How to Setup a VPN on Windows 2003
Introduction
A VPN is a virtual private network which creates a secure, encrypted connection between your computer and another VPN server. This server then allows you to access the internet safely, just as if you were in a different country. If you want to explore the plethora of VPN services available, you can read our definitive guide on the best VPNs or check out our top 5 list.
How to set up a VPN in Windows Server 2003
Let’s get started by enabling you to connect to the internet securely in the first place. You can achieve this by installing and configuring the SSH (Secure Shell) server. Once you have the server installed, you will be able to connect to it via a secure shell client, such as putty or WinSCP.
To connect to the server, you will need to enter the host name or IP address (if you know it), followed by the port number, then login and password. Once you are connected, you will be able to access the server’s control panel and configure its settings to your needs. From here, you can create a VPN connection using either of the two methods described below.
Create a VPN connection using a GUI
The first, and probably the most convenient, way to create a VPN connection in Windows Server 2003 is using the Server Manager console, which you can access through the Start menu. When you launch Server Manager and click on Network & Connections, a window will appear with all the connected networks.
You can click on the plus icon (+) to the right of the VPN connection, to bring up a list of all the available VPN protocols. In our example, we will use the L2TP/IPSec VPN protocol, but you can use any of the protocols listed below:
- L2TP/IPSec
- OpenVPN
- PPTP
- SSTP
- IKEV2
- DSL
Once you have selected the VPN protocol, click on the Properties button to open up a new window with the connection’s general settings. You will need to enter a Description, which will be used to identify this connection in VPN listings, and a Username, which will be used to associate this connection with your account. The Password field is optional, but if you want to keep track of your credentials, you can choose to store it in a Secure Store on the server. If you are using putty to connect to the server, you will need to enter the store’s address and you will be able to use the stored password when prompted.
The last step is to check the Connection Status and click on Apply to connect the VPN. Now you can safely access the internet via SSH (secure shell) from any computer on the network.
Connect to a VPN using the command line
The second way to connect to a VPN in Windows Server 2003 is using the command line. This method is probably more suitable for advanced users, or those who need to connect to multiple servers and can’t use GUI tools.
To start, you will need to download and install the OpenVPN GUI client. You can do this by accessing the client’s GitHub repository and downloading the zip file. Once installed, you can use the following command to connect to a VPN:
openvpn.exe --config cfg/myvpn.conf &
-connect mydomain.com
This will connect you to the myvpn.com server, using the OpenVPN GUI client. Alternatively, you can use the IP-address or hostname of a specific server instead of mydomain.com.
You can then enter the desired settings in the OpenVPN GUI client and click on the Connect button to connect to the VPN. Once connected, you will see a message stating that the VPN connection was successful. You can inspect the settings in the VPN client by right-clicking on it and selecting Properties from the contextual menu.
You can also disconnect from the VPN by using the same command, with the exception of the & symbol at the end, which is to separate the command from any previous commands, in this case openvpn.exe --config cfg/myvpn.conf &. If you forget to type the & at the end, you will disconnect immediately without the VPN client displaying any errors or warnings.
Step by Step Guide
Let’s now walk you through the process of creating a VPN connection using the Windows Server 2003 method, step by step.
The first step is to launch Server Manager, either from the Start menu or via the command line, depending on which method you prefer. When the Server Manager console launches, you will see a window with all the connected networks.
Using the plus icon (+) at the right of the VPN connection, click on the New Connection button to bring up a list of all the available VPN protocols. In our example, we will use the L2TP/IPSec VPN protocol, but you can use any of the protocols listed below:
- L2TP/IPSec
- OpenVPN
- PPTP
- SSTP
- IKEV2
- DSL
Once you have selected the VPN protocol, click on the Properties button to open up a new window with the connection’s general settings. You will need to enter a Description, which will be used to identify this connection in VPN listings, and a Username, which will be used to associate this connection with your account. The Password field is optional, but if you want to keep track of your credentials, you can choose to store it in a Secure Store on the server. If you are using putty to connect to the server, you will need to enter the store’s address and you will be able to use the stored password when prompted.
Once you have entered the desired settings, click on the Apply button to connect the VPN. Your computer will then begin the process of establishing the secure connection with the VPN server.
The Final Step
You can see from the steps listed above that setting up a VPN in Windows Server 2003 is not as difficult as it may seem. Once you have set it up once, you can connect to it using either the command line or the GUI, making the process nearly effortless. You can then use the VPN for free for a year with no caps on bandwidth or time, before needing to renew for another year at an affordable price.
In closing, we want to highlight that setting up a VPN is not as difficult as some people might make it out to be. Using either the command line or the OpenVPN GUI is a simple, streamlined process, not to mention that there are many free and affordable VPN providers out there. If you want to keep your internet connections private and secure, consider setting up a VPN immediately.