Make a virtual private network (VPN) connection

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

To make a virtual private network (VPN) connection

Open Network Connections.
Double-click New Connection Wizard, and then click Next.
Click Connect to the network at my workplace, and then click Next.
Click Virtual Private Network connection, and click Next.
Type a name for this connection in Company Name, and click Next.
If you have already established a dial-up connection, do one of the following:
- If you need to establish a connection with your ISP or some other network before tunneling to your destination computer or network, click Automatically dial this initial connection, click a connection in the list, and then click Next.
- If you do not want to automatically dial an initial connection, click Do not dial the initial connection, and then click Next.
Type the host name or IP address of the VPN server to which you are connecting, and then click Next.
Do one of the following:
- If you want this connection to be made available to all users on this computer, click Anyone's use, and then click Next.
- If you want to reserve the connection for your own use, click My use only, and then click Next.
If you want to create a shortcut for this connection on your desktop, select the Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop check box.
Click Finish.

Notes

To make the connection available to all users, you must be logged on as Administrator or as a member of the Administrators group.
To open Network Connections, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Network Connections.
You can create multiple VPN connections by copying them in the Network Connections folder. You can then rename the connections and modify connection settings. By doing so, you can easily create different connections to accommodate multiple hosts, security options, and so on.

Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more information, see Viewing Help on the Web.