Introduction

VPN Client

What is the VPN Client?
XGate VPN Client Manager allows you to create a secure connection between computers over the Internet. Two connection methods are supported in the XGate VPN Client Manager:

            - PPTP
            - L2TP / IPSec

PPTP enables remote uses to access corporate networks securely across the Microsoft Windows platform. PPTP is widely used for remote access because it is easy to configure and does not require any additional software.

PPTP supports authentication, encryption and packet filtering. PPTP authentication uses PPP-based protocols such as EAP, CHAP and PAP.

L2TP technology enables remote users to access corporate networks securely. It is more secure than PPTP and uses Internet Key Exchange (IKE) and Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnelling protocols to create and manage a secure connection.

The XGate VPN Client Manager allows you to:

- Negotiate tunnelling parameters like addresses, algorithms and lifetime, pre- shared key etc.
- Authentication of users by usernames and passwords.
- Establishment of user access rights and tunnels based on the parameters provided.
- Management of security keys for encryption and decryption.
- Allows L2TP/IPsec clients to negotiate and use the Diffie-Hellman Group 2048 protocol.
- Authentication, encryption and decryption of data through the tunnel.

For example, to use a remote PC to read e-mail from your company’s network you need to connect to the Internet. You then start the VPN Client and establish a secure connection through the Internet to your company’s private network. When you open your e-mail, the VPN server will use IPSec to encrypt the e-mail message. It then transmits the message through the secure tunnel to Global Security One UK Ltd’s VPN Client which will decrypt the message so you can read it on your remote PC. If you reply to the e- mail message, the VPN Client uses IPSec to decrypt and return the message to the private network.

When setting up a VPN connection, the following details are required:

Connection Name
A name you define to easily identify the VPN Connection.

Connection Type
Either L2TP / IPsec or PPTP.

Remote Host Name or IP Address
The Host Name / IP Address of the Remote VPN Server.

Username
Username used for logging on to the VPN Server.

Password
Password for logging on to the VPN Server.

Shared Secret
This is the key for authentication, which applies only for L2TP / IPSec connections. This field is not available for PPTP connections.

The Advanced button allows you to enable the following additional settings.
Enable Packet Compression
This will enable the packet compression for this connection. This option is only available for L2TP / IPSec connections.

Enable Remote Gateway
This will configure the default gateway of the VPN Client machine as the remote VPN Server. Un-checking this tick box will restore the VPN Client machine’s default gateway.

By enabling the remote gateway you will be restricted to one active VPN Connection.