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Configuring VPN Windows Server 2012

Windows Server VPN

A VPN connection is an online service. It helps to hide the IP address and location of a user, as well as encrypting personal information. All this helps to protect oneself from surveillance by various services, providers or scammers.

What is a VPN connection?

The abbreviation VPN stands for ‘Virtual Private Network'. In other words, VPN provides an encrypted connection over a working Internet connection.

It is thanks to VPNs that one can protect logins / passwords in accessible WI-FI points, and hide the history of visited sites.

There are two types of connections: personal and corporate. Personal Connections are services that offer VPN functionality to any user. Personal VPN helps the user to securely connect to websites, bypassing restrictions.

Enterprise or VPN remote access is used by large enterprises, which they configure themselves. The purpose of this type of connection is to ensure the secure access of all employees to company data.

What a VPN does

The main benefits of a secure connection include:

1. Using a VPN connection masks the real IP from which you connect to a fake one. For example, if you connect from Russia, your IP might indicate that you are somewhere in the Netherlands.

2. One of the other advantages is the encryption of the connection. No provider you use will have access to your Internet visits.

3. When the connection is made WITHOUT a VPN, any provider is able to see the entire history of your internet usage, as well as all personal information. But the connection through the VPN hides all this information. This prevents scammers from gaining access to your personal data.

Principles of operation

1. The VPN client makes any connection to the server completely secure with data encryption.

2. The VPN client connects the server through the provider, creating a VPN tunnel.

3. Changes the IP address by encrypting data and forwarding it to the network.

4. When data is received, the server begins to encrypt it, redirecting it back to the working platform through the provider.

VPN client

This is the software provided to end users by most VPN service providers. It is this software that allows users to seamlessly use VPN services on any device.

To use a VPN, you need to start the client and select the server to which you wish to connect. You can also configure your VPN connection, change TCP / UDP settings, or select a VPN protocol. When you select a server, the client immediately establishes a secure connection and begins to encrypt any requests sent and received.

It should be noted that some devices have a built-in VPN connection. One such device is Smart TV. VPN in this case is pre-installed on the router. After connecting to the Internet, the VPN connection is set up directly on the router.

VPN on mobile devices

You can use VPN on a mobile, though it goes without saying that you will have to install the client application. These can be downloaded via iTunes or Google Play. These client software usually have an auto-configuration service. If this is not provided, then the connection must be made manually.

Tunnels and VPN encryption

VPNs use encryption to protect connections, traffic and other data. In simple words, encryption is a way of converting data from a readable format to an encoded one. Only a device with a special key can turn the data stream back from encrypted to readable.

VPN tunnel communication between devices and the user

Anyone outside the tunnel (hackers, scammers, and special services) are denied access. It is due to VPN encryption that security on the Internet is ensured, and traffic and other data hidden, protecting it from hackers.

VPN services

Such services host a regular server with built-in VPN software. VPN software creates a secure connection between the service and the client using various VPN protocols

When connecting to a VPN, the user's IP is changed to the special IP address of the server.

VPN service settings

1. First you need to configure roles the Policy and Access Services. Next, you need to install the routing service. For access, select routing and remote access. To complete the configuration, in the routing properties, you need to put a tick in the ip4 fields of the router, then select "local networks and call on demand".

2. In the "Allow special IPSsec policies" tab, enter an arbitrary combination of numbers and letters of the special key. The more complex the combination, the harder it is to access your server.

3. Setting up a secure connection is almost complete. To allow access to the server, go to Active Directory - users - in the search, find a user who is allowed access, click on access and go to the “incoming calls” tab.

VPN connection for Windows

To connect a VPN to Windows, you must specify the following data: a server name; the color entry of the platform user; and remove VPN v6 support in the properties of a secure connection.

After these simple steps, you should be able to seamlessly activate your connection, and all your internet activity is then protected by the VPN.

Installing a VPN on server 2012

To install a VPN on server 2012, you need to open the Server Manager, add the role and components, and then check the box next to remote access. In the components, you need to add data and click “next”. In the "Role Service" tab, select "DirectAccess and VPN (RAS)" and click "Next". Set everything for an automatic restart.

To complete the installation, you need to do the initial setup. You need to click on the control, "Start the initial setup wizard". Then select the item "Configure and enable routing and remote access" by right-clicking on the server.

A special configuration wizard selects access to the virtual part of the network and starts the service.

Opening ports in server 2012 firewall

To open ports, you need to write, under "TCP", the following combination, separated by commas, 1723,443 and allow access.

You also need to create a rule for incoming connections. To do this, specify the ports, separated by commas, in the portal: "1701,500,50".

Configuring the local security policy for a VPN connection

In the "Security Policy" tab, you need to allow logging in via remote desktops. This is done, for example, so that an employee of the company who is far from the workplace can freely access his or her work. But to do this, you need to create access for all users to the tunnel.

To do this, you need to find the domain user in the additional settings, and then apply these changes…

Allow VPN connection for domain user

You need to open "Server Manager" - "Tools" - "Active Directory Users and Computers"

Go to "Start Menu" - "Options" - "Network and Internet". In the left menu, the "VPN" tab - "Add connection". To add, do the following:

1. "Service Provider" - by default

2. In the space "Connection name" give a name of your choice to the connection.

3. For "Server name or address" -specify the direct address of the server and its name.

4. When choosing a VPN type, use PPTP protocol. To connect it, you need to configure the following:

"Control Panel" - "Network and Sharing Center" - "Change adapter settings" - "New VPN properties".

In the properties, go to the "Network" tab - IP version 4 - "Properties" - "Advanced".

Next, to start a new connection, you need to open the "Network and Internet" section and connect the current VPN.

Enter Username and Password. Then click "Ok". If the data is correct, the VPN will show a "Connected" status. If everything is done correctly, then the VPN setup was successful.