Author: Ronald V. Pacchiano
Last month, we completed our discussion on how to setup and configure a VPN client to connect to the VPN host we configured the month before. We also outlined some common troubleshooting techniques to help you resolve some of the connection issues you might run into. This month we conclude our discussion by how to access your network resources via the VPN.
First off, we need to make sure that both the host and the client computers use the same Workgroup name. Verify this by going to Control Panel and clicking on System. Look under the section Computer name, domain, and workgroup settings. In Vista, the default Workgroup name is WORKGROUP, but you can change this to practically anything. For Vista PCs, this step isnt absolutely necessary, but it will increase performance, and it's a must if your client PC uses Windows XP.
Next, Vista makes use of two different connection types, Public or Private. Private, as you might suspect, is the setting you want for your home or work network, as it will allow your system to see, and be seen, by other devices on the network. This is the setting to use with the VPN connection.
You should use the Public setting only in unsecured locations (like airport or coffee shop hotspots) to help protect your system from unauthorized or malicious access. This is managed by Vistas Network Discovery function. If your network is set to Private, then by default Network discovery is on. You can verify these settings by clicking Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center and clicking on the down arrow next to the word Network Discovery.
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