Quick Links: RDWeb Server—Remote Access Lab—Installed Software—Software Deals
Using the RDWeb server
Access to College of Built Environments RDWeb server from off campus requires the use of UW OnNet VPN prior to attempting to connect. The RDWeb server is not visible from outside UW networks.
- To access and use RDWeb off campus, download and install UW OnNet VPN from here: https://softy.cac.washington.edu/HuskyOnNet/ Login to UW VPN with your netid credentials. Mac users need to be at at least MacOS 13 to be able to use UW OnNet VPN.
- MacOS users will need to download and install the Windows App Client (previously Remote Desktop) from the Apple App Store. For older versions of OSX: MS Remote Desktop for OSX. Restart your computer after installation.
- Open a browser and go to https://rdweb.be.uw.edu .
- Log in using your UW email address.
- Single click an application icon to launch it. Click through the security messages (check “Do not ask me again..”) and login again with your uw email address. A CBE RDWeb application rdp file will download. Right-click, or click the down arrow next to the file at the bottom of the browser window and choose “Always open this type of file”. Double click the rdp file to launch the application
- You may launch any RDWeb application directly from the downloaded RDP file. Off-campus use also requires connection to UW OnNet VPN.
- More detailed instructions may be found here: CBE RDweb Instructions
- For directions to map the UW Udrive on your personal computer: Map UW Udrive
Using the Remote Access Lab (RAL) Computers
Remote Access Lab (RAL)
The CBE Remote Access Lab is for use by students in CBE majors or currently taking CBE classes. These computers cannot be reserved and are first come, first served.
Students must use UW OnNet VPN to access CBE Remote computers from off campus. You might see it called Big-IP on your computer. Note: Connections time out after 72 hrs. Mac users need to be at at least MacOS 13 to be able to use UW OnNet VPN.
Mac users will need to download and install Windows App (previously Microsoft Remote Desktop). Find the app in the Apple App Store. For older versions of OSX: MS Remote Desktop for OSX. Restart your computer after installation.
Store all files in the Cloud. DO NOT STORE ANY FILES ON THE RAL COMPUTER, they may be deleted at anytime. Options include:
- UDrive: Users auto-connect to their UW “U” Drive, with up to 50gigs of storage.
- GDrive: Browse to https://drive.google.com, login to your personal or UW Google site.
- Map a drive to a CBE Course file share. Your instructor will give you directions.
Remember to Sign out when finished, do not just close the Remote Desktop Program. Right click the Start Button, select “Sign Out” from the shutdown menu. Disconnected sessions will be automatically logged out after 10 minutes.
Only use 1 Remote Access Lab computer at a time and limit your sessions to when you are actually working. If you’ll be away for long, please log off. This will allow us to keep CBE Remote Access resources available to all who need them.
Email be-help@uw.edu if you need assistance.
Directions
- Download, Install and Connect to UW VPN. Launch Big- IP, click “Connect” and login with your UW netid credentials.
- Browse to: https://ks.be.uw.edu/frame-body/maps, click on “RAL”. (Requires UW VPN to access from off campus)
- Choose an Available computer, click Connect, then Download to download a .rdp file.
- Dbl click the .rdp file, select Open w/ Remote Desktop, check Do this Automatically, Connect. Users on MacOS, should right click the downloaded rdp file and choose Open with Windows App (if on OSX 10.13, select Microsoft Remote Desktop).
- Login with your UW email address, {uwnetid}@uw.edu and your UW password. NOTE: You may need to click More Choices, if unable to provide login credentials.
- Want to use Adobe software? You will need to create a Free Adobe Account using an email address (ie. your uw email) at https://accounts.adobe.com. Login with that email address when launching Adobe software in the RAL.
- Click through a couple of security messages. Check boxes Don’t ask… Click Connect on the publisher, and Yes on the security messages.
Software on the CBE RDWeb Server
| Title | Version | Note |
| ArcGIS Pro | 3.3.5 | |
| Athena IE | 5.5 | |
| Bluebeam Revu Extreme | 20.3.2 | |
| CircuitScape | 3.54 | |
| DIALux | 4.13,5.11 | |
| Energy Plus | 24 | |
| Equest | 3.65 | |
| Fragstats | 4.2 | |
| On-Screen Takeoff | 3.98 | |
| Primavera | 6.21.12 | |
| Primavera Risk Analysis | 8.75 | |
| Project Libre | 1.9.3 | |
| Risk (Palisade) | 8.2 | |
| R | 4.3.1 | |
| R Studio | 2023 | |
| Sketchup Pro | 2024 | |
| Tableau | 2024.2 |
Software on Lab Workstations, RAL & Windows Loaner Laptops
| Title | Version | Note |
| 7-Zip | 24.06 | |
| Adobe Creative Cloud | 2024 | Acrobat DC, After Effects, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop |
| Anaconda | 2024.02 | |
| ArcGIS Pro(ESRI) | 3.3.5 | |
| Arduino | 2.3.2 | |
| Athena IE | 5.5 | |
| Autodesk Suite | 2025 | Autocad, Navisworks, Revit |
| Bluebeam Revu | 20.3.2 | |
| Climate Consultant | 6.0 | |
| Comfen (LBNL) | 4.1, 5.0 | |
| Conefor | 2.6 | |
| Connectivity Analysis | 1.3.2 | |
| Decision Tools(Risk) | 8.2 | |
| Dialux | 4.13,5.12 | |
| Energy Plus | 24.1 | |
| ENVI | 5.6.3 | |
| Fragstats | 4.2 | |
| Google Chrome | 127 | |
| Google Earth Pro | 7.3.6 | |
| GrassGIS | 8.3.2 | |
| HdrScope | 1.0 | |
