Setup VPN on a Linux Dedicated server

[Carl Owen]

Follow the steps given below to setup a VPN on a linux dedicated server

1. Install the DKMS package

rpm --install dkms-1.12-2.noarch.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...2-2.noarch.rpm : SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

2. Install the ppp kernel module

rpm --install kernel_ppp_mppe-0.0.4-2dkms.noarch.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...kms.noarch.rpm : SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

3. Make sure ppp is working

modprobe ppp-compress-18 && echo

4. Upgrade ppp

rpm --install pptp-linux-1.5.0-1.i386.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...5.0-1.i386.rpm SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

5. Get the PPTP client

rpm --install pptp-linux-1.5.0-1.i386.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...5.0-1.i386.rpm : 4SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

6. Get phppcntl

rpm --install Getphp-pcntl php-pcntl-4.3.8-1.i386.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...3.8-1.i386.rpm : SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

7. Get the phpgtkmodule

rpm --install php-gtk-pcntl-1.0.0-2.i386.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...0.0-2.i386.rpm : SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

8. Get pptpconfig installed

rpm --install pptpconfig-20040722-0.noarch.rpm

or prdownloads.sourceforge.net/p...2-0.noarch.rpm : SourceForge.net: Exiting with Error

9. At the command line type the following

pptpconfig

10. Configure your connection

You will have to configure some basics in the Server tab :

|> Name: The name of the connection. You can call it anything you want
|> Server: The server you are connecting to, either the IP or name of the server. eg: 64.233.187.99 or google.com
|> Domain: A domain, if any, that the VPN is connecting to
|> Username: Your login username for the VPN or the intranet
|> Password: The login password for the VPN or the intranet

We need to make sure that it is setup properly in the routing tab. We will have to send everything to the tunnel.This can vary from VPN to VPN. You will have to confirm with your local administrator which radio button you have to choose. Make sure you do this as it is really very important.

Usually the DNS tab is simple it is automatic or you will have to enter some basic information about the DNS and you might have to include some information about DNS also.

The Encryption Tab is a sticky point. We have a number of choices:

|> Require Microsoft PointtoPoint Encryption
|> Refuse 40bit Encryption
|> Refuse 128bit Encryption
|> Refuse Stateless Encryption
|> Refuse to Authenticate with EAP

You will have to talk to your administrator and understand the requirements of the VPN. You will have to communicate with your administrator about everything you do as this is really important and make sure that your administrator plays an important role in the VPN setup.

The final thing you have to do is the Miscellaneous tab. You do not have to do anything here. The steps you have followed till now should do fine for your VPN. Now just click the add button and highlight your new connection and you are done.

[Garry]

Thank you for the informative post Carl.

[Matten]

Thank you Carl!

It is really a helpful piece of information. Hope it helps others as well

[Carl Owen]

Originally Posted by Garry

Thank you for the informative post Carl.

Originally Posted by Garry

Thank you Carl!

It is really a helpful piece of information. Hope it helps others as well

You are most welcome

VPN certainly has it's own benefits. It is basically used to establish secured network connections between the server and the user. If have VPN configured with your Dedicated server, you won't need leased lines and thus you will save more money. It will also help you to reduce the support costs.

[Garry]

Originally Posted by Carl Owen

You are most welcome

VPN certainly has it's own benefits. It is basically used to establish secured network connections between the server and the user. If have VPN configured with your Dedicated server, you won't need leased lines and thus you will save more money. It will also help you to reduce the support costs.

VPN does have some benefits, no doubt about that. However, it also has some limitations

To make sure that the VPN works properly, the setup should be perfect in order to make sure that the VPN is secured and one must be aware of network issues which can happen. Also, the performance and the reliability of the VPN does not depend on an organization or a company and it mostly depends on the ISP and the kind of service they provide.