Setting Up on Windows XP:

Start – Control Panel – Administrative Tools – Services – Start four key services (Workstation, Telephony, Remote Access Connection Manager, Routing and Remote Access) and set them to start automatically – Control Panel – Network Connections – Incoming Connections – General tab (check: Virtual Private Network, allow others to establish a private connection to my computer via the Internet or other networks through “tunneling”) – Users tab (check which users can connect remotely via VPN) – Network tab (TCP/IP address assignment: manually specify an IP address in a different subnet from the server, e.g., if the server IP is in the 192.168.1.x range, enter an address in the 192.168.2.x range here).

Finding the server’s external IP address:

1. Direct dial-up – Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – Local Area Connection – Support – IP Address: something like “58.60._.133”.
2. Router dial-up – Enter the router’s IP address (local network gateway) in IE browser – Find the router’s IP address: something like “58.60._.133”.

Windows XP Client Connection Setup:

Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – Create a new network connection – Next – Connect to the network at my workplace – Virtual Private Network connection (V) – Give it a name: VPN – Do not dial the initial connection – Enter the server’s IP address or domain name, IP address like “58.60.*.133” – Finish.

Client Connection:

Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – Under Virtual Private Network you can see the VPN dial-up you just set up – Double-click to connect.
Once connected, your machine will be on the same local network as the server.

Common VPN Dial-up Errors:

• VPN 800 error: The server’s external IP address is incorrect or DMZ is not configured.
• VPN 628 error or VPN 721 error: The client and server’s external WAN port are the same. The two computers are on the same LAN under the same ADSL connection. In this case, you can enter the server’s (target host’s) internal IP address to test the connection.
• VPN 733 error: TCP/IP CP reported an error. The server and client’s incoming IP addresses are in the same subnet. Set the server to manual assignment (Control Panel – Network Connections – Incoming Connections – Network tab – TCP/IP address assignment: manually specify an IP address in a different subnet from the server, e.g., if the server IP is in the 192.168.1.x range, enter an address in the 192.168.2.x range here).

Someone in the lab was around yesterday, and I tried it today – it works like a charm.