How to enable VPN connection. Free VPN installation on your computer. What is VPN Reconnect

Virtual Private Network, aka VPN, aka virtual private network. In fact, in a sense, such networks should be considered a step back, however, a forced and extremely effective step. VPNs allow you to return from global networks to local networks, albeit on a rather unusual scale.

VPN allows you to unite computers scattered around the world into virtual local networks; at the same time, you can interact with other network members as if everyone were connected to the same router - play on local network, open shared folders through " network”, as well as print on “shared” printers. So, we suggest you learn how to create VPN networks, connect to them, and also solve some problems that may arise (although not necessarily) while using them. Although general principle always remains the same, we will talk about how to install a VPN on Windows 7.

Creating a server

Let's start creating a VPN server - a computer to which other users of our website will connect. virtual network. First of all, we need to get to the Network and Sharing Control Center. To do this, perform the following actions: "Start" button; "Control Panel"; "Network Control Center and shared access».

If in the right top corner you see the inscription “Category”, you need to click on it and switch the mode to “Large icons” - this display mode is used in our instructions.

As a result, you should see something like this:

The window displayed on your screen allows you to control almost any aspect network interaction your computer. Here you need to click on the “Change adapter settings” icon.

To start creating incoming connection, follow these steps:


Now you have a window like this on your screen, with a number of small exceptions.

Firstly, there may be other items in the list of accounts, and also, you are unlikely to have the “vpnuser” user, which we will now create by clicking on the “Add user” button.

Fill in the following fields:“User” - the client’s login is indicated here; “Password” and “Confirmation” - the password of the created account(values ​​must match); field " Full name» optional - it can be left empty, as it does not affect functionality.

After filling out the fields, click on the “OK” button. If you want to add several more VPN users (this may be useful for further control over them), repeat the procedure required amount once. When the creation is finished, click “Next”. In the next window, check the “Via the Internet” box, otherwise the “Next” button will be unavailable. Accordingly, after the checkbox, click on the button and we get the following window:

All that remains is to configure the protocols. Regarding their choice, it is better to leave everything as is. However, if you plan to use applications that require IPv6 support, you can check the box next to this protocol, however, in 99% of cases this is not necessary.

It is extremely important to configure IPv4 correctly:


Everything is necessary so that you can find connected users in the future. In addition, this way you can limit the maximum number of connected people, which can be very useful. When finished, click "OK" and then the "Allow access" button. The VPN server has been created. All that remains is to click on the “Close” button and start setting up clients. Also pay attention to the chapter “Port Forwarding” - it may be useful.

Connection on a computer

Let's start setting up client computers. First of all, you need to find out the server address, if you connect to a “homemade” VPN server, to do this you need to go from it (from the server), for example, to the site myip.ru, which will clearly and clearly display your IP address. In the future, we recommend using services in the spirit of DynDns - so as not to waste time searching for an address.

So, to establish a VPN connection, do the following:


This click will launch a short connection wizard, in the first step of which you need to select “Connect to a workplace” and click “Next”.

Now select the first item from the list. You don’t even have to think about the second one in the 21st century - it is needed for DialUp modems.

If you did everything correctly, it's time to enter the server address. This can be either the IP address that we looked at on the server, or Domain name, which can be obtained through dynamic DNS services.

In our case, the address is indicated as 157.57.121.54, however, in your case the numbers will probably be different. You can fill in the “Destination name” field at your own discretion - it will not affect the operation of the network. Also, it’s worth checking the “Don’t connect now” box so as not to waste time during the setup process.

Once the required data is specified, click “Next” and start filling out the fields:

  1. “Username” - here you enter the login specified when creating the VPN server;
  2. “Password” - similar – indicate the pre-set password for the VPN user;
  3. Optionally, you can check the “Remember password” checkbox.

All you have to do is click on the “Create” button and your VPN connection is ready. If the server is running and you are confident that your actions are correct, you can connect now using the “Connect now” button. In addition, you can always establish a connection using the network icon in the lower right corner.

That's all. If everything has been done correctly, then you can start using your virtual network, however, we recommend that you read this article to the end - even if everything works fine now, there is a risk that problems will appear sooner or later and it is better to be prepared for them.

