How To Set up VPN Connections in Windows XP

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Question:
How do I setup a VPN connection in Windows XP Pro or Home.

Step By Step How-to:

  1. Open the Windows Control Panel.
  2. Open the Network Connections item in Control Panel. A list of existing dial-up and LAN connections will appear.
  3. Choose the ‘Create a new connection’ item from the left-hand side of the window. The Windows XP New Connection Wizard will appear on the screen.
  4. First click Next to begin the wizard, then choose the ‘Connect to the network at my workplace’ item from the list and click Next.
  5. On the Network Connection page of the wizard, choose the ‘Virtual Private Network connection’ option and click Next.
  6. Enter a name for the new VPN connection in the ‘Company Name’ field and click Next. The name chosen need not match the name of an actual business.
  7. Choose an option on the ‘Public Network’ screen and click Next. The default option, ‘Automatically dial this initial connection’ can be used if the VPN connection will always be initiated when the computer is not already connected to the Internet. Otherwise, choose the ‘Do not dial the initial connection’ option. This option requires that the public Internet connection be established first, before this new VPN connection will be initiated.
  8. Enter the name or IP address of the VPN remote access server to connect to, and click Next. Company network administrators will provide this information.
  9. Choose an option on the “Connection Availability” screen and click Next. The default option, ‘My Use Only,’ ensures that Windows will make this new connection available only to the currently logged on user. Otherwise, choose the ‘Anyone’s use’ option.
  10. Click Finish to complete the wizard. The new VPN connection information has been saved.


Connecting to your VPN connection

  1. Place a shortcut of the connection on your desktop by right clicking, on the connection you have made, and clinking on create shortcut. A window will ask you “Windows cannot create a shortcut here. Do you want the shortcut to be placed on the desktop instead?” Click Yes
  2. Double click on your the new icon on your desktop.
  3. The connection will ask you for a user name and password that has been created for you from your network administrator.
  4. It is highly recommend that you do not click “Save this user name and password for the following users” for security responses.
  5. Click Connect


Disconnecting to your VPN connection.

After you’re done working with the VPN connection, you will want to disconnect the VPN connection because the network you’re connecting to may filter sites or other security restrictions. Also disconnecting prevents others from accessing network resources from your computer.

  1. Right click on the VPN connection on your desktop and click on disconnect.