Configure VPN in XP

Before you start

Objectives: learn how to create a VPN connection in XP.

Prerequisites: we have to have a VPN server which we will connect to. You have to know what is VPN in general.

Key terms: vpn, connection, connect, protocol, internet, network, communication, dial-up, username


Example VPN Configuration

VPN connection establishes a secure communication channel through unsecured network. A VPN connection is a logical connection that uses an existing hardware connection. If we were using, for example, a dial-up connection to connect to the Internet, first we would have to connect to the Internet with our dial-up connection, and than use a VPN connection. We will create a VPN connection to securely send data between our home computer and our work network through the Internet. To create a VPN connection, go to the Control Panel > Network Connections and then click on ‘Create a new connection’ to open a ‘New Connection Wizard’.

New Connection Wizard

Image 241.1 – New Connection Wizard

Click ‘Next’, and choose ‘Connect to the network at my workplace’.

Workplace

Image 241.2 – Connect to the Workplace

Click ‘Next’, and choose ‘Virtual Private Network connection’.

Virtual Private Network Connection

Image 241.3 – VPN Connection Option

Click ‘Next’, and enter a company name. In our example we will enter ‘utilizewindows’. This is the name of the connection.

Company Name

Image 241.4 – Company Name

Click ‘Next’. In our example, we will automatically dial initial connection, which is called ‘Internet’, to connect to the Internet before we use a VPN connection.

Automatically Dial Initial Connection

Image 241.5 – Dial Initial Connection

Click ‘Next’ and enter a host name or IP address. In our example we will enter ‘vpn.saadz26.sg-host.com’.

HostName

Image 241.6 – Host Name

Click ‘Next’, and click ‘Finish’ to create a VPN connection. To use a VPN connection, we need to have a username and password which we will use to connect to the VPN server.

VPN Credentials

Image 241.7 – VPN Credentials

We can edit properties for our VPN connection. To do that, we have to right-click our VPN connection and select ‘Properties’. If we are using dial-up, or a broadband connection (which requires username and password), we should use that connection to connect automatically before the VPN connection. In our case, we have selected to dial ‘Internet’ connection automatically before the VPN connection.

Remember

Before we can use VPN to connect to another network, we already have to be connected to the Internet in some way. To access another network using VPN, there has to be a VPN server configured on that other network.