VPN server in Windows 7

First of all, it should be noted that the built-in VPN server in the “seven” has one important and extremely unpleasant limitation - only one person can connect to your server at a time. If you want more, install Windows Server, however, you can find a fairly effective patch online that removes this annoying limitation - after applying it, several connections will become available. In addition, sometimes for full customization you need to configure the firewall and forward ports - we will tell you about this now.

Video: Creating a connection

Setting up firewalls

In some cases, the connection is established, but there is no connection between the computers. It's all about the built-in firewall (or firewall) of Windows.

To make it more friendly, you need to indicate that you trust the connected users.

We establish a connection, go to the “Network Center” and look for the connection icon. On the client it is called “RAS”, and on the server it is called “VPN connection”.

Click on them on both machines and select “Home Network”.

That's all, your problems should disappear.

Port forwarding

Another catch is that home routers and ADSL modems do not open the ports required for VPN by default. In this case, you will have to do it manually.

You will have to open ports on the server, or rather, on the router to which it is connected - how this is done is described in detail in the instructions for your device, but we will only inform you that the Windows VPN server uses TCP port 1723 Also, if available, disable GRE blocking.

Setting parameters

Even when the VPN server is already configured, you can change its settings. To do this, open the “Change adapter settings” window that we used in the first part of the article, then click on the “Incoming connections” icon right click and select "Properties".

A window will appear on your screen where you can edit, delete, and add users, as well as configure protocol settings and IP address ranges. In other words, change the parameters that were specified when creating the connection.

Attention! This function Only works fully if the connection is idle - if anyone is connected to you, disconnect it before changing parameters.

Error 807

The network error about an interrupted connection with number 807 is a real scourge for novice admins. To get rid of it (or at least find out the cause of its occurrence), you need to take several steps:

As an additional measure, try setting everything up again.

Enabling debug logs

Sometimes to receive additional information it is necessary to record all server events in a file that is easy to read. To start it this process, press Win+R and in the window that opens, enter: netsh ras set tracing * enabled.

Press Enter and go to the Windowstracing directory, there you will find several files (5 pieces) containing detailed information about connection attempts and transmitted data. They open to anyone text editor. Disabling recording is done with a similar command, however, the word enabled must be replaced with disabled. VPN is a great solution for a number of cases. However, it has gained the greatest popularity in the corporate environment. Let's say you're on a business trip with your laptop, but want to use it as if you were in the office. In this case, a VPN is exactly what you need.

In addition, such a solution is often used for remote access to printers - despite the fact that there are a lot of modern protocols, such a solution still remains simple and convenient.

And, of course, we must not forget about games - a VPN network greatly simplifies the launch game programs, designed to work on a local network. Naturally, all this is far from full list possible VPN applications. Functions of this service can be useful to everyone, so keep these instructions ready.

> Many people don’t know how to set up vpn connection, however, this is not a tricky matter, but it requires certain skills. First, let's figure out why such a connection is needed. VPN literally translates as virtual private network. As the name suggests, it serves to create a tunnel between two computers, through which information is transmitted in encrypted form. This ensures confidentiality and anonymity of all transmitted information. Now let's look at the basic steps for VPN settings.
1. Make sure the connection is correct home computer To world wide web.
2. After making sure the connection is working, go to the Start menu.
3. Select the “Control Panel” folder.
4. Find the folder “ Network connections».
5. Select the link to create a new network connection.
6. In the first window, click on “Next”.
7. Select “Connect to a network at the workplace” and again click on the item “Connect to a virtual network”, again the “Next” button
8. In the next window you need to select an option depending on your connection type:
do not dial the number for pre-connection;
dial the number to pre-connect.
9. Enter a name for the new connection.
10. Then you need to enter ip in a special field remote computer or his name.
11. Select users for whom it will be possible this connection from this computer.
12. If necessary, place the icon opposite creating a shortcut on the desktop.
Your computer will then prompt you to connect immediately, but we should decline this. Select the shortcut for our connection on the main screen and right-click on it. Select the “Properties” tab. We indicate the method for restoring the connection depending on the type of network connection. We save the result.
Settings VPN Windows finished, now to connect you just need to click on the desktop shortcut or the icon in the connections “Start” menu.

