Hi,

I'm working on setting up a VPN and have a few questions.

Here's what my setup will look like: Domain Controller connected to switch (LAN); VPN Server connected to same switch (LAN) via one NIC and to a Cisco PIX 501 via a second NIC.

I understand that I'm supposed to set the VPN Server's Public NIC with the static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway provided by my ISP and point to the DC as the preferred DNS server. How does this change with the PIX sitting between the VPN Server and the public network?

-- Christian

Sorry to bump this thread but this is a critical issue and I can't get an answer (this is the second place I've posted). Is my setup wrong? Am I not providing enough info? Not asking the right questions?

If anyone can help, I would very much appreciate it.

Christian,

Without more specifics and/or schematics answering your question will prove difficult.

How do you plan on setting up this VPN? Through a router, RRAS, or other software? What type of VPN? PPTP or L2TP? Gateway to Gateway?

What kind of skillset do you have?

Only you know your environment best and we can't be on your site so you need to bring your site and goals to us.

As soon as you mention Cisco components, that scares a lot of us away (ones that don't know cisco stuff) and we don't want to point you in the wrong direction.

Give us some more information and help us help you.

I'm kind of new here, after watching my old "home" run downhill I've moved from security forums. Those guys are quite versed in this kind of stuff and as much as it kills me to do so, www.security-forums.com would be a good resource for this topic.

Jon

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the reply. Wherease I'm adept at some computer things, this isn't one of them so bear with me. If any of my answers are vague or don't make sense, let me know and I'll try to clarfiy.
I have a dedicated VPN server running Windows Server 2003. I ran the VPN setup wizard (RRAS, right?). I've contacted my ISP for a static IP but haven't yet received it. My first inclination was L2TP if I can pull it off. My primary concern at this point is just being able to access the Internet from the VPN server so I know that it can get out and that other (designated) machines can get in from the Net.

I have another machine acting as a Domain Controller and running AD, DHCP, and DNS.
At this point, I don't know which way to go. I'd rather have bad leads than no leads at all.
Anything at all anyone needs to know, I'd be more than happy to provide. I'm not trying to be uniformative, I'm just not sure what info to provide.
Thanks. If I this turns out to be a dead end, I'll head over there.