Branch Office over the Internet

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Branch office over the Internet

Branch offices can be connected through leased or dial-up lines to a corporate network. Using leased or dial-up lines across long distances can be expensive. Routing and Remote Access enables branch offices to connect to the corporate networks by using the Internet. In this scenario, a branch office has a dial-up connection to a local Internet service provider (ISP). The branch office router then makes a secure, encrypted tunnel by using the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) across the Internet to the corporate network. This network configuration can result in cost savings, because the dial-up line is local instead of long distance.

Note

• To establish the tunnel, the branch office router must know the IP address of the corporate network router.

The following illustration shows an example of a branch office that connects to the corporate network by using the Internet.

In this scenario, the server running Routing and Remote Access acting as a branch office router makes a demand-dial PPTP connection to the server running Routing and Remote Access on the corporate network.

The branch office router must be configured with a network adapter for the medium that is used in the branch office (for example, Ethernet) and an ISDN adapter or analog modem for connection to the ISP. You can use a leased line to connect to the ISP, but this scenario discusses only demand-dial connections. The corporate office router must be connected to the Internet by using a leased line.

This section covers:

• Planning addresses for the branch office over the Internet

• Routing protocols for the branch office over the Internet

• Other services for the branch office over the Internet

• Configuring the PPTP connection at the branch office

• Configuring the PPTP connection at the corporate office

• Testing the PPTP connection

Note

• The example companies, organizations, products, people and events depicted herein are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, person or event is intended or should be inferred.