From year to year electronic communication is being improved, and increasingly high demands are placed on information exchange for speed, security and quality of data processing.

And here we will take a closer look vpn connection: what is it, what is a VPN tunnel for, and how to use a VPN connection.

This material is a kind of introductory word to a series of articles where we will tell you how to create a vpn on various operating systems.

VPN connection what is it?

So, a virtual private network vpn is a technology that provides a secure (closed from external access) connection logical network over private or public if you have high-speed Internet.

Such a network connection of computers (geographically distant from each other at a considerable distance) uses a “point-to-point” connection (in other words, “computer-to-computer”).

Scientifically, this connection method is called a VPN tunnel (or tunnel protocol). You can connect to such a tunnel if you have a computer with any operating system, which integrates a VPN client capable of “forwarding” virtual ports using the TCP/IP protocol to another network.

What is a VPN for?

Basics advantage of vpn is that renegotiators need a connectivity platform that not only scales quickly, but also (primarily) ensures data confidentiality, data integrity, and authentication.

The diagram clearly shows the use of VPN networks.

Rules for connections over a secure channel must first be written on the server and router.

How VPN works

When a connection occurs via VPN, the message header contains information about the IP address of the VPN server and the remote route.

Encapsulated data passing over a common or public network, it is impossible to intercept because all information is encrypted.

The VPN encryption stage is implemented on the sender's side, and the recipient's data is decrypted using the message header (if there is a shared encryption key).

After correct decoding messages between two networks, a VPN connection is established, which also allows you to work in a public network (for example, exchange data with a client 93.88.190.5).

Concerning information security, then the Internet is extremely unprotected network, and a VPN network with OpenVPN, L2TP / IPSec, PPTP, PPPoE protocols is completely secure and in a safe way data transmission.

Why do you need a VPN channel?

VPN tunneling is used:

Inside the corporate network;

To unite remote offices, as well as small branches;

For service digital telephony With large set telecommunications services;

To access external IT resources;

For building and implementing video conferences.

Why do you need a VPN?

vpn connection necessary for:

Anonymous work on the Internet;

Downloading applications when the IP address is located in another regional zone of the country;

Safe work in a corporate environment using communications;

Simplicity and convenience of connection setup;

Provisions high speed connections without interruptions;

Creating a secure channel without hacker attacks.

How to use VPN?

Examples of how VPN works can be given endlessly. So, on any computer on the corporate network during installation protected vpn connections, you can use mail to check messages, publish materials from anywhere in the country, or download files from torrent networks.

VPN: what is it on your phone?

Access via VPN on your phone (iPhone or any other Android device) allows you to use the Internet in in public places maintain anonymity, as well as prevent traffic interception and device hacking.

A VPN client installed on any OS allows you to bypass many of the provider’s settings and rules (if the provider has set any restrictions).

Which VPN to choose for your phone?

Mobile phones and smartphones running Android OS can use applications from Google Playmarket:

  • - vpnRoot, droidVPN,
  • - tor browser for network surfing, also known as orbot
  • - InBrowser, orfox (firefox+tor),
  • - SuperVPN Free VPN Client
  • - OpenVPN Connect
  • - TunnelBear VPN
  • - Hideman VPN

Most of these programs serve for the convenience of “hot” system setup, placement of launch shortcuts, anonymous surfing Internet, selecting the type of connection encryption.

But the main tasks using a VPN on the phone - this is a check corporate mail, creating video conferences with several participants, as well as holding meetings outside the organization (for example, when an employee is on a business trip).

What is VPN on iPhone?

Let's look at which VPN to choose and how to connect it on an iPhone in more detail.

Depending on the type of network supported, when you first start the VPN configuration on your iPhone, you can select the following protocols: L2TP, PPTP and Cisco IPSec (in addition, you can “make” a VPN connection using third-party applications).

All of the listed protocols support encryption keys, user identification using a password and certification are carried out.

Among additional functions When setting up a VPN profile on an iPhone, you can note: RSA security, encryption level, and authorization rules for connecting to the server.

