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VPN...How?!!

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9 replies

by guruofdos

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Scenario: 7 computers at the office all using Windows 98 (ok...1 on ME and one on XP) with P2P networking. File and print sharing is taken care of using NetBEUI between the machines and Internet connection sharing is by TCP/IP using a Windows 98 machine as the gateway. Internet connection is by 'always on' ADSL. The ISP allocates a dynamic IP address which changes each time we disconnect and re-connect.

I have an identical set up at home with 2 computers...except the ADSL gateway is running XP Pro. Again, dynamic IP addresses.

So....how the hell do I set up VPN so I can 'log in' to the computers at work and access files, print documents from home etc? I can find lots of info on setting up a remote client...but all the info assumes I'm connecting to a static IP.

I COULD note the IP of the machine at work on a bit of paper, drive home and change the IP I connect to but this is a little tedious. Also, I want to connect to the home network from work. Right now, I burn a CD-RW or e-mail myself data I need from one system to the other, but it's a long drive back to the office or home if I forget a critical file!

Any clues, or where can I find succinct and precice 'How To' information?

9 replies

by guruofdos

The work system is 98...end of story! None of the above links address the issue of two way comms via dynamic IP addresses. We do not wish to buy additional software. The solution must be inherent to the OS.

by cg it

What I read your question is how do you "log in" at work and access files, print documents from home via the Internet. That's tricky. If your work has internet access, it's a sure bet they have tight security. That's the hard part. Getting work to allow outbound communications to a home/remote system.

Another is if they give you authorization, the trick is finding your home system. What is necessary is the IP address which is like your home street address. When that changes all the time another way is to get a FQDN and a dynamic DNS service which provides IP to Name resolution. This is the same as web hosting and works for VPN as well. Instead of using an IP address when you create a new Network Connection, you use the FQDN. The FQDN doesn't change and using the Dyanmic DNS service for changing IP addresses, assures that you'll find your home network regardless if the IP address changes. Same principle as Web sites.

Another problem is work allowing TCP PPTP port 1723 and GRE UDP port 47 pass through. Another is if they are running a W2K server with AD, your account will need remote access authorization.

by guruofdos

I run the IT department at work and so security is not an issue! I'm Sysadmin so I have the power to set and modify security policies to suit my needs!! Regarding your last paragraph, the gateway machine at home is XP Pro, the gateway machine at work is W98. And no, we are not going to change the OS!!! We wouldn't give M$ the satisfaction of actually 'buying' their crap! All the OS's were pre-installed with the hardware.

by joseph moore

Wait a sec. Do you run a firewall, or is the "Windows 98 machine as the gateway" your "firewall"??? It sounds like you don't have a firewall. ICS on 98 is not a firewall.
Anyway, if you DO have a separate firewall, does it have VPN capabilities? Some small firewalls can be a VPN "server" also. IF this were the case, then you could make a VPN connection to the firewall from your home XP client. All you would need would be the IP address of the firewall, and a VPN connection built on the firewall.
So, it depends on your network infrastructure.

IF you do NOT have a firewall, and your Internet connection plugs straight into your Win98 Gateway, then Wow! Not a lot of options.
You could try running something like PCAnywhere on the Win98 machine in Gateway mode, and then run PCAnywhere on a internal workstation behind the 98 Gateway. You would then select the internal machine, and run your stuff from there, including file transfer.
But that would leave PCAnywhere available to anyone on the Internet, a big security risk!

I don't know if there are any VPN "server" programs that run on Win98. Maybe there are, but that would be pretty weird!

So I guess these are just some thoughts....

by guruofdos

The 98 Machine acting as internet gateway is using Norton Firewall software. It works...

PC Anywhere is a last resort!

by choppit

The dynamic IP address issue is easily solved by using a dynamic DNS solution(try DNS2Go). I wouldn't even consider trusting W98 as a VPN gateway but would recommend buying a VPN router (Draytek springs to mind). This way, you'll have NAT firewall and an IPSEC VPN appliance in one given you greater security and stability.

by guruofdos

Windows 98 is the ONLY OS I trust....after six months of using XP pro on my home machine, I wiped it and put 98 back on it last night. All the niggles, unexplained behaviour and shit going on in the background has stopped and my machine is 'back up to speed'. My programs now start properly and coexist, I don't have to keep CTRL-ALT-DELing to terminate processes and stalled apps and better still....my hard disk no longer fills up with crap and daily restore points. My internet experience is also much faster and by writing a small VB program that updates an email every 20 minutes and transmits the dynamic IP addresses to each machine via 256bit encripted mail using a proprietary data format, I now can VPN 98-98 with no problem whatsoever!

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