Engineering Software
In addition to using our filter to find out the COE available software on the COE Virtual Lab (VLAB), follow the directions below to install software on your computers.
Software for First Year Engineering Students
The Horizon Client is used to connect to the COE Virtual Lab.
Note: If you are on a Windows device, we highly recommend you follow the instructions below to install; do NOT use the Windows App Store installation, as it does not include all the relevant features!
- Open your web browser and go to: https://vlabduo.coe.neu.edu
- Follow the downloads link, then select the appropriate installation file for your device.
- Find the downloaded file on your device, and run it with administrative privileges. Follow the on-screen instructions; there is no need to change any of the default settings.
Video instructions for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Video instructions for macOS.
Certain university resources require a secure vpn connection.
Video instructions for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Video instructions for macOS.
COE Students: Connect to the VPN and use your COE (not NUnet) username and password to download the SolidWorks Student Engineering Kit and get your activation code.
Non-COE Students: Follow directions to download SOLIDWORKS for non-COE students.
Video instructions for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
My SPE installation is not working correctly
Make sure that you have followed the instructions provided carefully.
Also note that if you have previously installed SPE (or older SEK) on your computer, the old installation must be completely removed before attempting the new installation to avoid conflicts.
If you are a COE student still having issues, send an email to help@coe.neu.edu with screenshots of any errors you see and your availability for a troubleshooting session (typically conducted via Teams).
If you are not a COE student and are still having issues, send an email to help@northeastern.edu with as much detail as possible, and one of the ITS Help Desk staff will do their best to assist you.
Can I run SolidWorks on my Mac or Linux PC?
SolidWorks runs on Windows only (not Mac or Linux), sorry.
To install the SolidWorks SPE locally on your own Mac or Linux computer, you can get VMware Fusion for Mac, or VMware Workstation for Linux, for free through the MyNortheastern Portal — it will allow you to run Windows in a virtual machine on your Mac or Linux PC. Then you can install SolidWorks in your virtual machine as described above.
How can I get access to SolidWorks if I cannot install it on my computer?
COE students can use the COE VLAB to run SolidWorks from any computer or tablet.
ITS also provides SolidWorks through their Windows Virtual Desktop (VDI) environment. For non-COE students who cannot install it on their computer, this is likely the best choice. You can find more information on this through the public service portal by searching for “Windows Virtual Desktop”
SolidWorks PDM Professional is available to Faculty and Students (with advisor/professor approval). A COE account is required for use. If a user doesn’t have one, they must request one.
PDM is a secure data vault for all your CAD and design process information. A fully configurable environment, SOLIDWORKS PDM enables your teams to securely store design files and related data for fast retrieval.
We have 4 PDM servers. Each one is dedicated to a specific use.
Capstone (for capstone students/groups)
Access: Have your Capstone professor contact help@coe.northeastern.edu with your request. Details to include are are the Northeastern email addresses of each group member, list of group member COE accounts, a name for the vault and which members will have administrator rights for your vault. Access to the vault can be revoked per user. If you have new members coming in and old members leaving, remember to submit an access change request to help@coe.northeastern.edu with the vault name included. All access requests must be submitted by the advisor/professor.
Deletion: Vaults on this server will be deleted after the end of the semester unless an extensions is requested as part of the original request or at some point before the end of semester.
Research (for researchers)
Access: A PI must contact help@coe.northeastern.edu with the request. Details to include are the Northeastern email addresses of each group member, a name for each vault and which members will have administrator rights for your vault. Access to the vault can be revoked per user. If you have new members coming in and old members leaving, remember to submit an access change request to help@coe.northeastern.edu with the vault name included. All access requests must be submitted by the PI.
Deletion: Vaults will not be deleted unless deletion is requested by originating PI. PI may be contacted after a long period (1 year or more) of disuse to confirm that the vault is still needed.
Teaching (for professors teaching classes)
Access: Contact help@coe.northeastern.edu with your request. Details to include are the Northeastern email addresses of each group member, a name for each vault and which members will have administrator rights for your vault. Access to the vault can be revoked per user. If you have new members coming in and old members leaving, remember to submit an access change request to help@coe.northeastern.edu with the vault name included.
Deletion: Vaults will not be deleted unless deletion is requested by originating professor. Professor may be contacted after a long period (1 year or more) of disuse to confirm that the vault is still needed. If it is not needed or there is no response within 90 days, it will be deleted.
