Network & VPN · 6 guides
Connect to the network
VPN, office Wi-Fi, guest access, Ethernet, and how to find your IP address.
How to connect to the company VPN
Connect to the corporate VPN so you can reach internal apps, file shares, and intranet sites from home or while traveling.
You might notice
- Internal websites will not load
- Shared drives are missing
- A banner says you are off the corporate network
- 01
Confirm the VPN app is installed
Look for your company VPN client (often GlobalProtect, Cisco Secure Client, or Pulse). On Windows, open the Start menu and search “VPN”. If it is missing, install it from the company software catalog or ask IT to push it.
- 02
Join a trusted network first
Connect to home Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot. Hotel and airport networks sometimes block VPN ports. If the client cannot reach the portal, try a hotspot.
- 03
Sign in and approve MFA
Open the VPN client, confirm the company portal address, and sign in with your work account. Approve the prompt on your authenticator app or hardware key.
- 04
Wait for a connected status
The client should show Connected or a shield icon. Then try an internal site or mapped drive. If you just changed your password, sign out of the VPN client and sign in again.
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How to connect to office Wi-Fi
Join the corporate wireless network with your work account so you are on the trusted LAN.
You might notice
- The office SSID is visible but will not join
- You are asked for a password you do not have
- The laptop stays on a guest network
- 01
Choose the corporate network, not guest
Select the official staff SSID. Guest networks are for visitors and usually cannot reach printers or file shares.
- 02
Sign in with your work account
When prompted, use your full work email or domain\username and your current password. Accept the network certificate if your company uses 802.1X.
- 03
Forget a bad profile and retry
If it fails, forget the network in Wi-Fi settings, restart the wireless adapter, and join again. After a password change, Windows often keeps the old Wi-Fi password.
- 04
Confirm you received an office IP
Once connected, you should reach the intranet without VPN. If you only have internet and no internal sites, you may still be on guest.
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How to get visitors onto guest Wi-Fi
Give contractors and guests internet access without putting them on the staff network.
You might notice
- A visitor cannot reach email on their own laptop
- You are asked to share the staff Wi-Fi password
- A contractor needs internet for a short meeting
- 01
Use the published guest SSID
Point visitors to the guest network name posted in reception or on the meeting-room card. Never share the staff Wi-Fi password or a personal hotspot for guest use in the office.
- 02
Complete the guest portal
Most guest networks open a browser page for a name, email, and accept-terms step. If the page does not appear, have them visit a plain HTTP site to trigger it.
- 03
Request a sponsored account if required
Some sites need an employee sponsor. Use the guest-access form or reception process. Sponsored access usually expires the same day.
- 04
Set expectations
Guest Wi-Fi will not reach printers, file shares, or internal apps. Visitors who need those should use a company-managed loaner or a contractor account.
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How to use a wired Ethernet connection
Switch from Wi-Fi to a cable when you need a more stable connection for calls or large files.
You might notice
- Wi-Fi drops during meetings
- A dock is plugged in but the laptop stays on wireless
- IT asked you to test a wired connection
- 01
Plug into a known-good office jack or dock
Use the company dock or a wall jack that other people use. Consumer switches and random floor ports are often disabled.
- 02
Confirm the adapter comes up
On Windows, Ethernet should appear under Network & internet. If it says “Unidentified network” or nothing happens, reseat the USB-C dock cable and try another port.
- 03
Turn Wi-Fi off for the test
Disable Wi-Fi so Windows cannot silently fall back. Then open an internal site and join a short test call.
- 04
Leave Wi-Fi off at your desk if you stay wired
Laptops that keep both on sometimes flip between them mid-call. At a fixed desk, wired-only is more reliable.
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How to find my IP address
Find the address IT often asks for when diagnosing network, printer, or VPN issues.
You might notice
- A ticket form asks for your IP
- You need to confirm you are on the office network
- A printer setup wizard wants a host address
- 01
Find the address on Windows
Open Settings → Network & internet → the active connection → Properties. Note the IPv4 address. Or run ipconfig in Command Prompt and read “IPv4 Address.”
- 02
Find it on a Mac
Open System Settings → Network → Wi-Fi or Ethernet → Details. The IP address is listed on the TCP/IP tab.
- 03
Know which IP IT wants
For office troubleshooting, send the laptop’s IPv4 address. For “the website is blocked from home,” IT may also want your public IP from a search for “what is my IP” while off VPN.
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What split tunneling is and when to use it
Understand why some internet traffic bypasses the VPN and when that helps or hurts.
You might notice
- Streaming or personal sites are slow on VPN
- An internal app fails while public sites work
- IT mentioned split tunneling in a ticket
- 01
Know the two modes
Full tunnel sends all traffic through the company network. Split tunnel sends only internal destinations through the VPN and lets general web traffic go out your home internet.
- 02
Use the company default
Do not change tunnel mode unless IT publishes a setting. Security and access rules assume the standard client configuration.
- 03
When split tunnel helps
It often improves home video calls and large personal downloads because that traffic no longer travels through the data center.
- 04
When it causes confusion
A site that is “kind of internal” may not be on the split-tunnel list, so it fails until IT adds it. That is a configuration request, not something to fix locally.