: boxes.

If the computer belongs to a different domain, you must type the user name, like this: domain\username. Or, if you need to use a local computer account to access the network share, type the user name like this: computername\username.

Using Datastore and Other Network Shares in WebVPN

Once you've added a link to a network share in WebVPN, you can use it to add or delete files from the network share. The Datastore share is already available in WebVPN, so you don't need to add a link to it.

Copy Files to Datastore or another Network Share

To add files to a network share, do the following:

1. Access the network share, as described above.
2. Click the Upload Files... button. (Figure 1)
3. Click the Browse button on the first line.
4. Locate and select a file to upload. Then click Open. (Figure 2)
5. Repeat these steps to add up to five files, one on each line. 
6. Click the Upload button to upload the files to the network share.
7. A File Transfer Status window appears. When it is done, click the Close button. (Figure 3)
   
8. The uploaded files are now stored on the network share.

Duplicate Filenames: If WebVPN detects a duplicate filename while uploading, it will append the current date and time to the new file you are uploading, rather than overwrite the existing file. (Figure 4)

Deleting Files from a Network Share

To delete files from a network share, do the following:

1. Access the network share, as described above.
2. Put a check mark next to each file you want to delete and click Delete....
3. You will be asked to confirm the deletion. Click Yes to continue.

Editing Files on a Network Share

WebVPN does not allow you to directly edit files stored on a network share. Instead, you must save the file to your computer, make changes to it, and then upload it to the network share.

To edit a file that is being stored on a network share, do the following:

1. Access the network share, as described above.
2. Click on the file you want to edit and save it to your computer or a local storage device, like a USB drive. Do not open the file during this step because you will be unable to save your changes to the network share.
3. Locate the file you saved to your computer (or other device). Edit the file and save it again.
4. Copy the file to the network share, as described above.