This tutorial will help you connect to the virtual graduate lab. Instructions are made assuming you are using a Windows-based computer.

NOTE: THE VIRTUAL LAB IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED BY UMD'S VIRTUAL WORKSPACE

1. Open your browser and go to https://rds.econ.umd.edu.
2. Enter your ECON username (as ECON\username) and password and click Sign in.
3. Click on the icon named vlabfast in the main window. This will download a .rdp file which you will open to connect to the virtual grad lab computer.
4. Once you've opened the RDP file, a warning will appear. Click Connect to continue (and check “Don't ask me again for connections to this computer” to stop it from appearing again).
5. Enter your ECON username (as ECON\username) and password and click OK.
6. You will now be connected to a virtual graduate lab machine. You can use the desktop normally, as though you were physically in the graduate lab.

NOTE: Be sure to sign out of the virtual graduate lab computer once you are done using it, so that other people can use them as well.

[NOTE: If you cannot connect to the virtual graduate lab, Connect to the campus VPN and retry. Follow the directions located at VPN to install the VPN software on your computer and connect to the VPN. If the issue persists, please send an email to [mailto:support@econ.umd.edu support@econ.umd.edu] ]

1. While on the virtual desktop, Open File Explorer.
2. Look on the left side of the window and click “This PC”.
3. Look for “Devices and Drives” and double click on the icon named “C on YOURCOMPUTERNAME”.
4. Double click on the “Users” folder and the user you are currently logged in on on your local computer.
5. You can now access the files on your local computer. Any files added or removed here will have the same effect as if you were doing it on your local computer.