Pulse Secure was the VPN used by CSU until it was decommissioned in early 2022 and replaced with GlobalProtect. If clients have trouble with Pulse Secure, we should have them switch to GlobalProtect.
The contents of this page have been retained for reference purposes, most of which can be dated to between 2016-2022.
If the Pulse Secure client is not able to establish a connection double check the connection settings. The connection name can be anything but the server should be set to secure.colostate.edu. Make sure the computer has a working network connection before trying to connect with Pulse Secure. Try reinstalling the application from the ACNS website. Below is a file containing Pulse Secure error codes and their causes.
The Pulse Secure Client should now support MacOS Sierra. If we receive any calls about it make sure that the user has downloaded the most recent Pulse client and be sure to troubleshoot other issues like networking and permissions problems.
The Pulse Secure client and secure.colostate.edu will deny access to end of life operating systems. These operating systems include:
Android 4.4.2
Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks)
Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite)
Windows XP
1. Go to secure.colostate.edu and have the user sign in.
2. Click the "Start" button at the bottom of the page just to the right of Pulse Secure.
3. Since Pulse Secure is not installed click the Download button. The PulseSecureAppLauncher.msi file will be downloaded.
4. Once the download finishes run the file. You will need to go back to the Home page of secure.colostate.edu and click the "Start" button again. The browser may ask if you want to launch an external application, click Launch Application on the prompt.
5. Pulse will ask if it can contact the server "secure.colostate.edu". Click the "Always" button. The client will begin installing. There may be an additional prompt asking to contact the server again just click the "Always" button again.
6. The Client should be installed and the connection profile for secure.colostate.edu will be configured.
1. Go to secure.colostate.edu and have the user sign in.
2. Click the "Start" button at the bottom of the page just to the right of Pulse Secure.
3. Since Pulse Secure is not installed click the Download button. The PulseSecureAppLauncher.dmg file will download. Once the file is downloaded open it and double click on the .mpkg file to start the installer.
4. Click Continue twice to begin the installation and then once it is installed click the "Close" button to exit the installer.
5. Go back to the secure.colostate.edu homepage and click the "Start" button again. If the browser prompts for it launch the application.
6. Pulse will ask if it can contact the server "secure.colostate.edu". Click the "Always" button. The client will install and the connection profile for secure.colostate.edu will be configured.
Manual Installers can be found here:
http://www.acns.colostate.edu/security/#1478123291089-f3918698-6eec
These should only be used if the computer is running Linux or if the computer is locked down and does not allow installs for dynamic downloads.
If a computer is running Linux the installed will actually be for Network Connect and not for Pulse Secure. Both of these applications provide the same functionality.
Be aware that the Mac installer is misleading. The link says it will work with Mac OSX 10.8 and higher but it is not compatible with MacOS Sierra (Version 10.12)
The ACNS website had guides on how to setup Pulse Secure on both iOS and Android devices. Both of the guides could be found at the bottom of the ACNS Security page here: http://www.acns.colostate.edu/security/
For quick reference the iOS guide is here and the Android guide is here.
