Exeter Pulse Secure¶
The University of Exeter in the UK has been providing free VPN (Virtual Private Network) services, called Exeter Pulse Secure, to its students for many years. However, many students are still unaware of this service. When they return to their home countries, they often face difficulties in accessing the official websites of UK institutions, submitting papers, or conducting research due to restrictions on certain foreign websites in their home countries. To address this issue, the University of Exeter has introduced a dedicated free VPN service for its students. This service is exclusively available to students of the university and can only be used for accessing relevant University of Exeter services. It is primarily intended to facilitate students' academic activities by providing a free virtual network service.
If you are observant, you may have noticed, or if you haven't noticed yet, Pulse Secure is not only used by UK universities as a VPN solution but is also provided by domestic universities and enterprises in China. For example, Tsinghua University and China Pharmaceutical University offer free access to Pulse Secure for their respective students.
The free VPN service provided by the University of Exeter is called "Pulse Secure" and can be used on Windows, OS X, and Linux systems. Simply download the corresponding connection server or app, and enter your university username and password to connect. It's very straightforward.
So, how can you download the University of Exeter VPN? Where can you find the download? As shown in the image below, the provided table contains links to download the Pulse Secure client and detailed tutorials on how to use it on your computer or mobile device. Choose the program that corresponds to your computer's operating system. Please note that in the table, the first column represents the system name, the second column provides the download link for the installation program, and the third column offers tutorials on how to install and use the VPN.
The download link for Exeter Pulse Secure at the University of Exeter, click the link below：
Download Pulse Secure at the University of Exeter
A reminder from your friendly guide: If you encounter issues such as the program being unusable or crashing after downloading from the above link, it could be due to compatibility problems with the latest version of the software. In such cases, you can try downloading previous versions of the program. See the image below for links to previous versions:：
Download Pulse Secure at the University of Exeter
So, how can you use the University of Exeter VPN, Exeter Pulse Secure, on an iPhone?
Step 1:
Firstly, open the Apple App Store and search for "Pulse Secure" in the search bar. Whether you are in China or abroad, you should be able to find this app. As shown in the image below, download the first Pulse Secure app：
Step 2:
After the download is complete, open Pulse Secure. On the screen that appears, you will be prompted to enter "Corporate email or URL." In Chinese, it means the enterprise email address or URL. At this point, enter "vpnsecure.exeter.ac.uk" in the provided field. This is the URL for the University of Exeter.
Step 3:
After clicking submit in the previous step, the following screen will appear. Simply click "Save" to save the settings. Your phone will then prompt you with a message asking if you want to add this VPN to your device. Click "Allow" to grant permission. The school's VPN will now be available in the background of your iPhone. It will be convenient to use in the future as the settings will be automatically saved.
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As shown in the image below, the school's VPN will appear in the background of your iPhone
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Step 4:
Next, the Pulse Secure interface will display the following image. Click on "Connect" to establish the connection.
After clicking "Connect," you will see some introductory information about the service. Click on "Continue" as shown in the image below.
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Next, a screen will appear asking you to enter your username and password. Simply input your username and password, and you will be successfully connected
So, how can you use the University of Exeter VPN, Exeter Pulse Secure, on systems such as Windows XP / 7 / 8 / 8.1 32-bit, Windows XP / 7 / 8 / 8.1 64-bit, Windows 10 32-bit, Windows 10 64-bit, Mac OS X, and more?
It's very simple. Here are the overall tutorial links for downloading Exeter Pulse Secure:
Tutorial link for Windows XP / 7 / 8 / 8.1 32-bit
Tutorial link for Windows XP / 7 / 8 / 8.1 64-bit
Tutorial link for Windows 10 32-bit
Tutorial link for Windows 10 64-bit
Tutorial link for Mac OS X
A friendly reminder from your guide: The University of Exeter in the UK is truly considerate. They understand that during the process of writing academic papers, many students conduct research in other countries and may encounter difficulties accessing the university's website, submitting assignments on time, finding relevant data, or staying updated with firsthand information. To address these issues, the university provides free VPN services to its students. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Although the software is called "Pulse Secure," sometimes it may be renamed or referred to by other names. However, regardless of the name, you only need to log in to the general link provided to you by your guide. This link is updated annually, and the introduction on the Apple App Store will also guide you on what name to look for if there are any changes. So, there's no need to worry, just pay attention to the information provided.
This VPN can only be used on one device at a time. You cannot use it simultaneously on multiple devices. Therefore, do not share your username and password with others. For example, if you are using your account on your phone, you won't be able to use it on your computer at the same time. In other words, if you want to use it on your computer, you need to disconnect from your phone first.
When you're not using the VPN, make sure to turn it off. It should only be opened during your usage period. If you encounter any issues during your usage, you can contact the university's IT support team.