A Connection Manager profile installer is an executable file provided by your network administrator. When you run it on your computer, it installs all of the files needed to create a connection to a specific remote network. You access the connection by using a new entry in the Network Connections folder.

Membership in the Users group is the minimum group membership required to install a Connection Manager profile. However, only members of the Administrators group can install the profile for all users.

An administrator can deliver the Connection Manager profile to client computers using any available software distribution method:

  • Removable media: Floppy disk, CD, DVD, flash memory USB drive.

  • Network share: The Connection Manager profile installer can be placed on any network share from which the user can run the profile installer.

  • E-mail: Send the profile installer as an attachment in e-mail (not recommended).

    Note

    Not all e-mail systems allow executable files as attachments due to the security risks.

  • Web site download: Send a link to a Web site from which the users can download and run the profile installer.

  • Software distribution systems: Products such as Microsoft® Systems Center Configuration Manager are ideal for automated distribution to a large number of clients without the need for any user interaction.

Note

If you log on as a limited user, then you can install a profile only for the current user account. If you log on as a local administrator, then you can choose to install the profile for all users, or just for the current user account.

To manually install a Connection Manager profile

  1. Browse to the executable file provided by your administrator, and then double-click it.

    A dialog box appears asking Do you wish to install YourProfileName?

  2. Click Yes to begin the installation.

  3. If a license agreement appears, read it, and then click Yes if you accept the terms of the agreement and continue the installation.

  4. Under Make this connection available for, select either All users or My use only. If you select All users, you must have local administrator permissions. Installation continues depending on how you are logged on:

    • If you are logged on as the built-in Administrator account, installation proceeds.

    • If you are logged on as a member of the Administrators group, the User Account Control dialog box might appear. If it does, confirm that the action displayed is what you want, click Continue, and then installation continues.

    • If you are logged on as a standard user, the User Account Control dialog box appears and asks for administrator credentials. If you supply appropriate credentials, then the installer will install for all users. If you do not, then that option is disabled, and you can install only for the current user.

    • If you want an icon on the desktop for this connection, select the Add a shortcut on the desktop check box.

    • Click OK to complete the installation.

    A dialog box displays the installation progress. When it completes, the icon appears on your desktop (if you selected the option to create an icon), the Network Connections folder appears with your new connection available, and the connection opens so you can configure dialing location settings and other settings as allowed by your network administrator.

Additional references

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