Law ITS

Teleworking Guide

As NYU transitions to teleworking for non-essential employees due to the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19, everyone should prepare themselves with the appropriate information and tools to work away from campus for an extended period of time.  This page serves as a general teleworking guide to Law School employees. 

Working remotely presents unique challenges, notably being able to communicate directly with your team members/colleagues.  There are a number of tools available today which can help, including teleconference, video chat, and group chat.  The longer we remain in a remote working environment the more important it will be to maintain open channels of communication and stay connected.

Everything on this checklist can be done from a personal computer with an Internet connection - it is not necessary to use a device provided by NYU or the Law School. 

It is important to review this checklist while on campus for ease of support from Helpdesk.  In preparing, imagine what your day normally looks like, then picture performing those tasks from your couch.  Which of your job functions are critical to perform?  What steps do you take to perform them?  

Bear in mind, with thousands of employees accessing NYU systems remotely and all classes meeting online with live video streaming, the NYU network may at times be congested and things may slow down.  Like a hot summer day on a Robert Moses parkway designed for a simpler and slower time, you may find traffic is better during non-peak hours.

Please contact Helpdesk with any questions you may have.  This page will be updated with new information as needed.
 

Computer Requirements

Please ensure that your computer meets the following minimum requirements to ensure the best possible experience.  NYU Law owned laptops issued within the last 4 years should already meet or exceed these requirements.  If purchasing a new personal computer, please try to adhere to the recommendations. All computers must be Mac or Windows OS. Chromebooks do not meet the requirements for remote access.

Computer Requirements
  Requirement Recommendation
Processor Core i3 Core i5, or better
Memory 4GB 8GB
Storage 120GB 250GB Solid State Drive (SSD)
Display Full HD (1920x1080) QHD (2560x1440), or better
OS
  • Windows 10
  • macOS 10.13 High Sierra
  • Windows 10 (1909)
  • macOS 10.15 Catalina

**Please consult with Helpdesk before upgrading your computer.

Check your system information

Guide

E-mail

Law School e-mail can be accessed in a browser through Outlook Web Access.  Log in with your Law School computer username and password, e.g. smithj.

https://mercury.law.nyu.edu

This is the preferred method of access to Law School e-mail.

NYU VPN

The NYU VPN (virtual private network) client is needed in order to access Remote Desktop, Network Shares (F and H Drives), and many other NYU services.

Download and install the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client:

VPN requires NYU Multi-factor Authentication (MFA).  To log in, enter the following:

  • Username: your NetID
  • Password: your NYU Home password
  • Second Password: Type the word "push" to send a Duo push notification to your mobile device, or type the code from the Duo app or an SMS code.
NYU Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Be sure to have at least two (2) devices enrolled in NYU MFA.  This must include your mobile phone, using the Duo app for push notifications.  Additional devices can be a home phone, a tablet, etc. 

Please visit the NYU Multi-factor Authentication website at https://www.nyu.edu/it/mfa for instructions to enroll your mobile phone or additional devices.

Remote Desktop

Remote Desktop provides a method to control a Law School desktop Windows computer from another PC, Mac, or tablet.  The user controls their familiar desktop and all their files and programs using the keyboard and mouse of their personal device. 

This is the fastest and easiest method to access Law School and NYU systems and services, including those which may not otherwise be accessed from off campus (financial and reporting systems, licensed programs, local files, bookmarked websites, etc). 

Your office PC must be turned on to use Remote Desktop.

To use Remote Desktop, you need:

  • NYU VPN
  • Microsoft Remote Desktop client
  • Office PC to be turned on
  • Office PC IP Address (e.g. 172.22.95.255)

Law ITS have temporarily shortcut some of the usual configuration steps necessary to enable Remote Desktop in order to make this process easier.

Install the Remote Desktop client

  • Windows - it's built-in to all versions of Windows and does not require any steps to install.
  • macOS - get Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 from the App Store.  Older versions will not work and will not automatically update to version 10.
  • Mobile Device - we do not encourage using Remote Desktop from a mobile device such as a tablet or phone as the interface is not intuitive.  If it is necessary, get the Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 app from the mobile device App Store.

Configure the Remote Desktop Client

  • Windows
    • To open the Remote Desktop client, click the Start Menu and type remote desktop.
    • Enter your computer information.
      1. Click the Show Options arrow

      2. Computer: your computer's IP address.

      3. User name, type nyulaw\yourusername

    • Configure the Remote Desktop Gateway.
      1. Click the Advanced tab.
      2. Click the Settings... button.
      3. Select Use these RD Gateway server settings:

      4. Server name: tsg.law.nyu.edu

      5. Uncheck Bypass RD Gateway server for local addresses
      6. Check the box Use my RD Gateway credentials for the remote computer.
      7. Click OK
  • macOS
    • Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 app.
    • Enter your computer information.
      1. Click Add PC
      2. PC Name: your computer's IP address.
      3. User account: Add User Account

        • Username: type nyulaw\yourusername

        • Password: leave blank, you will be prompted each time you connect.
      4. Friendly Name: NYU Law
      5. Gateway: Add Gateway
        • Gateway Name: tsg.law.nyu.edu
        • Friendly Name: NYU Law
        • User Account: Use PC User Account
      6. Uncheck “Bypass for local addresses"
      7. Save
  • Mobile Device
    • Microsoft Remote Desktop setup on a mobile device should be similar to the instructions above.

Connect to Remote Desktop

  • Windows
    1. Connect to the NYU VPN.
    2. To open the Remote Desktop Connection client, click the Start Menu and type remote desktop.
    3. Confirm that your office computer's IP address is listed.
    4. Click Connect.
  • macOS
    1. Connect to the NYU VPN.
    2. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop app.
    3. Double-click the connection named NYU Law.
    4. Click Connect.
  • Mobile Device
    1. Connect to the NYU VPN.
    2. Open the Microsoft Remote Desktop app.
    3. Tap the connection to connect.
Antivirus

Security is of the utmost importance, especially in times of crisis.  It's generally recommended to install antivirus software on all desktops and laptops.

Network Shares (F and H drive)

Contact Law ITS Helpdesk to discuss a solution.

More Software

We encourage the use of Remote Desktop for access to files and office software.  However, while teleworking over a longer duration, it may be preferable to work directly on your personal computer.  See the list below for software that is freely available or offered by NYU.

Communications

In addition to Law School e-mail, a variety of communications methods are available.  Please consult with your supervisor for your department's selected method(s) of communication.

Jabber client - make and receive phone calls using your office phone number.

Zoom - group video and audio conferencing.

NYU Google Hangouts - text chat or video conferencing.

Office Contact List

Many departments maintain internal contact lists.  Be sure you have a copy of this list that you can access without using any of the other teleworking methods.  This could be a printout, a copy sent to your personal e-mail address, etc.

Some contact information can be found through:

Optional Items
  • Webcam
  • Headset or headphones with microphone

NYU have also produced their own guide to teleworking which may contain additional information not found in this Law School focused guide.

Troubleshooting

  • Reboot.  Oftentimes, simply rebooting the computer solves the problem.
  • If your home wifi is spotty or shared among many people and devices, consider connecting your computer to your router via an Ethernet (network) cable.  This often improves both speed and reliability.  Ethernet cables can be purchased online from Amazon and Micro Center, or in-store at Best Buy (albeit at a premium).
  • Test your Internet speed.

 

Open a Law IT Ticket