After logging in to a server, you can connect to the remote desktops and applications that you are authorized to use.

About this task

If your administrator has allowed it, you can configure the certificate checking mode for the SSL certificate presented by Connection Server. To determine which mode to use, see Setting the Certificate Checking Mode for Horizon Client.

If you want to use an account configured with unauthenticated access to launch published applications, see Connect to Published Applications Using Unauthenticated Access for information.

Prerequisites

Obtain the following information from your View administrator:

  • Instructions about whether to turn on a VPN (virtual private network) connection.

  • Server name to use for connecting to the server.

  • If the port is not 443, the port number to use for connecting to the server.

  • Credentials to log in, such as an Active Directory user name and password, RSA SecurID user name and passcode, RADIUS authentication user name and passcode, or smart card personal identification number (PIN).

  • Domain name for logging in.

Procedure

  1. If a VPN connection is required, turn on the VPN.
  2. Either open a terminal window and enter vmware-view or search the applications for VMware Horizon Client, and double-click the icon.
  3. Double-click the + Add Server button if no servers have yet been added, or click the + New Server button in the menu bar and enter the name of Connection Server or a security server, and click Connect.

    Connections between Horizon Client and Connection Server always use SSL. The default port for SSL connections is 443. If Connection Server is not configured to use the default port, use the format shown in this example: view.company.com:1443.

    You might see a message that you must confirm before the login dialog box appears.

    Note:

    After a successful connection is made, an icon for this server is saved to the Horizon Client home window. The next time you use Horizon Client to connect to this server, you can double-click the icon, or, if you use only this one server, you can right-click the icon for the server and select Autoconnect to this Server from the context menu.

  4. If you are prompted for RSA SecurID credentials or RADIUS authentication credentials, enter the user name and passcode and click OK.
  5. If you are prompted for a user name and password, supply Active Directory credentials.
    1. Type the user name and password of a user who is entitled to use at least one desktop or application pool.

      If the Domain drop-down menu is disabled, you must type the user name as domain\username or username@domain.

    2. (Optional) Select a domain value from the Domain drop-down menu.
    3. Click OK.
  6. If the desktop security indicator turns red and a warning message appears, respond to the prompt.

    Usually, this warning means that Connection Server did not send a certificate thumbprint to the client. The thumbprint is a hash of the certificate public key and is used as an abbreviation of the public key.

  7. (Optional) To configure display settings for remote desktops, either right-click a desktop icon or select a desktop icon and click the Settings (gear-shaped) icon next to the server name in the upper portion of the window.

    Option

    Description

    Display protocol

    If your administrator has allowed it, you can use the Connect Via list to select the display protocol. VMware Blast requires Horizon Agent 7.0 or later.

    Display layout

    Use the Display list to select a window size or to use multiple monitors.

  8. (Optional) To mark the remote desktop or application as a favorite, right-click the desktop or application icon and select Mark as Favorite from the context menu that appears.

    A star icon appears in the upper-right corner of the desktop or application name. The next time you log in, you can click the Show Favorites button to find this application or desktop quickly.

  9. Double-click a remote desktop or application to connect.

    If you are connecting to a session-based remote desktop, which is hosted on a Microsoft RDS host, and if the desktop is already set to use a different display protocol, you will not be able to connect immediately. You will be prompted to either use the protocol that is currently set or have the system log you off of the remote operating system so that a connection can be made with the protocol you selected.

Results

After you are connected, the client window appears.