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VPN Connection—Networking Tab

Use the Networking tab if you need to specify the type of VPN connection you are making or to adjust the clients, protocols, or drivers used by the connection.

The default VPN connection type, Automatic, is normally satisfactory for either PPTP or L2TP IPSec connections. Click Settings to adjust the following PPP options:

• Enable LCP Extensions (enabled)
• Enable Software Compression (enabled)
• Negotiate Multi-link for Single-link Connections (disabled)

The network clients, protocols, and drivers for the current connection are also listed. If you need to install a new client, protocol, or driver, click Install. To disable a particular client, protocol, or driver, clear the check box. Items with a grey check box are required for VPN and cannot be configured through the Properties button or disabled.

VPN Connection—Advanced Tab

The VPN connection Advanced tab is used to configure the Windows Firewall and Internet Connection Sharing.

Troubleshooting a VPN Connection

If you are unable to connect to a VPN server, check the following:

• Check basic settings such as username, password, and host name or IP address. These settings are easy to change, and a single digit or letter error is enough to prevent a successful connection.

• Compare the settings used by your VPN client to those expected by the VPN server. Adjust client settings to match those used by the server.

• If you use a router to connect your computer to the Internet, make sure the router is configured to provide IPSec and PPTP pass through. With a Linksys router, check the Filters dialog to check these settings. For other routers, check your documentation. If either or both pass through settings are disabled, you are not able to connect to a VPN server.

• If you use a router to connect your computer to the Internet and another user has a VPN connection running, but you can’t connect at the same time, this is normal. Most low-cost routers for home and small office support IPSec and PPTP pass through for only one user at a time.

If you need support for multiple VPN connections, see the next section, “Selecting a Router with VPN Support.”

For additional VPN troubleshooting suggestions, check with the help desk for the VPN server.

Selecting a Router with VPN Support

As noted in the previous section, typical SOHO and small-business wired or wireless routers support a single VPN tunnel at a time through a feature known as pass through. This feature enables VPN data to pass through the router without interference.

This is sufficient if you need to create only one VPN client connection to a remote server. If two or more people on the network, however, need simultaneous VPN access to a VPN server, or if you need to set up a VPN server for incoming VPN connections, this type of router is not sufficient.

SOHO and small-business router vendors take two approaches in providing additional VPN tunnels. Some models incorporate pass through for multiple VPN tunnels. Typically, routers that offer multiple VPN pass throughs can handle two to eight simultaneous tunnels (users). This type of router supports multiple outgoing VPN connections, but is not designed to host incoming VPN connections.

Routers with integrated VPN support include the encryption and authentication standards used by VPN clients such as IKE, MD-5 authentication, DES, 3DES, and others. Some of these routers are designed to support only outgoing VPN connections, while others support incoming VPN connections. Routers that support incoming VPN connections might be identified as supporting VPN endpoints or IPSec client/server. See the router’s specifications or documentation for details.

SOHO and small-office router vendors such as D-Link, Linksys, and NETGEAR manufacture wired and wireless routers that support as little as 2 or as many as 50 or more simultaneous VPN connections. Depending upon the vendor, routers with support for multiple VPN connections or VPN endpoints might be identified as firewall routers, VPN routers, or by other names.

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