Setting up a VPN server in your network

Virtual Private Networking reffers to a set of applications and protocols that allow you to connect client in a local network through another one. If both stations (client and server) are connected to the Internet, you can access your local resources (network shares) from practically anywhere on the Internet. For security reasons you will need to authenticate first to a VPN server.

To create a Virtual Private Network server that accepts connections in a Microsoft Windows environment, open the Netowrk Connections link in the Control Panel at first.

Here you can see all your current network connections. Click "Create a new connection" in the Network Tasks menu, like shown bellow.

Click next, then select the last option, "Set up an advanced connection".

Click next and select "Accept incomming connections". At the following screen, select "Allow virtual private connections" and click next.

As you can see, you must choose the system usernames that can login to the VPN server.

It is a good idea to choose only one username, and set it with a strong password (at least 8 characters, including two numbers or symbols).

Now you have to choose the protocols you want the connection to handle. For conectivity, put TCP/IP. If you want to access your Local Area Network shares, select Client for Microsoft Networks and File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks too.

Now select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties. You need to configure here the IP range that will be used to allocate addresses to your connecting clients. By doing this, you can also specify a total limit of clients that can connect the same time.

Pick a range manually, but make sure that the addresses are in the same network as your server is, or the VPN connection will fail.
Check the box next to "Allow callers to access my local area network" and then click Ok.

Click Finish and you are ready to go.

You should see now your new connection:

If you use any firewall on your Internet connection (and you are advised to), you must open some ports for the connectivity to be possible. These ports apply also if you are using a NAT/PAT router (configure port forwarding to your inside server).
These ports are: 1723 (VPN listen), 500, 51 and 50.

Now if you are ready to go, test your connectivity from another computer on the Internet.

Also see http://www.tutorial5.com/content/view/135/79/ to learn how to connect to your VPN server.

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