VPN Basics

[WestCoastKid]

Hi,
I need help understanding how a VPN works.
Ultimately I would like to connect to my company network from home.
My company network has a DLink router, 3 Windows XP systems and a Server Running W2K3 SBS.
I've walked through the Remote Access Wizard on the server a few times to see if I could understand how it works, but I still dont get it.

The first part (of many) that troubles me is the wizard is asking for an IP address or server name which one would use to access the W2K3 server from the internet.
Am I supposed to just pick an IP address out of the air? I assume not. Can someone clarify how I am to find my company server from the client side (My home PC)



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[TekkieDave]

OK, well, you need a VPN router - Linksys, Sonicwall, Cisco, any will do. This will replace the D-link, unless the D-link is a VPN as well. When you bought the device it would state this clearly.

When you setup this router, it will obtain an IP address from your cable/dsl modem, it will obtain this address automatically through DHCP. This IP address is what you will be able to see from outside the office. You then can use a VPN client to make a connection to your office (at the aforementioned IP address), and then, despite some lag, it will be as if your home pc is connected to the office network.

However, you seem to be really unfamiliar with this kind of networking, so it would probably be best for you to just hire a consultant to come in and set it up.

Good luck.

**Okay, have you tried rebooting the machine?**

 

[Lote]

What I have done on my system is: got a static IP and used port forwarding. So When i try to connect to my system I type in my outside (internet) IP address. The router then forwards it to the server where i authenticate. Look into which VPN you are using and look into what ports they use. Then configure the router to forward that Port onto the server.