Is This Possible? 1

[karlbown]

We have a Windows NT 4 Server and a small network. This is connected to a Netpilot router (a Linux box I think?) which is permanently connected to the Internet and acts as a firewall, gives access to web etc. The NT Server and the clients do not have external IP addresses, the router uses DHCP to give them internal addresses.

Could we use VPN to access the NT Server from a remote computer? Or do we need to have 2 network cards in the NT Server and put it directly on the Internet?

If it is possible can anyone give me the address of a site which shows me what I need to do?

Thanks for any hep you can give

Karl

 

[Niall22]

You can definitely use a VPN to connect to the NT Server remotely.

However, I only have experience with Cisco VPNs.
The only other VPN that I have had some contact with is one provided by CheckPoint. (

http://www.checkpoint.com)

For either of those you would have to have a Cisco Router with and IOS that supports IPSEC or a router/firewall box that has checkpoint on it.

I don't know anything about Netpilot routers. Have you checked with that company to see if they have an upgrade which adds VPN capability? If it is just a linux box then there must be some software packages out there that add VPN functionality to it. Unfortunately, I can't help you there.

Good luck,

Niall Niall

 

[karlbown]

Niall

Thanks. Our Netpilot (from Equiinet I believe) has some IPSEC software on it so I guess I need to work it out! I was just getting my head round how the heck I can VPN into a Server that isn't actually attached to the Internet directly. I guess I'm not the first person who wants to connect to a server that's behind a firewall though!

 

[Niall22]

Authentication to the VPN is handled by the Netpilot router (once you have IPSEC set up on it). After you have established a VPN connection it will be as if your remote computer was directly connected to the network. You will be able to communicate with any computer in the network including the NT server.

For the VPN to work you will have to have client software installed on your remote computer. You will need to find out exactly what software the Netpilot box uses and get a client version of that software for your remote computer.
Niall

 

[karlbown]

Niall

I wanted to connect using Windows 2K Professional to start with. Can I just use the standard software that comes with Windows 2K? Or do I need to buy some software to run on the client? If so what do you recommend?

Thanks for your help

Karl

 

[Niall22]

I'm not a 100% sure but you can give the Win2K client a try.
I know that no one has been able to get it to work with Cisco VPNs but it's quite possible that it will work with others.

I can't recommend a client because the only VPN I've ever configured from scratch was a Cisco VPN and it has a specific client that you must use. It's possible that the Cisco client could work with your VPN. A company called IRE developed the client for Cisco. You can check out there web site and maybe even e-mail tech support there to see which VPNs it work with. Their web site is

http://www.ire.com

However, they seem to be down right now. I hope they didn't go under. Maybe their web site has changed.

Niall
Niall