Intended Audience

This is intended for anyone who needs to access the ADMIN or TEST system (commonly called the "greenscreen" or iSeries). This software supersedes the former IBM i Access Client for Windows which is no longer supported by IBM.


IBM Access Client Solutions supersedes the former software application called IBM Access Client for Windows. This new application is compliant with current security standards and is the only such software supported by IBM on Windows 10. The older software is no longer supported by IBM and thus requires this new software to replace it.

To install the new IBM ACS, first make sure you are connected to the Colonial Williamsburg VPN if you are working from home. It is not recommended to install this while connected to your work computer through a Remote Desktop Connection from another offsite computer.

Video Option

Video Tutorial: Click here for a video tutorial about the below.

Click on Start on your Windows computer. Find the pre-installed software called Software Center under Microsoft Endpoint Manager in your list of programs and click it to open it. Software Center will display several applications pre-approved by Colonial Williamsburg's IT staff for use on CW computers. IBM ACS will be listed. Click on the icon labeled "IBM ACS 1.1.8.4".

On the next screen, click on the "Install" button. Once it is installed, it will show an "Uninstall" button.

When the software is installed, you will see the following four icons appear on your desktop. Any former icons used by the previous IBM software should disappear.
If you do not get a TEST icon, do not be alarmed. It can be added if it is needed. If this is true, you may contact the IT Support folks to get help adding it.

Double-clicking the Admin icon will launch the Admin system. 

You may get a license agreement like this one. Please scroll all the way to the bottom and click "I Agree".

After launching the Admin icon, complete the following steps to secure your connection.

Failing to do these steps could cause your application to not work once we stop allowing unsecure communications in Q1 of 2021.

As the Admin system is launching, it should show a login prompt. Cancel this pop-up prompt.

Click on the Communication drop-down menu and choose Configure…

Click the dropdown menu for Protocol and select "Telnet-TLS/SSL". Then press OK.

You should get a certificate warning and you should click "Yes" to trust the certificate.

Once you have made this change, your connection to the Admin system will refresh. Use your Admin system's login credentials to log in. Your password will still be the same as it was before.

Please take the time to complete the following steps, also.

Failing to do these steps could cause your application to not work once we stop allowing unsecure communications in Q1 of 2021.

Open the Access Client Solutions dashboard by double clicking the blue Access Client Solutions icon on your desktop.

When it opens, it will look like this:

Click on "System Configurations", then highlight ADMIN and press the Edit button. Check the box next to "Use SSL for Connection". Click the "Verify Connection" button. If you are prompted to trust a certificate, click yes. The connection verification screen should show all green checkmarks except one. The Secured Shell one will be a red X, and that is expected. Press OK and repeat this with the Test system.

When you have done this correctly, every time you open a ADMIN or TEST session, the screen will show a closed pad lock in the bottom right corner.