Setting up vpn and domain?

[ilovecocks]

I want to set up a private vpn, and i have a few questions.

1. Is it possible to bypass my router or would it be best if the router was on the other side?

2. Is it possible to run both vpn and domain on the same server or will it crap up?

3. Is it possible to get a handle instead of an ip for the vpn server?

4. Which would you recommend to use, novell, 2000 server or 2003 server?

 

[ilovecocks]

Would be really nice with some help on this, i just generally want a vpn with a file server on it.

 

[nsantin]

1: Do you mean Use PortForwarding vs NAT? Depends on what VPN server you want to use.

2: Sure, im assuimg you are planning on using RRAS? If so, then do you want to use PPTP? IPSEC? L2TP? PPTP would be the easiest if using Windows RAS

3: Either use a Dynamic DNS service, or setup you local host file with the external IP. If you have a static IP and own a domain, then you can add an entry into the DNS server (even if you're not hosting the domail locally, ie. VPN.mydomain.com which resolves to your server)

4: None, I'd go with a hardware appliance instead.

 

[ilovecocks]

I'm pretty much a noob at anything concerning servers atm, but i do know a bit about routers. I also know that any hardware usually works better than software, a good example the windows firewall
But if i do have to use a comp as a server, because i don't have a firm budget to spend on this, how exactly would i do this?
I know i'm gonna learn in a month or so, but the course we are going through now is so boring, so i thounght i might begin on this server stuff.
What i want to do is to get a vpn up and running, that can be connected to via the internet and get a domain server with file storage space up and running...

 

[ilovecocks]

Ï'm not asking for a full brief, i'm just asking of some good link on the net for this or, some very important notes on setting it up...