To connect to a remote desktop or published application, you must provide the name of a server and supply credentials for your user account.

Before you have end users access their remote desktops and published applications, test that you can connect to a remote desktop or published application from a client device.

Prerequisites

  • Obtain login credentials, such as a user name and password, RSA SecurID user name and passcode, RADIUS authentication credentials, or smart card personal identification number (PIN).
  • Obtain the NETBIOS domain name for logging in. For example, you might use mycompany rather than mycompany.com.
  • If you are using smart card authentication, make sure that all smart card authentication requirements are met and that you are familiar with the limitations. For information, see Smart Card Authentication Requirements and Smart Card Authentication Limitations.
  • If you are outside the corporate network and require a VPN connection to access remote desktops and published applications, verify that the client device is set up to use a VPN connection and turn on that connection.
  • Verify that you have the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the server that provides access to the remote desktop or published application. Underscores (_) are not supported in server names. If the port is not 443, you also need the port number.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Chromebook.
  2. If a VPN connection is required, turn on the VPN.
  3. Open the VMware Horizon Client app.
  4. If you are prompted to grant access to the Smart Card Connector, click Allow.
    This prompt appears the first time you start Horizon Client if smart card authentication is configured on the Chromebook.
  5. Connect to a server.
    Option Action
    Connect to a new server

    Click the plus sign (+), enter the name of the server, enter a description of the server (optional), and click Connect.

    Connect to an existing server Click the server shortcut.
    Connections between Horizon Client and servers always use TLS. The default port for TLS connections is 443. If an administrator has not configured the server to use the default port, use the format shown in this example: view.company.com:1443.
  6. If a smart card is required or optional, select the smart card certificate to use and enter your PIN.
  7. If you are prompted for RSA SecurID or RADIUS authentication credentials, enter the credentials, and click Login.
    The passcode might include both a PIN and the generated number on the token.
  8. If you are prompted a second time for RSA SecurID or RADIUS authentication credentials, enter the next generated number on the token.
    Do not enter your PIN, and do not enter the same generated number that entered previously. If necessary, wait until a new number is generated. If this step is required, it is required only when you mistype the first passcode or when configuration settings in the RSA server change.
  9. If you are prompted for a user name and password, supply your Active Directory credentials.
    1. Enter the user name and password of a user who is entitled to use at least one desktop or application pool.
    2. Select a domain.
      If you cannot select a domain, you must enter the user name in the format username@domain or domain\username.
    3. Tap Login.
  10. (Optional) To mark a remote desktop or published application as a favorite, click the gray star inside the icon for the remote desktop or published application.
    The star icon turns from gray to yellow. The next time you log in, you can click the star icon in the upper-right part of the browser window to show only favorite items.
  11. To connect to a remote desktop or published application, do one of the following in the desktop and application selector window.
    Option Action
    Connect from the desktop/application icon Click the desktop or application icon.
    Connect from the desktop/application context menu Right-click the desktop or application icon or click the […] button next to the icon, and select Connect.
  12. If you are using smart card authentication, enter the smart card PIN again inside the remote session.

Results

If, soon after connecting to a remote desktop or published application, you are disconnected and see a prompt that asks you to click a link to accept the security certificate, select whether to trust the certificate. See Trust a Self-Signed Root Certificate.

If the time zone in the remote desktop or published application does not use the time zone set in the client device, set the time zone manually. See Setting the Time Zone.

What to do next

Horizon Client provides navigation aids to help you use remote desktops and published applications. For information, see Using Remote Desktops and Using Published Applications.