Virtual Private Network (VPN) Access
How to Access Chaminade's VPN
Introduction
Every computer on a network is identified by a unique set of numbers called an IP address. An IP address consists of four numbers separated by a period such as 216.101.58.46. This IP number is one way of identifying a computer on a network.
Your computer can have one of two types of IP addresses; a static IP or a dynamic IP.
A static IP address remains always the same.
A dynamic IP changes periodically.
Inside Chaminade’s private local area network (intranet), MIS provides your computer with an IP address so you can access all local network resources and the Internet.
At home, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides your computer with an IP so you can access the public Internet. Most ISPs assign dynamic IP addresses to their clients so your computer’s IP might change from one day to the next. You can request a static IP from your ISP, but this will cost you more per month.
How to configure your computer for access to Chaminade’s VPN
To access Chaminade’s VPN server from your Windows 2000 or XP home computer, do the following:
Go to the My Network Places icon.
Right click the icon and select properties.
Click on Create a New Connection.
Select the button for VPN.
Enter the address of the VPN server, which is 216.101.58.6.
A shortcut icon will be created on your desktop that will allow you to connect to the VPN in the future. If you double click the icon, you will be prompted to enter your username, password and domain name (ACADEMIC).
Enter your network login name and password the same way you log at Chaminade. From this point on you have established a connection to our private network via the Internet.
You cannot browse your network files the same way you do when you are at Chaminade. To see your regular drives, a special login script must be given to you by MIS. To run this script, simply click on the icon. When it completes in just a few seconds, you will have access to your files on the network.
To close your connection to the VPN, click on the Disconnect button. Please remember to do so so that other users can take advantage of the server.
A VPN allows you to use the public Internet as a medium to access a private network. For example you can access Chaminade’s networks from home bypassing the firewall.
VPNs use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the network and that the data cannot be intercepted. Your IP address is not intercepted and examined by the firewall so there is not an issue with dynamic IPs.
When you attempt to access a private network from the Internet using a VPN, you will be prompted for valid login credentials before access can be granted. Once you have successfully logged into your valid local network account, you enjoy the same access privileges as if you were located inside the intranet.
Most private networks (intranets) with permanent connections to the Internet, utilize a security technology called a firewall. One of the main functions of a firewall is to protect a private network from unauthorized access from the outside via the Internet. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.
A firewall has special access lists that define access privileges for incoming and outgoing traffic identified by IP addresses. For example it can contain a line in its access list indicating that IP address 103.65.73.111 can come inside the private network and view web pages from a particular web server. The computer with that IP will be unable to access a word processing file for editing residing on a different server.
In order for a computer to have access to a private network from the Internet, its IP should be explicitly listed in the firewall’s access list with appropriate access privileges indicated. That creates a problem for computers with dynamic IP addresses, since their IP changes periodically. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can solve this problem.
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