IS&T provides MIT staff and affiliates with a selection of IT resources that can be leveraged to prepare for and facilitate remote working at MIT.
Prepare your remote work environment
Make sure that your computer has a working webcam and microphone and that its operating systems and applications are up to date with the latest releases and patches. IS&T recommends these laptop configurations. MIT departments, labs, and centers who acquire laptops through IS&T’s DLC Direct program get the added benefit of on-demand IT support free of charge.
Ensure that you have high speed internet access at your remote work location. Use tools such as speedtest.net or your internet provider's support tools to determine if the speed of your connection meets the needs of video conferencing tools such as Zoom or Webex. If you don’t have internet access at home, consider purchasing a prepaid hotspot. Look up the cellular signal strength in your remote location using this tool.
Set up call forwarding on your MIT phone number by logging into voip.mit.edu.
If you do not have a computer with which to work remotely, and cannot acquire one through your department, you may request loaner equipment.
Work securely from your remote environment
Protect your devices. Make sure devices are running the latest operating systems supported by the vendor and that all updates have been applied. Ensure software applications are up-to-date; enable automatic updates. Install and maintain anti-virus software (including for Macs). Perform regular backups.
Secure your home WiFi. Make sure your router’s firmware is up-to-date, that you're using a strong password, and that WPA2 encryption has been enabled for your home WiFi network.
Practice safe video conferencing. Use MIT-approved conferencing tools. Follow suggested best security practices. Be aware of others in your household, including digital assistants, during conferencing to protect confidential data. Lock your screen when you're not using your computer.
Protect yourself and your information by using caution when opening emails and attachments. Be wary, in particular, of phishing attacks and also of scams that try to trick you into making donations or revealing sensitive information to fraudulent organizations or causes.
Remotely access MITnet
Before you connect, install MIT certificates on your remote working computer.
Register at least two readily available devices with Duo. If you don’t have two devices to register, you can request a USB hardware token.
Download and install the GlobalProtect VPN client on your devices to securely connect to MIT resources anytime from anywhere using MIT’s remote access Virtual Private Network (VPN). Be sure to always connect to the MIT VPN when working on a public WiFi network to encrypt your activity and ensure you aren’t unknowingly directed to a rogue DNS server that could send you to malicious websites.
Collaborate with coworkers
IS&T offers several collaboration tools that make it simple to chat, schedule and conduct video meetings, and present webinars across mobile devices, computers, and room systems. To learn more, see Slack Enterprise Grid, Webex, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
Manage and share files using one of the cloud-based data storage and collaboration tools available to MIT community members.
Generate strong, unique passwords and securely manage and share them using the LastPass Enterprise password management system.