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Connecting to STN Securely through SSL-VPN by using STN Express, Version 8.01 or higher for Windows

STN Express, Version 8.01 or higher for Windows, can be configured to connect to STN over the Internet without using the telnet port (23). Instead, Virtual Private Network (VPN) technology is used to make a secure connection using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption on HTTPS port 443.

Assumptions and preparation

• You have an Internet connection that supports the HTTPS protocol on port 443. (If you can use secure web sites, this requiement is met.)
• ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript are enabled in your web browser (Microsoft Java 5.0.0.3802 or higher or Sun Java 2 Runtime Environment 1.4.1 or higher)

• You may need to disable your pop-up blocker and/or add one of the following to your pop-up blocker and trusted sites: https://stnconnect.cas.org (STN-C, STN-T), https://sec-connect2.fiz-karlsruhe.de (STN-K).

Creating your setup

First, launch STN Express so that the Main Menu and Toolbar appear on your desktop.

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Step A: Open STN Setup

1. Click the Setup icon.
   
   
   
2. If you are asked if you want to use the Setup Wizard, click No.

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Step B: Start a new logon setup

1. If this is the first setup, then you will see no entries in the Setup Names box. On the other hand, if this is not your first setup, you will see the names of all your logon setups.
2. Click New.

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Step C: Select setup details

1. Enter a Setup Name. Choose something that will help you distringuish this setup from others that you may create.
2. You may type your STN login ID and password; they are optional. If you choose not to save them in the logon setup for security reasons, you will be prompted for each when you log on.
3. Select SSL-VPN from the Connect via list.
4. The Host Name or IP address changes to localhost. Do not change it.
5. The Port is 55555 by default and must not be changed. (For STN-Karlsruhe, the port is 6000.)
6. Click OK. If you entered your STN password, you'll be asked to re-enter it.

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Step D: Save the new logon setup

1. The name of the new logon setup appears in the list.
2. Click the Save button.
3. The setup is done. Click the OK button.

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Step E: Use the SSL-VPN logon setup

1. Click STN Columbus Secure Connection from the Web menu. Your web browser opens.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the STN Columbus hyperlink. The web browser window says the Secure Application Manager is being launched:
   
    
   
   And the Secure Session Manager begins to load:
   
   
   
   
3. When the Secure Session Manager has loaded, it displays "OK."
   
   

After the Secure Session Manager has been loaded and its status is OK, log on to STN using the new SSL-VPN logon setup.

DO NOT close the Session Manager window until you have finished your STN Session. Closing the Session Manager ends your session.

Note: If the Session Manager Sent and Received values remain at 0 bytes, you did not log on using the SSL-VPN setup within STN Express and your session is not being encrypted. Log off of STN and log on again using your SSL-VPN setup.

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What if the new setup doesn't make the connection?

• The Secure Session Manager is a Java application, so Java must be enabled on your PC.
• When linking to full text or any web site, STN Express will try to use the Internet Explorer (IE) window that was used most recently. If the Secure Session Manager is the most recently used IE window, you will receive a pop-up message asking if you want to navigate away from the page. Click No. Click a different IE window to make it active or open a new one and then click the full text or web ink in STN Express again.

If you have additional questions or difficulties, contact CAS Customer Care.