Skip to main content

Password Q&A: Home

Off-campus access answers. Covers VPN, law-only access, and summer password use.

Connecting from off campus

Q: It's asking for a password! What do I do?

Try connecting to a UCI Law VPN (Virtual Private Network) if you're not used to seeing a password for a database. Many databases don't really need a password—they just need to see that you're part of the UCI Law Network. So once you're connected to UCI Law's VPN, other websites see your computer as if it's part of UCI Law's network and let you in. 

A few databases do also require passwords, though. See this page's "Password Resources."

Q: How do I connect to a UCI Law VPN?

Q: But what if I'm using a computer where I can't install VPN software? Like at my summer job, or at a friend's house?

Lots of useful resources are still available. Try using the UCI Libraries Web-VPN. Through that, you can get at many sources that are restricted to UCI. (But not resources restricted to UCI Law.)

Q: What if I need to use a law-only system—something that's restricted to UCI Law—and I can't use the Law VPN?

Contact the reference desk if you'd like a librarian to run a search and send you a result. Librarians are available whenever the reference desk is open.

Q: What about off-campus access on my phone or other mobile device?

The UCI-wide VPN and UCI Law VPN can both work on some mobile devices

Legal Database Help

For general assistance with your account, contact:

Bloomberg Law: Terry Stedman -

LexisNexis: Jack Rafter -

Westlaw: Francesca Phan -

Password Resources