Remote access options, TS, OpenVPN.........?

[darren2008]

Hi, I'd like some guidance on giving primary school teachers remote access. I have an an external ip forwarded to 172.16.1.226 on port 443. The PDC sits on 172.16.1.2 and a secondary dc on 172.16.1.5.

 

My first thoughts were to turn the SDC into a terminal server and change it's IP to 172.16.1.226 but 5 Cals were in the region of £600.

 

Now I've turned my attentions to OpenVPN to give them remote access to their mapped drives but I can't get my head around what needs installing and where. I presume OpenVPN server needs to be installed on the 172.16.1.226 computer. This means my PDC would need to have 172.16.1.226. Or is there a way of forwarding traffic to 172.16.1.226:443 to 172.16.1.2:443 posibly using Smoothwall?

 

Many thanks for offering any help.

[cpjitservices]

Hi,

 

if your comfortable with using Linux If I were you I'd setup a pfsense server, it has OpenVPN built in you just need to configure the users and setup the certificates (guides on the web & youtube). This way nothing has to be installed on any of your servers, once you give the client application (Just download the OpenVPN app) and have gicven them the config settings they can run the app on their home machine and connect straight into your site. Just use Remote Desktop or something so they can use Office etc etc. Reduces the need for CALS....

 

PfSense

 

Setup OpenVPN Server

Edited April 30, 2012 by cpjitservices

[snoerre]

http://routerboard.com/pdf/360/RB1100AHx2.pdf: ~430,-€ incl. VAT

 

I think it supports:

PPTP

SSTP

openvpn

 

On http://wiki.mikrotik.com you can find some more infos.

Edited April 30, 2012 by snoerre

[nickbro]

Home Access Plus+, simple website, no additional configuration.

 

I personally have 3 options, Home Access Plus+, Remote Desktop/Apps and a SSTP VPN, all running via HTTPS so it's one port to forward, less exposed server ports.