Virtual
Private Network
A virtual private network (VPN) is a technology that creates a safe and encrypted connection over a less secure network, such as the internet. VPN technology was developed as a way to allow remote users and branch offices to securely access corporate applications and other resources. To ensure safety, data travels through secure tunnels and VPN users must use authentication methods -- including passwords, tokens and other unique identification methods -- to gain access to the VPN.
VPN protocols
There are several different protocols used to secure and
encrypt users and corporate data:
·
IP security (IPsec)
·
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer
Security (TLS)
·
Point-To-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)
·
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP)
· OpenVPN
Step-by-step: How to set up a VPN in Windows 7
Step 1 Click the Start button. In the
search bar, type vpn and
then select Set up a virtual private network (VPN) connection.
Step 2 Enter the IP address or domain name of the server to which
you want to connect. If you’re connecting to a work network, your IT
administrator can provide the best address.
Step 3 If you want to set up the connection, but not connect,
select Don’t connect now; otherwise,
leave it blank and click Next.
Step 4 On this next screen, you can either put in your username
and password, or leave it blank. You’ll be prompted for it again on the actual
connection. Click Connect.
Step 5 To connect, click on the Windows network logo on the
lower-right part of your screen; then select Connect under
“VPN Connection.”
Step 6 In the “Connect VPN Connection” box, enter the appropriate
domain and your login credentials; then click Connect.
Step 7 If you can’t connect, the problem could
be due to the server configuration. (There are different types of VPNs.) Check
with your network administrator to see what kind is in use—such as PPTP—then,
on the “Connect VPN Connection” screen, select Properties.
Step 8 Navigate to the Security tab and select
the specific “Type of VPN” from the drop-down list. You may also have to
unselect Include Windows logon domain under the Options tab.
Then click OK and Connect.
It takes a little
work, but setting up a VPN using the Windows built-in client is relatively
quick, and as a user it’s a helpful skill to have.
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Step by step: How to set up a VPN in Windows
10
Step 1 Click on the Cortana search bar or button on
the taskbar and type vpn.
Step 2 The top choice should be Change virtual private networks (VPN).
Alternatively, open the Settings app and go to Network & Internet > VPN.
Step 3 At the top of the VPN screen in the Settings app, click Add a VPN connection.
Step 4 In the screen that appears, enter the details for your VPN
connection. Under “VPN provider” click on the drop-down menu,
and select Windows (built-in). This will also
change “VPN type” to Automatic, and “Type of
sign-in info” to User name and password.
Step 5 Next fill out the “Connection name” and “Server name or
address.” These vary based on your VPN provider—whether a third-party service
or an employer. For this example, we’re using Ace vpn, a clientless VPN service that
supports various connection types such as IKEv2, L2TP, and PPTP.
Step 6 Scroll down this screen and you’ll see a spot to enter your
username and password for the VPN—again provided by your VPN service. Once the
information is entered, click Save, and close the
Settings app.
Step 7 Click the Wi-Fi icon in the system tray on your taskbar, and
select your newly created VPN connection, which should be right at the top of
the list. It should automatically start to connect, and if all goes well the
connection process should happen relatively quickly.
The above
process works for the easier VPN connection types such as PPTP and L2TP, but if
you want to use IKEv2 that requires installing a root certificate from your VPN provider. Keep in mind that not
every service supports IKEv2 so using this method depends greatly on your VPN
service provider or employer.
Regardless,
here’s how it works on Windows 10.
First,
download your VPN provider’s IKEv2 certificate to your desktop or somewhere
else that’s convenient. Next, double-click on the certificate file and a
security warning pops-up. Click Open.
On the next
window that opens click Install certificate...
Now
we’ve arrived at the Certificate Import Wizard. Select the Local
Machine radio button and click Next.
On
the next screen make sure to select the radio button labeled Place
all certificates in the following store, and click Browse...
A smaller
window opens with a folder tree. Select Trusted Root Certification
Authorities and then click OK. Now we’re back at the
Certificate Import Wizard window. From here click Next.
The hard part
is over. On the next screen click Finish and then OK in
the smaller window.
Now that the
certificate is installed we can set up the IKEv2 VPN using the same
step-by-step instructions above. Just make sure that you select IKEv2 under
“VPN type,” and then use the server name, address, and username and password
provided by your service provider.
Once you’ve
connected to the VPN, check to see that your VPN is working by visiting IPleak.net. You should see an IP address,
and DNS servers that are different from your non-VPN state. If you don’t, there
are a number of potential causes that we can’t go into here. Your best bet is
to check with your company’s IP department or the support service of your VPN.
However, one easy
and common fix for IKEv2 problems is to right-click on your Wi-Fi or ethernet icon in the system tray, and select Open
Network and Sharing Center from the context menu. When
the Control Panel opens click Change adapter settings on
the left side, then right-click the name of your VPN connection and go to Properties
> Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties > Advanced...
> IP Settings. Check “Use default gateway on remote network” and
click OK. Close
up all the windows and try IP Leak again.