Windows 7 / Networking

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Creating a VPN Connection

To create a new VPN connection on a computer if you already have a broadband (PPPoE) or dial-up connection to the Internet, follow these steps:

1. Open Network And Sharing Center either from Control Panel or by clicking the networking icon in the system notification area followed by clicking Open Network And Sharing Center.
2. After Network And Sharing Center is displayed, click Set Up A New Connection Or Network to start the Set Up A New Connection Or Network wizard.
3. On the Choose A Connection Option page, select Connect To A Workplace and then click Next.
4. If this is the first connection you have created on the computer, proceed to step 5. Otherwise, select Yes, I'll Choose An Existing Connection and then select one of the existing connections displayed on the Do You Want To Use A Connection That You Already Have? page. For example, if you want to use an existing dial-up connection (analog or ISDN modem) to provide Internet access for your new VPN connection, select that connection and then click Dial when the Connect dialog box is displayed for that connection. After you've used your existing connection to connect to the Internet, you can continue setting up your new VPN connection.
5. Click Use My Internet Connection (VPN).
6. Specify the IPv4 or IPv6 address or fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the remote VPN server you want to connect to, as shown here. You can also give the connection a descriptive name to distinguish it from other connections on the computer. Typically, this will be the name of your remote network or remote VPN server.
7. To use a smart card for authentication, select Use A Smart Card. You must have a smart card reader installed on the computer to use this option. If you select this option, proceed to step 10.
8. To allow other users of the computer to use the connection, select Allow Other People To Use This Connection. Selecting this option configures your connection to be of the All Users type rather than a Private connection, which can be used only by the user who created it. The All Users connection type is also used for Windows logon over your VPN connection.
9. To create a new connection that needs further configuration before you can use it, select Don't Connect Now Just Set It Up So I Can Connect Later.
10. Click Next and specify the credentials (user name, password, and optionally the domain) you will use to be authenticated by the remote VPN server. (This option is available only if you left the Use A Smart Card option cleared earlier in the wizard.)
11. If you chose to create a connection that needs further configuring before being used, click Create and then either click Close to create the connection or click Connect Now to initiate the connection.

Note You can also start the Connect To A Network wizard by adding a Connect To option to your Start menu. To do this, right-click the Start menu and select Properties, click Customize, and select the check box labeled Connect To.