Common Issues with Remote Access to Labs

Owned by Ken Wilcock, created
Last updated: May 02, 2022 by Katie Lungren (Unlicensed)
3 min read

Overview

This page addresses some common errors with connecting to remote access to the college’s lab computers and steps to take to fix those issues. Step by step instructions for how to connect can be found at Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers and should be followed before attempting any of the below fixes.

Initial Connection Troubleshooting Steps

The first thing to try that can fix most issues with getting connected to a Lab Computer is to disconnect completely from GlobalProtect, close down any current Lab Computer connection you may have up, and restart your computer. After that, follow the steps on Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers including reconnecting to GlobalProtect as well as re-downloading a new Remote Connection file.

Duo Setup

If you have not set up Duo Two-Factor Authentication yet, please see Duo: Two-Factor Authentication for instructions.

I get an error “Can’t Connect to the Remote Computer”

When you try to connect to the lab computer via the file you downloaded in step 4 of the instructions Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers you get an error that looks similar to this:

Usually this issue can be solved by disconnecting and then re-connecting to GlobalProtect, and then going to the Remote Computer Access page linked in step 2 (or 3 if you are on a Mac) of the instructions here: Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers to get a fresh remote access file.

On a Mac, I get “There is no application set to open the document…”

When you try to connect to the lab computer via the file you downloaded in step 5 of the instructions Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers you get an error that looks similar to this:

This error occurs when you have not installed the Microsoft Remote Desktop application on to your computer. See step 1 under the “From a Mac Computer” instructions here: Connecting to CHHS Lab Computers for a link to the App Store where you can install that program. Once installed, retry to connect.

 

File Transfers

If you need to upload files to work on with a lab computer, the best way is through OneDrive. Instructions on how to do this can be found here: Download and Upload Files from OneDrive

Scroll Bars (Windows Only)

If you are using the remote connection in “windowed” mode, i.e. not full screen and cannot see the full desktop, but see scroll bars on the side and bottom like this:

You can fix this issue either by going into Full Screen mode or by Right-Clicking on the top menu bar and selecting Smart Sizing. This will then re-size the Remote Connection to fit the entire desktop into the Window. Note that this may cause some issues with some programs if the Window is too small.