VPN with 2 Windows XP Pro Systems

[WildCatinAR]

I have a file share server in my office (Windows XP Pro SP3). I am trying to set up a VPN from my laptop (also Windows XP Pro SP3) from my home and another office location.

I have established a static IP Address with my DSL provider. I purchased a Linksys BEFSX41 VPN Router. I have bridged the DSL Modem to the Linksys Router and configured the router for PPTP pass-through on ports 1723, 50 and 51. I have enabled remote connections on the server pc and have added an incoming VPN connection using New Connection Wizard. I also added the user name and password for the laptop user. I added the VPN connection to the laptop but can not connect.

I have set up VPN in a Domain environment before but the process is much simpler since everything is managed on the Domain Controller. I have searched my Network+ and Security+ textbooks but find nothing to resolve the problem. I have googled every combination of words I can imagine trying to figure this out. I am confident I have left out one or more steps in the process. I would welcome any and all ideas. Is there a step by step procedure out there that I can access, even if I have to pay for it? Thanks!

 

[smah]

If you have the VPN router, why not configure that as the VPN endpoint, rather than the XP machine itself? There's a good tutorial on the linksysbycisco.com website.

 

[WildCatinAR]

The system that I use as my file share server, in this office, shares important data files with other workstation users that are in the same office. I want to be able to access these files when I am at home, on the road or in a satellite office that is in another location.

I spoke with Linksys support and they assisted me in configuring the PPTP pass-through port settings but they said everything else had to be configured on the PC server. I felt that something should be configured in the VPN Tunnel area of the router but Linksys Tech Support said no.

If I can access these files from my laptop, I don't care which piece of hardware is the VPN endpoint. I'll check out the Linksys Tutorials and Owners Manual again.

If this additional information reveals something I missed before, please let me know.

 

[burtsbees]

The vpn router really should be the VPN endpoint, or vpn "server". The modem can be bridged like you have it, but NAT, crypto maps, etc. should be configured on the router that was made for that. Windows XP was NOT made for VPNs, and IMHO the OS sucks for them (among other things). *AHEM* Linux *AHEM*
Ubuntu 8.10 IMHO is not necessarily the best choice for Linux, but it is good for beginners...just a thought.

I would set up an IPSEC VPN with 3DES encryption, rather than a simple PT2P or GRE tunnel..

Burt