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

Prerequisites

Obtain the following information from your system 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 for logging in, such as an Active Directory user name and password, RSA SecurID user name and passcode, RADIUS authentication credentials, or smart card personal identification number (PIN).
  • Domain name for logging in.

If your system administrator instructs you to configure the certificate checking mode, see Set the Certificate Checking Mode.

Procedure

  1. If a VPN connection is required, turn on the VPN.
  2. Start Horizon Client.
  3. (Optional) To log in as the currently logged-in Windows domain user, click the Options menu (… icon) in the upper-right corner of the menu bar and select Log in As Current User.
    This setting is available only if the Log in as current user feature is installed on the client system.
  4. Connect to a server.
    Option Action
    Connect to a new server

    Click the + Add Server button, or click + Add Server on the menu bar, enter the name of a server as instructed by your system administrator, and click Connect.

    Connect to an existing server Double-click the server icon, or right-click the server icon and select Connect.
    Connections between Horizon Client and the server always use TLS. The default port for TLS connections is 443. If the server is not configured to use the default port, use the format servername:port, for example, view.company.com:1443.
    You might see a message that you must confirm before the login dialog box appears.
  5. If you are prompted for RSA SecurID credentials or RADIUS authentication credentials, enter the credentials and click Continue.
  6. In the login dialog box, enter your user name and password and select a domain, as instructed by your system administrator, and click Login.

    If you selected Log in as current user in the Options menu, and you are authorized to log in to the server, you are not prompted to enter a user name and password.

    If you enter the user name as username@domain, Horizon Client treats it as a user principal name (UPN) and the Domain drop-down menu is disabled.

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

  7. If Horizon Client prompts you to create shortcuts to published applications or remote desktops in your Start menu or on the remote desktop, click Yes or No.
    This prompt can appear the first time you connect to a server on which shortcuts have been configured for published applications or remote desktops. If you click Yes, Start menu shortcuts or desktop shortcuts are installed on the client system for those published applications or remote desktops, if you are entitled to use them. If you click No, Start menu shortcuts or desktop shortcuts are not installed. In some companies, shortcuts are installed automatically and you are not prompted.
  8. (Optional) To configure display settings for a remote desktop, right-click the remote desktop icon and select Settings.
    Option Action
    Select a display protocol If a Horizon administrator has allowed it, use the Connect Via drop-down menu to select the display protocol.
    Select a display layout Use the Display drop-down menu to select a window size or to use multiple monitors.
  9. To connect to a remote desktop or published application, double-click the remote desktop or published application icon in the desktop and application selection window.
    If you are connecting to a published desktop, and if the published desktop is already set to use a different display protocol, you cannot connect immediately. Horizon Client prompts you to use the set protocol or to log off so that Horizon Client can connect with a different display protocol.

Results

After you are connected, the remote desktop or published application opens.

If you are entitled to more than one remote desktop or published application on the server, the desktop and application selector window remains open so that you can connect to multiple remote desktops and published applications.

If the client drive redirection feature is enabled, the Sharing dialog box appears and you can allow or deny access to files on the local file system. For more information, see Share Local Folders and Drives.

The first time you connect to a server, Horizon Client saves a shortcut to the server on the Horizon Client home window. You can double-click this server shortcut the next time you need to connect to the server.

What to do next

(Optional) To connect to the same remote desktop each time you log in, select Autoconnect to This Desktop from the Options menu on the menu bar in the remote desktop window.