ideal way of setting up VPN

[zephxiii]

So it has come to a point where some users would like to access the file directory remotely from their work laptop.

Normally anyone that needed to get stuff would just RDP into their machine they left behind.

I'm interesting in setting up a VPN but not sure what the preferred method/protocol is? I see a number of different ones to chose from.

Any good guides I could follow?

Is there a way to have a VPN and not route the end users's internet access through the VPN connection? It seems like any VPN connection I've ever seen has done that which has been a turn off.

I'm using Pfsense 2.1 as router/firewall. Also have Server 2012R2 Standard. Windows 7 Pro as clients.

 

[JoeMcJoe]

The client configuration can select whether to have a full or partial VPN connection routing, full is all internet data, partial being just the data from the vpn site.

If your pfsense router is quite powerful, you can use that to implement an OpenVPN server. Either give each user a certificate or id/password to connect.

 

[zephxiii]

It should be powerful enough for a couple of random connections. I know that box is way overkill for the role.

 

[xSauronx]

So it has come to a point where some users would like to access the file directory remotely from their work laptop.

Normally anyone that needed to get stuff would just RDP into their machine they left behind.

I'm interesting in setting up a VPN but not sure what the preferred method/protocol is? I see a number of different ones to chose from.

Any good guides I could follow?

Is there a way to have a VPN and not route the end users's internet access through the VPN connection? It seems like any VPN connection I've ever seen has done that which has been a turn off.

I'm using Pfsense 2.1 as router/firewall. Also have Server 2012R2 Standard. Windows 7 Pro as clients.

would work folders do what you need?
http://blogs.technet.com/b/filecab/...g-work-folders-on-windows-server-2012-r2.aspx

 

[John Connor]

If you can use OpenVPN go for that otherwise L2TP or IPsec.

 

[EvaCarey]

There are many business who are depend in a mobile workforces and this will depend on a secure connection. A VPN stands for virtual power network can provide the solution, it is a secure method of connecting a remote computer or other devices to a network.

 

[JoeMcJoe]

There are many business who are depend in a mobile workforces and this will depend on a secure connection. A VPN stands for virtual power network can provide the solution, it is a secure method of connecting a remote computer or other devices to a network.

Virtual Private Network.

 

[zephxiii]

I ended up using the OpenVPN built into Pfsense 2.1 and i'm really impressed with it. It wasn't that hard to setup and it was pretty well streamlined in. There's even a package you can install (called Client Export) that will auto generate client installation files for windows...THAT is slick.

It would be nicer if windows had a native OpenVPN client though.

 

[John Connor]

Windows has built in VPN technology, but keyword OpenVPN.

 

[drebo]

SSTP is extremely easy to use in Server 2012 R2 and works very well.

Any Windows Vista, 7, or 8+ workstation will have it built in.

Optionally (and much more difficultly) you could use Direct Access and Work Folders. This basically proxies all domain requests so that the workstation always appears to be local and on the domain.