Virtual Private Network (VPN) Configuration

Introduction

Virtual Private Networks (or VPN) are used to set up secure communications between hosts on a public network (such as the Internet). There are many ways of accomplishing this, and several technologies that facilitate it.
This document deals with using VPN software at Suffield Academy. We provide VPN servers so that faculty and students may connect from off-campus through our firewall and access services that normally would be inaccessible to them. For example, users can connect to our file server (to access their documents), or to the database server (to view records).
At the moment, we provide both L2TP and PPTP VPN services, which are compatible with the majority of VPN clients.
Before you begin, please make sure you know your Network Username (such as "jbogus" or "01abc"), and the corresponding password. You'll need this information in order to connect through our VPN server.

Mac OS X

(This section not yet completed)
This section will detail downloading the Internet Connect configuration file, installing it, and connecting to the VPN.

Windows XP

Windows XP comes with a built-in VPN client that can be used to connect to our network. To set up this client, follow the steps below.
Note that you only need to set up the client once. After the initial setup, you can easily connect using your saved settings.

Configuring the Client

Begin by going to the Control Panel in Windows XP.

If you see a choice that says Network and Internet Connections and looks like the image below, click on it.

Now, open the Network Connections option:

You should now be at a screen that looks like this:

Click on the Create a new connection choice on the left. You'll be shown the following screen:

Choose Next. You'll now be given a list of choices.

Select Connect to the network at my workplace and click Next. You'll now be asked to choose between dial-up and VPN:

Choose Virtual Private Network connection and click Next.
You'll now be asked to enter a company name. Enter anything you like (for example, "Suffield Academy"):

Click Next. You will now be asked to enter the VPN server. You must enter a server depending on whether you are a student or a faculty member.
Students must enter vpn-student.suffieldacademy.org as the address to connect to.
Faculty must enter vpn-faculty.suffieldacademy.org as the address to connect to.
Note: you must enter the proper address for the type of user you are, or it will not work!

Click Next. The system will confirm the addition of the connection, and you may now click Finish.

Using the VPN

In the Network Connections control panel, double-click your new VPN settings icon:

The connection screen will ask you for a username and password. Enter your network username and password, and then click the Connect button.

The system will connect to the VPN server. Upon completion of the connection, a small popup window will appear to alert you that the network is ready for use:

You may now work on the Suffield Network as if you were on campus.
When you're done working, click on the small computer icon in the system tray to get the status window for the connection: