VPN server setup

[marvin]

Hi

 

I am looking into setting up a VPN server for our work and was wondering how i go about doing this!!!

 

I have an old server (Pentium3, 512RAM) and i would like to reformat it and maybe install server 2003 on it. I know its not the best spec but dont have much money to play with. Basically we have one server in the building which is the main domain controller, has DHCP, DNS settings ah holds sims and exchange.

 

Now i would like this new server setup to handle VPN connections only. Now what do i install when i install server 2003.... I guess i wont need DHCP or DNS or anything like that installed??? Or do i?

 

Any help would be appreciated!!!!

Thanks

[powdarrmonkey]

I think (from memory) you want the Remote Access role. The actual service is the IAS service.

[dtakias]

I think (from memory) you want the Remote Access role. The actual service is the IAS service.

 

Indeed!

[somabc]

Configure a Windows Server 2003 VPN on the server side

[clarky2k3]

Take a look at SSL Explorer Community Edition

[marvin]

Hi

 

Thanks for your reply so far. I quite like the look of SSL Explorer but not sure how this will work for me!!!!

 

Do i need to setup a server for this? Or can i install this on a Windows XP Pro machine? and would i need to contact EMBC for this so that people can access it from home?

 

Any guides would be really appreciated.

Thanks

[matt40k]

I would get a better box and get Windows 2008, it support SSL VPN out-of-the-box.

 

I would first tho, contact EMBC, they should by now have a solution already setup which you can use. If not, Windows 2008\or such. Then asked for port 443 to be opened up\redirected to your server. Change your external DNS to the IP EMBC gives you, then setup your server to accept traffic from that name. Bingo secure VPN. Just make sure your user\pass are all secure.

 

(You can get a cheap SSL license from GoDaddy)

[marvin]

Think i might setup a VPN connection on our server but before i do that i need to do bit more digging if anyone can help me!!!!

 

We have one DELL Server with 2 NIC's but only one is used for our LAN. The server handles DHCP, DNS, exchange and SIMS....

I was thinking of setting up the VPN access (IP addresses) through the second NIC whihc is free. Am i right to think that this should work???? Would it affect my LAN at all? OR should i not do this????

 

Also do i need to contact EMBC about this or should this work without a problem? I only want people to access the network drives we have in school for this!!!!

 

Thanks

[matt40k]

Only uses 1 NIC.

 

You just give you internal address to EMBC and they forward all external traffic to your IP address.

 

Outside world --> EMBC --> Server --> Internal Network

 

If you really want to use 2 NIC (load balancing\backup) look at port trunking.

 

I guess you could setup a NAT\firewall setup.

 

Internet --> NIC1 --> Server --> NIC2 --> Internal Network

[RabbieBurns]

I use openVPN for everything. Takes about 10 mins to set up.

[powdarrmonkey]

You can just use one NIC, I'd like to hope you can't saturate it with your outside line! I would be very wary of using your main server as a gateway though. Exposing your DC, DHCP and MIS server all in one go is not a good plan.

[MattGibson]

We are looking into VPN for our teacher laptops, Could you tell me if you need any additional licensing???

[powdarrmonkey]

Not as far as I know, but WS2003 Standard edition will only support 50 RADIUS supplicants, don't know if that limit also applies to VPN users.