Remote Desktop for Mac

Created by Colin Harris
Last updated: Dec 04, 2020 by Danny Samuel

The Remote Desktop Connection allows Pace employees (staff, faculty) to connect to their Pace office/work computer remotely from another computer.  This allows them to work on files and programs, and access network resources, as if they were physically sitting in front of their office/work computer.

If connecting from another on-campus computer/laptop, which is already on the Pace domain, you only need to use the Remote Desktop Connection application.  If connecting from an off-campus computer, such as your home computer/laptop, you will first need to connect to Pace VPN, and then use the Remote Desktop Connection.  In both cases, you need to know your Pace work computer name.

To learn how to find your computer name, review:

To learn how to download and connect to Pace Virtual Private Networking (VPN), review:

Step-by-step guide

Note

All Pace domain computers are automatically configured to accept Remote Desktop connection. As long as you are a local administrator on the remote computer, you should be able to remote into that computer.

To connect to your campus Windows PC from a Mac, you will need to use the Microsoft Remote Desktop application for Mac.

  1. Download Microsoft Remote Desktop from the Mac App Store

    Note

    Once you have installed the app, the application will appear in the Applications folder

  2. Open Microsoft Remote Desktop App application
  3. Click New [+] → Add PC

  4. Type your office PC’s computer name in the PC name field

    Note

    Type Pace University under Friendly name field. This is optional and can be left blank.

  5.  Select User Account → Add User Account

  6. Type your domainname\username (e.g., pace\username) in the Username field

    Note

    Leave Password field blank without a password.

    Do not change the remaining options in the Add a User Account window

  7. Select Add to go back to the main menu
  8. Select Pace University or your Computer Name to launch.
  9. Type your MyPace Portal password and click Continue

  10. Click Continue when the Verify Certificate window displays

You will now be connected to your office PC machine.

Disconnecting from Remote Desktop and VPN sessions for Mac

To end a Remote Desktop session:

  1. Hover over the top left of screen to display toolbar and select Microsoft Remote Desktop
  2. Click Quit Remote Desktop

To end a VPN session:

  1. Double-Click (or Right-Click) Cisco AnyConnect VPN Client icon on your Macbook tool bar
  2. Click Disconnect

If you have any problems connecting:  Please contact the ITS Help Desk at (914) 773-3333 (pacehelpdesk@pace.edu) or online at http://help.pace.edu. and include the following information.


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