Lesson 2: Configuring Inbound Connections

Configuring inbound connections on a computer running Windows 2000 allows the computer to act as a dial-in server. You can configure inbound connections in Windows 2000 with the same Network Connection wizard used for outbound connections if the computer is not a member of a domain. (Outbound connections and the Network Connection wizard are discussed in the next lesson in this chapter.) However, you must use the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) to configure inbound connections when the computer is a member of a domain or a domain controller. Experience with this administrative tool can help you set up VPNs and modem pools on a remote access server.

To configure and administer inbound connections on a computer that is a member of a domain, you must use RRAS. You must do several things to prepare to start and configure RRAS. First you must purchase the appropriate hardware, verify the compatibility of all of the hardware to be installed, install the hardware, and then verify that the hardware has been installed successfully. After the hardware is installed, you can install and configure Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Internet Packet Exchange (IPX), NetBIOS Enhanced User Interface (NetBEUI), and AppleTalk.

After installing the hardware and any appropriate protocols, you are ready to install RRAS. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and click Routing And Remote Access. Right-click the server name, and select Configure And Enable Routing And Remote Access (see Figure 9.1).

Figure 9.1 Initiating the RRAS configuration and enable process

The Routing And Remote Access Server Setup wizard appears. Click Next to continue and on the first page of the wizard, the Common Configurations page, select one of the following five options to indicate how you want to configure the interfaces for dial-in access:

• Internet Connection Server. Enables all the computers on this network to connect to the Internet.
• Remote Access Server. Enables remote computers to dial in to the network.
• Virtual Private Network (VPN) Server. Enables remote computers to connect to the network through the Internet.
• Network Router. Enables the network to communicate with other networks.
• Manually Configured Server. Starts the server with default settings.

On the Remote Client Protocols page, you can review the protocols that have been installed on your server to make sure all the protocols that are needed are installed. On the IP Address Assignment page, you select whether to use DHCP or to use A Static Pool for assigning IP addresses to the dial-in clients. On the Managing Multiple Remote Access Servers page, you indicate whether you want to set up the server to use RADIUS. Then the Completing The Routing And Remote Access Server Setup Wizard page appears, and you click Finish to exit the wizard.

When RRAS is started for the first time, Windows 2000 automatically creates five PPTP and five L2TP ports. You can configure these ports under the Ports node on the console tree (see Figure 9.2).

Figure 9.2 Port configuration

To configure VPN ports, in the console tree of the Routing And Remote Access window, right-click Ports, and then click Properties. In the Ports Properties dialog box, select a device. For VPN ports, these will read WAN Miniport (PPTP) and WAN Miniport (L2TP). Click the Configure button. In the Configure Ports dialog box, select the Remote Access Connection (Inbound only) check box to enable inbound VPN connections (see Figure 9.3). Optionally, you can increase or decrease the number of virtual ports available on the server. Click OK in the Configure Ports dialog box and in the Ports Properties dialog box.

When RRAS is started for the first time, Windows 2000 automatically detects any modems that are installed and creates modem ports for them. Windows 2000 also creates ports for each parallel or serial cable connection it detects. You can also configure these ports manually under the Ports node on the console tree.

To configure modem or cable ports, in the console tree of the Routing And Remote Access window, right-click Ports, and then click Properties. In the Ports Properties dialog box, select a device, and then click the Configure button.

Figure 9.3 Enabling inbound connections

In the Configure Device dialog box, select the Remote Access Connections (Inbound Only) check box to enable inbound connections (see Figure 9.3). If you are configuring a modem port, enter a phone number.

When you are through configuring the ports, click OK in the Configure Device and Ports Properties dialog boxes.

In this practice, you will use the Routing And Remote Access Server Setup wizard to install and configure RRAS.

1. Log on as Administrator.
2. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and click Routing And Remote Access.

The Routing And Remote Access Server Setup wizard appears.

4. Click Next.
5. On the Common Configurations page, select the Remote Access Server option, and then click Next.

The Remote Client Protocols page appears.

6. Under Protocols, ensure that TCP/IP is listed and ensure that the Yes, All Of The Required Protocols Are On This List option is selected, and then click Next.

The IP Address Assignment page appears.

7. Select the From A Specified Range Of Addresses option, and then click Next.

The Address Range Assignment page appears.

8. Click New.

The New Address Range dialog box appears.

9. In the Start IP Address box, type 192.168.0.0.
10. In the End IP Address box, type 192.168.0.225, and then click OK.
11. Click Next.

The Managing Multiple Remote Access Servers page appears.

12. Select No I Don't Want To Set Up This Server To Use RADIUS Now, and then click Next.

The Completing The Routing And Remote Access Server Setup Wizard page appears.

13. Click Finish.

A Routing And Remote Access dialog box appears indicating that to support the relaying of DHCP messages from remote access clients, you must configure the properties of the DHCP relay agent with the IP address of your DHCP server.

14. Click OK.

The Routing And Remote Access service is started and initialized automatically.

You configure inbound connections in Windows 2000 with the Network Connection wizard if the computer is not a member of a domain. However, RRAS is used to configure inbound connections when the computer is a member of a domain or a domain controller. Windows 2000 automatically creates five PPTP and five L2TP ports. You can configure these ports under the Ports node on the console tree.

Windows 2000 automatically detects any modems that are installed and creates modem ports for them. Windows 2000 also creates ports for each parallel or serial cable connection it detects. You can also configure these ports manually under the Ports node on the console tree.