| IDL | 8.8.3 | |
| IrfanView | 4.67 | |
| JetBrains Pycharm | 2024.1 | |
| Land F-X | 20.55 | AutoCAD Plugin |
| Lands Design | 5.8.2 | Rhino Plugin |
| LBNL | Optics6, Therm 7.7, Window 7.7 | |
| Lumion | 2024 | |
| MeshLab | 2023.12 | |
| Microsoft Office 365 | 16 | Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word |
| Microsoft Silverlight | 5.1.5 | |
| Mozilla Firefox | 128 | |
| Opera Browser | 112 | |
| OnScreen Takeoff | 3.98.8 | |
| Panopto Recorder | 12.0.4 | |
| Primavera | 6.21.12 | |
| P6 Risk Analysis | 8.7 | |
| Project 365 | 16.0 | |
| Project Libre | 1.9.3 | |
| QGIS | 3.38.1 | |
| Radiance | 5.4 | |
| R, R Studio | 4, 2023 | |
| Rhino | 7.38 | |
| Rhino | 8.9 | Plugins: Bongo 2, Climate Studio 2.0, Enscape 4.1, Grasshopper 1.0, LadyBug Tools 1.38, LandKit 2.0, Lands Design 5.8.2, OpenStudio 3.7, Pachyderm 1.0, Pollination 1.48, TT Toolbox 208, UMI 3.2.4, V-Ray 6.20 |
| @Risk (Palisade) | 8.2 | |
| SecureCRT | 8.0 | |
| SketchUp Pro | 2024 | V-Ray 6.20 Plugin |
| Sococo | 6.5 | |
| Stroboscope/EZStrobe | 5.23 | Visio 2016 Plugin |
| Tableau | 2024.2 | |
| UW VPN | 72.24 | f5 BIG-IP Edge Client |
| VideoLAN VLC Player | 3.0.21 | |
| Visio 365 | 16.0 | |
| Vuescan | 9.8.35 | |
| WinSCP | 6.3.4 | |
| WWHM | 2012 | |
| Windows | 11 | |
| Zoom Installer | 5.14 | Via user-installer link |
Software deals for students, staff and faculty
Free VMWare Fusion Pro for Personal Use
Broadcom is now providing VMWare Fusion Pro for free for personal/academic use. Create a Broadcom account using your uw email address, and then download the software. Details can be found here:
https://blogs.vmware.com/teamfusion/2024/05/fusion-pro-now-available-free-for-personal-use.html
Download Vmware Fusion Pro:
https://support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/productdownloads?subfamily=VMware+Fusion
Free ArcGIS Pro for UW students/staff/faculty.
UW students, staff and faculty can install and run ArcGIS products on their personal Windows computers. Off campus use requires use of UW OnNet VPN to connect to the UW ArcGIS license servers. This software must only be used for UW-related academic purposes.
ArcGIS software downloads require being connected to UW OnNet VPN. Copy & Paste the download location into Windows File Explorer location bar, NOT a browser. Drag the ArcGIS Pro installer from the ftp folder to your computer for installation.
ArcGIS Pro:
UW ArcGIS Pro Info: https://sites.uw.edu/arcgis/software/arcgis-pro/
ArcGIS Pro Download: ftp://software.gis.washington.edu/ESRI/ArcGISPro/3.4/ (access via windows explorer not a browser)
Free Autodesk software for UW students/staff/faculty
Anyone with a UW email address (@uw.edu) may participate in Autodesk’s Education Community program. Along with much educational material, most Autodesk applications are available for free through the program, on a three-year time out license.
Autodesk Free Software page
Fusion 360 Free Software page
Free Bluebeam Revu for students
Bluebeam is now offering all students free 1 yr licenses to install Revu on their personal Windows computers. Fill out the form at this location and receive an email with download instructions and a license key.
https://www.bluebeam.com/communities/education/
Lumion licenses for UW students/faculty
UW students and faculty can gain free access to the educational version of this visualization/rendering package.
https://lumion.com/product/educational-licenses
Lumion’s hardware requirements are significant, and may not run on some laptops. Details found here:
https://lumion.com/requirements.html
Free Microsoft software for UW students
Thanks in part to funding from the UW Student Technology Fee, several Microsoft applications are available for free download by UW students. For more information about this program, and to download the software, please check out UW-IT’s software site: UW-IT Microsoft Software for Students information page
Adobe software for UW students
UW students can purchase Adobe Creative Cloud directly from Adobe’s website at a reduced price. Adobe CC Student Pricing.
The per month price is for an annual commitment. Canceling early incurs penalties. See section “Education, annual contract, paid monthly” here:https://www.adobe.com/legal/subscription-terms.html#sa_src=web-messaging
Rhino software for UW students/faculty
Rhino is available for an extended 90-day free trial. Students can purchase a perpetual license at a reduced price here:
https://www.rhino3d.com/en/sales/north-america/United_States/
Free Enscape software for UW students/faculty
UW students and faculty can register with Enscape to receive a free 6-month license for non-commercial use. Register at EnScape Educational Licensing using your UW email address and follow the instructions.
Free ArchiCAD software for UW students/staff/faculty
UW students, faculty, and staff can register with Graphisoft to gain free access to ArchiCAD for the duration of their time at the UW. To take advantage of this offer, register at www.myarchicad.com using your UW email address and follow the instructions.
Sketchup for students
Sketchup for the web is free, with reduced functionality.
https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing#for-personal
Students can purchase Sketchup Studio at a reduced price:
https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing#for-higher-education
Other packages may offer significant deals. Please email be-help@uw.edu with any queries.