# Adding a New Connection

Parallels Client for Windows allows you to have more than one connection, so you could easily connect to different servers or using different connection properties.

To add a connection:

1. Open Parallels Client by clicking **Start** > **All Apps** > **Parallels** > **Parallels Client** (or double-click the **Parallels Client** icon on your desktop).
2. In the main Parallels Client window, click the **Navigation** button and select **New connection** (**File > New Connection** in classic interface). The **New connection** dialog opens.
3. Do one of the following:
   * If you want to create a Parallels RAS connection, enter the Parallels RAS IP address, its hostname (this should be the server where the RAS Secure Gateway resides), or your work email address.

     **Note:** Connection discovery by email needs to be configured by system administrators. Contact your system administrator to make sure that this option is enabled.
   * If you want to create an RDP connection, click the **Create RDP Connection instead** link.
4. Click **Next.**
5. On the next dialog, specify the server address.

   When creating a Parallels RAS connection, your system administrator should give you the connection information that must be specified in this dialog. If you received an invitation email from your administrator, you can find this information at the bottom of the message. The information will look similar to the following:

   `To manually configure the RAS Connection, use the following settings:`\
   \
   `Server: 192.168.1.10`\
   `Port: 443`\
   `Connection Mode: Gateway SSL Mode`

   When creating a Standard RDP connection, you need to know the IP address or hostname of the remote computer you want to connect to.
6. If creating a Standard RDP connection, specify the remote computer IP address or hostname in the **Server** field. If you are creating a Parallels RAS connection, this field will be auto-populated.
7. The **Connection mode** drop-down list is enabled only when creating a Parallels RAS connection. Select one of the following options (note that you should use the mode that your system administrator has asked you to use):
   * **Direct Mode**. Parallels Client first connects to the RAS Secure Gateway for the best available terminal server and then connects directly to that server.  This is best used when the Parallels Client and the terminal server reside on the same network.
   * **Direct SSL Mode**. Same as the direct mode above, but uses encryption to secure the data.
   * **Gateway Mode**. Parallels Client connects to the RAS Secure Gateway and the session connection is tunneled through the first available connection. This mode is ideal for servers that are only reachable via the gateway and do not require a high level of security.
   * **Gateway SSL Mode**. Same as the gateway mode above, but uses encryption to secure the data.
8. In the **Friendly name** field, choose and type a friendly name for this connection.
9. The **Advanced settings** link opens the **Connection Properties** dialog where you can specify additional connection properties. For more information, please see **Configuring a RAS Connection** or **Configuring an RDP Connection**.
10. Click **OK** to create a connection and connect to Parallels RAS.


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