You can configure all outbound connections in Windows 2000 with the Network Connection wizard. Much of the work of configuring protocols and services is automated when you use this process. Understanding the options found in the wizard will help you to configure connections efficiently.

There are three basic types of outbound connections:

Dial-up connections

Connections to a VPN

Direct connections to another computer through a cable

Creating Dial-Up Connections

Dial-up connections include outbound dial-up connection to either a private network or to an ISP. To create and configure an outbound dial-up connection, use the Network Connection wizard. To access the Network Connection wizard, right-click My Network Places, click Properties, and then double-click the Make New Connection icon. The Welcome To The Network Connection Wizard page will appear. Click Next to continue and the Network Connection Type page appears, as shown in Figure 9.4.

Figure 9.4 Select a type of connection on the Network Connection Type page.

On the Network Connection Type page, select Dial-Up To Private Network to create a connection to a private network or Dial-Up To The Internet to create a connection to an ISP.

Dial-Up to Private Network

If you select the Dial-Up To Private Network option and click Next, you will be prompted to enter the phone number of the computer or network to which you want to connect; this might be an ISP for an Internet connection or the modems for your private network. Enter the phone number, click Next, and you will be prompted to specify who can use this connection. If you want this connection to be made available to all users of this computer, select the For All Users option, and then click Next. If you want to reserve the connection for yourself, select the Only For Myself option. When you click Next, you will be prompted for one of the following:

If you selected For All Users, and you want to let other computers gain access to resources through this dial-up connection, select the Enable Internet Connection Sharing For This Connection check box, and then click Next. Type a name for the connection, and then click Finish.

If you selected Only For Myself, you will be prompted to type a name for the connection, and then click Finish.

Dial-Up to the Internet

If you select Dial-Up To The Internet and click Next, you will be prompted to select one of the following three options in the Internet Connection wizard:

I Want To Sign Up For A New Internet Account. (My Telephone Line Is Connected To My Modem.)

I Want To Transfer My Existing Internet Account To This Computer. (My Telephone Line Is Connected To My Modem.)

I Want To Set Up My Internet Connection Manually, Or I Want To Connect Through A Local Area Network (LAN).

If you do not want to change your Internet settings, click Cancel.

NOTE
ISDN and X.25 connections are considered VPNs for the purposes of the Network Connection wizard.

Creating Connections to a Virtual Private Network

A VPN is a network that is created by using tunneling protocols such as PPTP or L2TP to create secure connections across an untrusted network. To create a new VPN connection you also use the Network Connection wizard. To access the Network Connection wizard, right-click My Network Places, click Properties, and then double-click the Make New Connection icon. The Welcome To The Network Connection Wizard page will appear. Click Next to continue and the Network Connection Type page appears.

On the Network Connection Type page, click Connect To A Private Network Through The Internet, click Next. You will be prompted to enter the host name or IP address of the computer or network to which you are connecting. Enter the name or address, and then click Next. If you want this connection to be made available to all users of this computer, select the For All Users option, and then click Next. If you want to reserve the connection for yourself, select the Only For Myself option. When you click Next, you will be prompted for one of the following:

If you selected For All Users and you want to let other computers gain access to resources through this dial-up connection, select the Enable Internet Connection Sharing For This Connection check box, and then click Next. Type a name for the connection, and then click Finish.

If you selected Only For Myself, type a name for the connection when prompted, and then click Finish.

Creating Direct Connections to Another Computer Through a Cable

The Network Connection wizard can also be used to create a direct (cable) connection to another computer. However, if you are a member of a domain and want to host a direct connection, you must use RRAS.

To create a direct cable connection to another computer, on the Network Connection Type page, click Connect Directly To Another Computer, click Next, and then do one of the following:

If your computer will be the host for the connection, click Host and then click Next.

If your computer will be the guest for the connection, click Guest (see Figure 9.5) and then click Next.

Figure 9.5 Connecting two computers using the Network Connection wizard

After specifying Host or Guest, you select the port that is connected to the other computer and then click Next. If you want this connection to be made available to all users of this computer, click the For All Users option. If you want to reserve the connection for yourself, click the Only For Myself option. When you click Next, you will be prompted for one of the following:

If you selected For All Users, and you want to let other computers gain access to resources through this dial-up connection, select the Enable Shared Access For This Connection check box, and then click Next. Type a name for the connection, and then click Finish.

If you selected Only For Myself, type a name for the connection when prompted, and then click Finish.

Practice: Configuring an Outbound Connection

In this practice, you will configure an outbound connection.

NOTE
Before you complete this practice on a stand-alone computer configured as a domain controller, check that your Administrator account is set up to allow remote access. To do this, start the Active Directory Users and Computers tool and be sure to select Advanced Features on the View menu, open the Properties dialog box for the Administrator user, and click the Dial-In tab. In the Remote Access Permission (Dial-In Or VPN) group, ensure that the Allow Access option is selected.

To configure an outbound connection

Ensure that you are logged on as Administrator.

Right click My Network Places, and click Properties.

The Network And Dial-Up Connections window appears.

Double-click the Make New Connection icon.

The Network Connection wizard appears.

Click Next.

On the Network Connection Type page, select Connect To A Private Network Through The Internet, and then click Next.

On the Destination Address page, type 192.168.1.201 and then click Next.

NOTE
If your server is on a network and there is a valid address that you can use to test your outbound connection, use that address instead of 192.168.1.201.

On the Connection Availability page, select the Only For Myself option, and click Next.

Click Finish.

The Connect Virtual Private Connection dialog box appears.

In the Connect Virtual Private Connection dialog box, ensure that the User name is set to Administrator, and type password for the password.

NOTE
If your server is on a network and you entered a valid address in step 6, enter a valid user name and password in step 9.

Click Connect, read the Connection Complete dialog box, and then click OK.

IMPORTANT
You would not normally set up a virtual connection to your own computer. If your server is the only computer on the network, this was your only choice. If your server is on a network and you entered a valid address in step 6 and a valid user name and password in step 9, a message will also appear stating that Virtual Private Connection is now connected.

Double-click the connection icon in the system tray, and then click the Disconnect button.

Close all windows and log off.

Lesson Summary

You can configure all outbound connections in Windows 2000 with the Network Connection wizard. Using the Network Connection wizard automates much of the work of configuring protocols and services. Understanding the options found in the wizard will help you to configure the three basic types of outbound connections efficiently. The three types of outbound connections are dial-up connections, connections to a VPN, and direct connections to another computer through a cable.