Student Group
Access: Have your group advisor contact help@coe.northeastern.edu with your request. Details to include are are the names and Northeastern email addresses of each group member, list of group member COE accounts, a name for your group vault and which members will have administrator rights for your vault. Access to the vault can be revoked per user. If you have new members coming in and old members leaving, remember to submit an access change request to help@coe.northeastern.edu with the vault name included. All access requests must be submitted by the group advisor.
Deletion: Vaults will not be deleted unless deletion is requested by the group advisor. Advisor may be contacted after a long period (1 year or more) of disuse to confirm that the vault is still needed. If it is not needed or there is no response within 90 days, it will be deleted.
For AutoCAD, please go to: AutoCAD.
- If necessary, register for a free account; otherwise sign in with your AutoDesk credentials.
- Follow the instructions on this site to install the software on your computer.
- NOTE: When downloading the file, you need to click on the drop-down arrow on the right hand side and select “browser download option”.
- If you are using Windows, the file should be approximately 1.2 GB in size and executable (*.exe).
- AutoCAD downloads are also available for Macs.
- Please note that this license is good for one (1) year before it must be renewed.
Video instructions:
- Go to www.jetbrains.com/student/ and click on the “Apply Now” button.
- Fill out the form using your Northeastern email address.
- You will get an email from JetBrains in a few minutes with a confirmation link.
- After completing the student account creation, you will have a license for CLion.
Video instructions:
Northeastern MATLAB Portal or How to access MATLAB
The Mathworks company sponsors a graduate student to act as a Matlab resource for students. For more details, visit the tutoring page.
Video instructions:
Additional Engineering Software
The College of Engineering at Northeastern University is a participant in Microsoft’s Azure Dev Tools for Teaching (ADTfT) program. (This program was formerly called Imagine, and before that Dreamspark.)
Through the Azure Dev Tools for Teaching web store, COE students, faculty, and staff can download free Microsoft software for academic, non-commercial use on your personal computer. Software downloaded from ADTfT is not intended for installation on university-owned computers. If you need software on an NU-owned computer, send email to help@coe.neu.edu.
Available software presently includes:
- Operating systems
- MS Windows and Windows Server (several versions)
- Developer tools
- Visual Studio, ASP.NET, XNA Game Studio
- Applications
- MS Project, Visio, One Note
- Servers
- MS SQL server, Exchange Server, Hyper-V Server
Please log in to the Azure Dev Tools for Teaching store to see the full list of nearly 200 available packages. Azure Dev Tools for Teaching is a Microsoft promotional program and MS, not COE, chooses which packages to offer and sets the licensing terms.
Azure Dev Tools for Teaching Web Store
Getting help for Azure Dev Tools for Teaching
STUDENTS: To access Azure Dev Tools for Teaching, log in with your NU Microsoft account.
- Your username is Husky username followed by @northeastern.edu.
- For example, if your Husky email is student.h@husky.neu.edu, log in as student.h@northeastern.edu.
- Use your usual Husky account password.
FACULTY and STAFF: Log in with your NU credentials, as you would to Outlook Web Access.
EVERYONE: You may need to wait 24 hours after registering before you can successfully download software.
Additionally, for products such as Project or Visio, you must have an activated copy of Office Professional Plus already installed on your computer before you will be able to enter the product key for your new Project/Visio installation.
For login help, send email to help@coe.neu.edu.
MobaXTerm is already installed on all COE Windows lab computers. If you want to run it on your personal computer, just download the MobaXTerm software.
How to configure MobaXTerm
Once the MobaXTerm program is installed it should be visible on your desktop. Double click the icon to start the program.
Create a new session so next time you don’t have to do it all over again
- Click the “Sessions” tab on the top of the page
- Select “New session”
- Select the “SSH” button (First button on the top left corner).
- Enter the following information on the “Basic SSH settings” form.
- Remote host* —> gateway.coe.neu.edu
- Select the “Specify username” box and enter your COE username right next to it.
- Click ok to save this session. The session will be saved as “gateway.coe.neu.edu.
How to log into gateway.coe.neu.edu
- To log into the gateway simply double-click the “Saved session” you created.
- This will open up a terminal session for you and it prompts you for your COE password
- Enter your COE password. It will ask you to remember the password. Say “no”
- Now you are logged into one of our gateway host machines.
How to log into Linux machines and get a graphical program to display on your local machine
- If all goes well you should now be logged into the Linux machine.
- To run a graphical program like “matlab” simply type this:
- matlab & —> the ampersand symbol allows the session to run in the background. If all goes well matlab should appear on your desktop.
- Dev C++ is freeware without a specific license length; once it is installed you should be all set!
- This is a Windows-only package. If you are a Mac user, please ask your instructor which development package he/she prefers for Macs.