VPN Network connecting thru internet

G

Guest

How do I setup XP pro for a VPN connection from one office network connecting to another office network in another city?
 
S

Sharoon Shetty K [MSFT]

There is no site to site VPN in XP. Microsoft supports PPTP-based
site-to-site VPN connections in Windows NT Server 4.0 with Routing and
Remote Access Service (RRAS), Windows 2000 Server, and Windows Server 2003.
Microsoft supports L2TP/IPSec-based and IPSec tunnel mode site-to-site VPN
connections in Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003. For more details
look at -

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/networking/vpndpls2.mspx

--

Thanks
Sharoon
(e-mail address removed)

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Glen said:
How do I setup XP pro for a VPN connection from one office network
connecting to another office network in another city?
 
B

Bob

How do I setup XP pro for a VPN connection from one office network connecting to another office network in another city?

Do you want to set up a PPTP VPN? Setting it up is one thing, getting
it to work is another. Here's a popular tutorial:

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn_server.htm
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm

The major issues are the router and any firewalls you have installed.
Then there are the little gotchas like power management which will
disconnect you when you least expect it.

You begin by finding out if the routers on both ends support PPTP
Passtrhu, which allows Protocol 47 (GRE) to make it thru the router.
That's not Port 47. You will forward port 1723 for PPTP.

Firewalls can stop VPN traffic. Best disable them while you are
setting up. Better yet, get rid of them, especially Zone Alarm, and
install Kerio (assuming you have a NAT router). It will self
configure. If you don't have a NAT router then use Outpost. Be aware
that some of the lamer firewalls (e.g., Zone Alarm) leave the engine
behind when you attempt to disable them - and that can continue to
block the VPN. Best get rid of them for more rapid success.

You would be well served to obtain a book on XP Networking from
Microsoft Press. Browse your local Barnes and Noble. Plan on having a
co-worker on the other end.

Be aware that there are security issues with PPTP:

http://www.counterpane.com/pptp-faq.html
http://www.counterpane.com/pptpv2-paper.html

If you don't have a static IP address on the VPN Server side, you
might consider dynamic DNS. Check out www.tzo.com.

Setting up a PPTP VPN is a matter of discovery. Once you know
everything that is going on, it is rather simple to set one up. At the
end of the day, you will likely know that is was the firewall issue
that cost you the most aggravation.


--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
S

Sharoon Shetty K [MSFT]

This does not allow you to connect two networks. It allows VPN between two
computers [server and client].

--

Thanks
Sharoon
(e-mail address removed)

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

connecting to another office network in another city?
 
B

Bob

This does not allow you to connect two networks. It allows VPN between two
computers [server and client].

Indeed. The OP's request was ambiguous in that regard. Strictly
speaking when a PPTP VPN connection is established, each VPN machine
is part of the other's network, albeit in a restricted manner. For
example, you can see the other machine with Netstat.

What prevents a third machine, one on the VPN Client's network, from
accessing the VPN Server? I have never tried this, but it would seem
that a third machine could access the VPN Server merely by using the
IP address of that VPN Server.

Put another way, let's say the VPN Server has a raw IP address
192.168.1.100. What prevents this third machine from accessing the VPN
Server by using that raw IP address just like the VPN Client does,
namely \\192.168.1.100? Won't the VPN Server's IP address be
accessible from the network of the VPN Client?


--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
S

Sharoon Shetty K [MSFT]

In a site-to-site VPN connection you would be having a network A [set of
machines] and network B[set of machines]. You would be creating a
site-to-site or router-to-router connection using demand dial interface. Any
machine in network A can access any machine on network B and vice versa.

In case of a normal PPTP VPN connection, the VPN client can access the VPN
Server and the network beyond. However the netowrk of the VPN client is not
accessible to the network of the VPN server.

--

Thanks
Sharoon
(e-mail address removed)

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Bob said:
This does not allow you to connect two networks. It allows VPN between two
computers [server and client].

Indeed. The OP's request was ambiguous in that regard. Strictly
speaking when a PPTP VPN connection is established, each VPN machine
is part of the other's network, albeit in a restricted manner. For
example, you can see the other machine with Netstat.