For iPhone phone From the appstore you should choose:

  • - free Tunnelbear app, with which you can connect to servers VPN any countries.
  • - OpenVPN connect is one of the best VPN clients. Here, to launch the application, you must first import RSA keys via iTunes into your phone.
  • - Cloak is conditional free application, since for some time the product can be used for free, but to use the program after the demo period has expired, you will have to buy it.

VPN creation: selection and configuration of equipment

For corporate communications in large organizations or associations deleted friend from other offices use hardware equipment capable of supporting continuous, secure work on the network.

To implement VPN technologies, the role of a network gateway can be: Unix servers, Windows server, network router and the network gateway on which the VPN is installed.

A server or device used to create an enterprise VPN network or vpn channel between remote offices, must perform complex technical tasks and provide a full range of services to users on both workstations and mobile devices.

Any router or VPN router must provide reliable operation on the network without freezing. And the built-in VPN function allows you to change the network configuration for working at home, in an organization or in a remote office.

Setting up VPN on the router

IN general case VPN setup on the router is carried out using the router's web interface. On “classic” devices, to organize a VPN, you need to go to the “settings” or “network settings” section, where you select the VPN section, specify the protocol type, enter the settings for your subnet address, mask and specify the range of IP addresses for users.

In addition, to secure the connection, you will need to specify encoding algorithms, authentication methods, generate agreement keys, and specify DNS server WINS. In the “Gateway” parameters you need to specify the gateway IP address (your own IP) and fill in the data on all network adapters.

If there are several routers in the network, you need to fill out the VPN routing table for all devices in the VPN tunnel.

Here's a list hardware equipment used when building VPN networks:

Dlink routers: DIR-320, DIR-620, DSR-1000 with new firmware or D-Link DI808HV Router.

Routers Cisco PIX 501, Cisco 871-SEC-K9

Linksys Rv082 router with support for about 50 VPN tunnels

Netgear router DG834G and routers models FVS318G, FVS318N, FVS336G, SRX5308

Mikrotik router with OpenVPN function. Example RouterBoard RB/2011L-IN Mikrotik

VPN equipment RVPN S-Terra or VPN Gate

ASUS routers models RT-N66U, RT-N16 and RT N-10

ZyXel routers ZyWALL 5, ZyWALL P1, ZyWALL USG

Currently, wanting to provide communication between computers in the office, it is actively used Virtual technology Private Network. allows not only to provide reliable connection between corporate PCs, but also to accompany all units computer equipment the best cryptographic protection. For this reason, you can be confident in the security of the transmission corporate information, in complete exclusion of third-party intrusion.

Setting up a VPN connection in different versions of Windows OS has differences.

It is very important to understand that VPN setup ensures the creation of a new dedicated zone. All technical devices, including scanners and printers, will be visible to every user connected to the VPN. Every try stranger getting inside the corporate network will be accompanied by absolute failure.

Of course, it’s easy to provide an ignorant user with Windows connection 7, 8, 10 to VPN is impossible. First of all, it is very important to saturate yourself, first of all, with a sufficient portion of theoretical knowledge regarding the features of various operating systems.

If you have the slightest knowledge of computers, but are actively trying to figure out how to set up a VPN, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with our recommendations, and then, strictly following them, sequentially perform each step we have outlined. In this case, we can guarantee you a positive result.

To connect to the VPN network, first click on the “Start” shortcut located at the bottom right. When will it open extra menu, select the Control Panel option.

After this, it is important for you to go to the network settings. To make this transition, find required parameter. In this case, it all depends on what type of display you have previously selected. Even if you didn’t choose it yourself, it means that it was chosen independently by the operating system or by the person who originally installed Windows on your computer.

You can easily switch categories if you wish. This kind of switch is located at the top of the window on the left side.

So, if the “Browse by category” option is set there, look for the “Network and Internet” line and click on it. If the “Classic style display” option is selected, then it is important to find the line “Network and Sharing Center”.

So, after making these transitions, you will be able to seamlessly visualize the “Set up a new connection or network” sentence. Just click on it with the left mouse button, you will immediately go to new page, which will prompt you to create a new network connection.

If you decide to connect your PC to a VPN network, then select the “Workplace Connection” offer, which is often fourth on the list. Next, you just have to strictly follow all the advice that appears, but also be sure to take into account some of the nuances that arise as a result of installing different versions of the operating system.

