How to build a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

It is very easy to create a VPN. Microsoft offers a wizard that will easily help you to build a VPN in less than 5 minutes.

This guide is aimed at taking a complete novice in computing, through the process of building a VPN, assuming that they have very little or no computer skills.

Tools needed for this tutorial include:

•    Computer running Microsoft Windows XP 
•   Host name and/or IP address of a VPN remote access server

The first thing to do is to open the control panel. As the name implies, the control panel is the central control section of an operating system, from which many administrative tasks can de performed. To access the control panel, we do the following.

 1. Click on the start button located on the lower left hand corner of the screen, and then click on control panel.     

 

2. On the next window that appears, click on "Network and Internet connections"

3. On the next window that appears click on the link “create a connection to the network at your  workplace”. This will open a new window similar to the picture below. The window provides you with the option of creating a “Dial-up connection”, or a “Virtual Private Network Connection”. Choose to create a Virtual Private Network Connection by clicking on the radio button next to this option, then click on the next button as shown below

1.    4. You would then be taken to a new window which asks for the name of your company. Insert the name of your company and click on the next button. For the purpose of this tutorial, I chose the company name to be CarlTech. You have the option of choosing a suitable name for your VPN. The company name of your VPN must not necessarily correspond to the actual company name.

1.    5. Since most VPNs are routed through public networks such as the internet, the next window which is the “Public Network” screen, offers you with two public network connection option

• Do not dial the initial connection: You would have to manually initialize an internet connection first, before the VPN can be initialized.
• Automatically dial this initial connection: This option will automatically initialize the VPN even without an existing internet connection

 Once you have decided on your choice, you click on the next button.

1.    6.You would then be prompted to enter the Host name or IP address of your VPN server. It is very important to key in this option with care. If you enter a wrong Host name or IP address, you will definitely encounter problems when contacting your server. Click the next button after correctly entering your Host name or IP address.

  

1.    7. Now you have just configured your first VPN CONGRATULATIONS! The next window just asks you if you want your VPN to be accessed by all users of you pc, and if you want to create a shortcut to the desktop. Click on the radio buttons to select your options and click on finish. If you chose to see your network on the desktop, you should see something like this!