If you need to create a VPN connection using a cable or DSL modem, a LAN, or a WAN connection, in the Network Troubleshooting Wizard you'll want to select Connect To A Private Network Through The Internet. The wizard will ask you whether an initial call needs to be placed. If so, select Automatically Dial This Initial Connection and supply the name of the connection you wish to have dialed from the provided drop-down box. If no initial connection is required, select Do Not Dial The Initial Connection and click the next box. Provide the host name or IP address of the computer or network to which you want to connect. You can supply the host name in the form somehostname.com, substituting the appropriate name, of course. Or, you can enter the IP address of the machine you wish to contact, such as 192.168.1.1. Click Next. Just as with a dial-up connection, you'll be asked whether the connection is to be used only by you or by all of the system's accounts. Select the appropriate option and click Next. Supply a name for the connection, indicate whether you wish to add a shortcut to the desktop, and click Finish. To connect, double-click the shortcut -- if you chose to create one -- or select the connection from Start | Settings | Network And Dial-up Connections. Supply your username and password for the network you wish to access (see Figure D), and you'll be ready to begin enjoying the benefits of secure, remote access.
| Figure D |
 |
| You'll need to supply your networking username and password for authentication purposes. |
- Whether you wish to have connection progress displayed.
- Whether data encryption is automatically required.
- Which networking components are used by the connection (such as TCP/IP, Client for Microsoft Networks, etc.).
- The type of VPN server being called (you can specify Automatic discovery, Layer-2 Tunneling Protocol [L2TP], or Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol [PPTP]).
Other options you can configure include whether the connection appears in the Taskbar when it's in use, whether to include your Windows logon domain when connecting, and whether Internet Connection Sharing should be enabled for the connection. Windows 2000 includes a VPN functionality that is clearer and more robust than previous versions of Windows. Given that more and more companies are turning to VPNs for security reasons, you'll want to understand how to configure this networking option.
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