Connecting to a virtual network is carried out only after installing a kind of VPN server, which can perfectly serve as one of corporate computers. It is this VPN server that will control access to all other computers included in the corporate network space you created.

Of course, Windows itself will not be able to perform the “magic” manipulations that provide you with a successful corporate network. In this case, your participation will be required, which involves making certain settings.

ADVICE. Of course, it is difficult to figure out how to set up a VPN on your own, so we recommend that you do not break through an impenetrable wall, but carefully study our recommendations on how to connect to a VPN server if different versions of the operating system are installed on your PC.

Settings in Windows XP

If Windows XP is installed on your computer, click on the “Start” button, find “Control Panel” in the list that opens, go to it. After performing these simple manipulations, a window will open, on the left side of which the “New Connection Wizard” will be located, activate it, just run it. In the new window that opens, in the second position there will be the parameter that we will need to use.

Click on the line “Connect to a network at your workplace”, and then go to the line “Connect to a virtual private network”.

Now the connection wizard will confidently guide you to your desired goal, recommending only making some informational information. In particular, he will initially ask you to come up with and enter the name of the corporate network you are creating. Of course, no one limits the flight of fancy, so the name can be anything. Next, the connection wizard will ask you to register the server. If it was decided to use one of the computers as a server, then it is better to enter the IP address of this PC in this field.

At the final stage, the wizard will automatically create a shortcut for the corporate network space. It wouldn't hurt to add some additional changes, so double-click on the shortcut that appears to open a dialog box in which all the necessary settings are made.

There will be four tabs in this dialog box, go to one of them “Security”, select “Advanced (Custom Settings)”. Next, all that remains is to carefully study all the proposals and choose the acceptable parameters for your corporate network.

Settings in Windows 8

If Windows 8 is installed on your PC, then the algorithm of actions will not just be different, but as automated as possible. Of course, if you own a PC with Windows 8, you may be relieved that everything will be so easy to implement, but this does not mean that you can ignore our recommendations. One wrong step and you won't be able to successfully connect between corporate computers.

At the bottom of the screen with right side In the part where the clock is located, you will easily find a network status icon; in appearance it resembles a monitor. Right-click on this shortcut. After this, a new window will open in which you will find the “Network and Sharing Center” option. After clicking on this option, a new shortcut “Create a new connection or network” will appear, click on it and confirm that your PC has direct connection to the Internet.

The Connection Wizard will also ask you to enter a name for your environment, and will also prompt you to make changes to various options if necessary. In this case, you can make additional network security settings, including:

  • data encryption;
  • password verification protocol;
  • access parameters.

You can contribute whatever you consider necessary. This completes setting up a VPN network in Windows 8.

Settings in Windows 7

If your computer comes with the Windows 7 or 10 operating system, then you are also somewhat lucky. Even if you are a beginner, but fearless user who took the risk of following the route we described in order to install a VPN network, we can rejoice in you that everything will certainly work out for you.

ADVICE. Connecting to a VPN network on a PC with Windows 7 or 10 is quite simple and fast; you just need to follow the prompts that appear on the screen. Once the connection is established, you also need to make some useful changes.

In Windows 7 and 10, there is a shortcut near the clock indicating the connection status to various networks. If you click on this shortcut with the left mouse button, a list of all connections that can be considered as possible option, providing communication with the Internet or a general network.

Among this list you can find the name of your VPN network, select it, and immediately after that the “Connect” button will appear. By clicking on this button, you will have the opportunity to make some changes to the parameters.

Please carefully review the security, login, and data encryption options offered by this Windows case 10, check the checkboxes next to the parameters that are most important to you.

So, if you set out to connect several computers running Windows XP, 7, 8 and 10 to the corporate network, do not hold back your technical impulses. You can do everything if you carefully study the recommendations, and also make changes to the settings without undue haste, reading the wizard’s suggestions more than once network settings, and even 10 times in order to understand why and what specific actions need to be taken.

The use of VPN networks in our time has become an integral part of working with the Internet. A variety of virtual private network technologies and specifications are used by both huge international corporations and by individual users. Some providers even provide Internet services based on VPN servers. One way or another, connecting to existing ones or setting up own VPN- a simple matter, but very necessary. Everything connected with it is clearly examined using the example of the Windows 7 system.

