Set up VPN on windows server 2003

Butters · 5 Jul 2007 at 09:44

Hi all,

I have a windows server 2003 and I want to set it up so that employees who take laptops home can access the server (all files and shares with and even their exchange mailboxes (although I know they can do this through OWA too).

Every option in the RAS wizard moans at me about only having one NIC, and to choose manual configuration.

Is there a way around this and can someone help me?

Thanks

Rob7865 · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:06

HI Butters

Why only 1 NIC on a SERVER!?!?!

Your best bet when using 1 Nic is to make the VPN endpoint your Router - Does your router allow VPN client setup>?

Else, get yourself another NIC and stick it in the Server!!!
From the previous posting we've - and the sort of setup your trying to do, you really do need 2 NIC's

ttfn

Rob :cool:

Butters · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:15

Cool,

Will any NIC do (by that I mean, I take it it would be a normal PCI Slot or similar)

Thanks

Rob7865 · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:23

Yeap, any PCI NIC will do, but for a server I'd recommend looking at the Microsoft Hardware list. HCL Link

If your current NIC is only 10/100 - you might want to invest in a 10/100/1000 NIC - then use this NIC as your LAN card, and the 10/100 NIC as your WAN card.

As always

Rob :cool:

oddjob62 · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:35

I've set up VPNs to windows 2003 on single network card servers many times. Never had an issue.

You will get the error if you go though the wizard, you can set it up manually in RRAS.

Butters · 5 Jul 2007 at 10:50

oddjob62 said:
I've set up VPNs to windows 2003 on single network card servers many times. Never had an issue.

You will get the error if you go though the wizard, you can set it up manually in RRAS.

Can you help me with a quick guide or point me in the right direction?

DJ XS · 5 Jul 2007 at 11:22

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323441

This pretty much tells you everything you need to know, to be honest if you are setting it up ona single network card then its best to go with Manual then just say you want PPTP VPN Server only (no routing etc) then it should just work

oddjob62 · 5 Jul 2007 at 11:58

DJ XS said:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323441

This pretty much tells you everything you need to know, to be honest if you are setting it up ona single network card then its best to go with Manual then just say you want PPTP VPN Server only (no routing etc) then it should just work

Assuming traffic is forwarded correcrt from the internet

DJ XS · 5 Jul 2007 at 12:12

oddjob62 said:
Assuming traffic is forwarded correcrt from the internet

Yup

Don't forget 1723 on ya router

Butters · 5 Jul 2007 at 12:53

DJ XS said:
Yup

Don't forget 1723 on ya router

eh?

You mean open that port on the router? UDP,TCP or both?

brendy · 5 Jul 2007 at 13:26

I take it terminal server with individual desktops is out of the question?

DJ XS · 5 Jul 2007 at 14:10

Butters said:
eh?

You mean open that port on the router? UDP,TCP or both?

Yep, forward 1723 (TCP) to the static address on your 2003 box.

Butters · 6 Jul 2007 at 09:34

Hmm, for some reason it didn't work. my XP Pro machine said it had connected, but I couldn't access any folder shares or email.

brocksta · 6 Jul 2007 at 13:25

Butters said:
Hmm, for some reason it didn't work. my XP Pro machine said it had connected, but I couldn't access any folder shares or email.

Did you try accessing them through hostnames or IP addresses? Any pings working?

matja · 6 Jul 2007 at 14:07

If your internet access is via a NAT router, you'll have a very hard time getting multiple simultaneous GRE streams forwarded through it - PPTP is implemented via two layer 3 protocols - TCP (authentication and data channel setup) and GRE (encrypted data channel)