How to setup a VPN Connection in Windows 7

VPN (Virtual Packets Network) is a service meant for establishing a secured communication between a remote user and server by accessing the public network like the internet. This will enable user to access the documents shared on the network. These documents include text documents, music, audio, videos. You also have privileges to make your Windows 2000 sever-based computer a remote-access server so that other users can connect to it VPN and get access to the data available on your local drives and network folders. Virtual private networks accomplish this by “tunneling” through the internet or other public network via authenticated links which offers secured communication between the concerned devices. The components of a VPN:

1.      VPN server: It is responsible for controlling and regulating the secured data transmission between the user and computer network.

2.      VPN client: The user which send request to establish a dynamic connection between client and server.

3.      VPN connection: The portion of the connection in which data is encrypted by highly secured algorithms which can’t be traced by any hacker.

4.      Tunnel: The portion of the connection in which data is encapsulated while the data transmission occurs.

VPN highly secured encryption algorithms which ensure proper security and the information can’t be intercepted by any unauthorized person/ hackers. For ensuring the security two types of protocols are used which are as follows:

·         Point-to-Point Tunneling protocol (PPTP): This protocol is responsible for data encryption while data transmission in VPN network.

·         Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP): This protocol is responsible for data encryption, authentication and integrity using IPSec.

Steps for How to install and enable VPN:

Before establishing a VPN connection between the two computer, firstly make sure that both the computers are connected to the internet through LAN (Local Area Network) or WAN (Wide Area Network)If connected then follow the steps mentioned below:

1.      Click on the “Start” button, then open “Control Panel” and select “Administrative Tools” option.

2.      Click on “ Routing and Remote Access”, then click on your server name contained in the tree.

3.      Now you have to Click and Enable “Routing and Remote Access available” on the “Action menu” and then click “Next”.

4.      A new dialog will appears titled as “Common Configurations” , then select “Virtual Private Network(server)”  and click “Next”.

5.      Next you have to select TCP/IP in the “Remote Client Protocols dialog box”, and then click on “Yes, all of the available protocols” are on this list, and then click on the “Next”.

6.      Then select the Internet connection which you are using in the Internet connection dialog box and then select “Next” button.

7.      Select “Automatically” in order to use the DHCP server on your subnet to assign IP addresses to dialup clients to the server in the Internet connection dialog box.

8.      A new dialog box will appear titled as IP Address Assignment Servers dialog box and select checkbox “No, I don’t want to setup this server to use Radius now”.

9.      Click on “Next” and then click “Finish”.

10.  Make a Right click on the Ports node select “Properties” and open WAN Miniport (PPTP) device to change few properties.

·         If you want to support “Direct user dialup VPN” to modems installed on the server then select otherwise clear the “Demand- Dial Routing Connections (Inbound and Outbound) check box.

11.  In the “Maximum Ports” Text box mention the maximum number of PPTP connection you wants to grant access.

By following the above mentioned steps you can successfully establish VPN connection in computer setup having Windows 7 operating system. If you still face any problem then you can use online technical support services provided by some of the well renowned companies. They also provide some useful apps which can boost your computer performance.