What prevents a third machine, one on the VPN Client's network, from
accessing the VPN Server? I have never tried this, but it would seem
that a third machine could access the VPN Server merely by using the
IP address of that VPN Server.

Put another way, let's say the VPN Server has a raw IP address
192.168.1.100. What prevents this third machine from accessing the VPN
Server by using that raw IP address just like the VPN Client does,
namely \\192.168.1.100? Won't the VPN Server's IP address be
accessible from the network of the VPN Client?


--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
B

Bob

In a site-to-site VPN connection you would be having a network A [set of
machines] and network B [set of machines]. You would be creating a
site-to-site or router-to-router connection using demand dial interface. Any
machine in network A can access any machine on network B and vice versa.
In case of a normal PPTP VPN connection, the VPN client can access the VPN
Server and the network beyond.

That's what I thought was the case but I never actually tested it. I
suppose then PPTP could be called a "peer to site VPN connection".
However the netowrk of the VPN client is not
accessible to the network of the VPN server.

The VPN Server can, however, access the VPN Client - just not the
network beyond.

I wonder if it is possible to run two simultaneous PPTP connections,
one in direction A->B and the other in direction B->A.


--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
G

Guest

I wonder if it is possible to run two simultaneous PPTP connections
one in direction A->B and the other in direction B->A

I myself wondering that to can this be done

If win xp pro is being used as the "VPN Server" can more than one client log in at the same time?
 
G

Guest

OK, since Win XP Pro can only have one connected at a time.. Is there a software program out there that you can install on winxp pro to use it as a VPN server with more than one client cannected at a time?
 
B

Bob

OK, since Win XP Pro can only have one connected at a time.. Is there a software program out there that you can install on winxp pro to use it as a VPN server with more than one client connected at a time?

To the best of my knowledge, Windows only supports a single session
VPN. You should use hardware to do multiple VPN sessions.

The time and money you waste trying to make a silk purse out of a
sow's ear could be better spent on a pair of ZyWalls.



--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
B

Bob

Which hardware is best suited for the VPN connections?

It all depends on your needs. If you are setting up the typical SOHO
configuration, then ZyWall is a good choice. Anything larger in scale
warrants outside vendors even if they spec ZyWall - unless you are a
VPN expert.

The single most important reason for a VPN is enable people to work
24X7 when they feel the need. A VPN could make the difference between
winning a deal or losing it. If that is significant, then it stands to
reason that you want the VPN to work reliably. Therefore an outside
vendor is cost justified.

If, on the other hand, all you are doing is playing around, then XP is
as good a toy as there is. It's especially challenging because
everything is done Microsoft's way, which has nothing to do with the
real world normal people live in.

And learning MS-Speak can be a challenge.


--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
G

Guest

Ok, this VPN router can do the VPN connection from one office to another?
While all the computers are using XP Pro (Including "The Server" setup) As long as the VPN router has 50 VPN tunnels that can be done simutaneously.

I guess the simple question would be The VPN router handles the VPNing?
 
B

Bob

Ok, this VPN router can do the VPN connection from one office to another?
While all the computers are using XP Pro (Including "The Server" setup) As long as the VPN router has 50 VPN tunnels that can be done simutaneously..

I guess the simple question would be The VPN router handles the VPNing?

You have to supply more detailed information.

--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
G

Guest

OK. One VPN router in City A can be configured to Connect to another VPN router in City B as a site to site connection
Without having a server or Server software on a server to run the show. The VPN routers would be the ones doing the connecting site to site. Right?
 
B

Bob

OK. One VPN router in City A can be configured to Connect to another VPN router in City B as a site to site connection.
Without having a server or Server software on a server to run the show. The VPN routers would be the ones doing the connecting site to site. Right?

Yes. The two VPN routers could be ZyWalls.

--

Map Of The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy:
http://www.freewebs.com/vrwc/

You know you are in Hell when you have to make a
distinction between what is moral and what is legal.
 
G

Guest

Cool then that answer my question and problem I was hoping to solve , thank you for your patients and help... 8^)
 

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