What is a VPN connection

VPN (an acronym in English for “virtual private network”) is the common name for several technologies that allow you to create network connections on top of existing ones. VPNs are often used in closely held corporations to restrict access to the corporate network. Thus, an internal network is created based on an existing external network(most often - the Internet).

A simplified diagram-icon symbolizing a VPN connection

Thus, data exchange is carried out using Internet technologies, while corporate network(VPN) has closed access for employees only. In this case, employees may be in different parts globe. “Closed” access is achieved through cryptographic technologies such as encryption, authentication and/or public key infrastructure.

The general structure of a VPN is shown in the figure below.

The diagram shows what a VPN structure typically looks like using lines and icons

So, two regional branches, main office, as well as individual employees are connected to shared network. At the same time, the connection between them is carried out through Internet technologies, and information security tools make it possible to limit the access of unauthorized users or completely close it.

For an individual user, VPN technology can also be useful for personal purposes. For example, if you connect to a remote VPN server, you can bypass the geographic restrictions of some web resources. That is, pretend that you are in another country. In addition, the user's location is hidden in the same way. These actions are not limited by law, but access to some sites is prohibited for such networks.

In addition to the examples above, VPN is now used by some providers to connect users into groups. This allows you to connect multiple computers to the same IP address. Thus, savings are made on renting Internet addresses, which means the cost of connection services drops. At the same time, data transmitted by users remains encrypted.

How to connect and configure VPN services on Windows 7

Setting up a VPN connection on Windows 7 is quite simple. You don't need any additional software. Just follow the instructions.

  1. First of all, go to the Network and Sharing Center: open Start and select Control Panel. In the open window you will see a button to enter the “Center...”. Select "Set up a new connection...".
    In the Network and Sharing Center, click "Set up a new connection or network"
  2. From the list, select “Connect to a workplace.” This paragraph contains settings for the VPN connection.
    Select “Workplace Connection” from the list of network connection options
  3. The program will ask: “How to connect?” In our case, we need to choose the first option. Then click Next. By the way, in this window you can view Microsoft's VPN data (click the link at the bottom of the screen).
    When asked how to connect, select "Use my Internet connection (VPN)"
  4. A window will appear in front of you to fill in your connection information. In the “Internet address” line, you must specify a link to the VPN server. You can find this out from your provider and/or administrator. You can enter any “Destination Name”. In addition, you need to check the box next to “Don’t connect now...”. When everything is ready, click “Next”.
    Enter the required VPN connection information: Internet address, destination name. These can be obtained from your provider.
  5. Now you need to enter your username and password to connect to the VPN network. If you are not sure if they are correct, contact your administrator (provider). In addition, for easy access to the VPN server, you can specify its domain. If you are simply setting up an Internet connection to your ISP, leave the field blank. Now click the “Create” button.
    Enter your username and password in the appropriate fields when connecting to your workplace

    A message appears indicating that the connection is ready. Just click "Close".

    Close the VPN Ready message box

    In the “Center…” window that opened earlier, click on “Change adapter settings.”

    In the Network and Sharing Center, click on “Change adapter settings”

    A window will open in front of you, which contains information about available connections. The newly created connection is named as the “Destination Name” you specified earlier. Right-click on it. If you want, you can create a shortcut for this connection on your desktop. This will make it easier to access the network. Then select Properties: There are a few things you need to change before you can start using the VPN.

    Create a connection shortcut if you want and then go into its properties

    Now be careful. In the small “Properties” window of your connection, switch to the “Security” tab. Select the type of VPN network, which depends on the specifics of it. Contact your administrator or provider for this information. For example, if you want to connect to some remote server, the connection type is usually “PPTP”. But this is just an example. Be sure to check the correct choice.

    Select the appropriate VPN network type; if you don't know it, contact your ISP or administrator

    Please note that on the same tab there is a drop-down list “Data encryption”. You can choose the item that suits you personally. But this does not guarantee uninterrupted operation of the connection. Such data should also be clarified with the administrator.

  6. Go to the Network tab. Here, uncheck the “Internet Protocol Version 6...” checkbox to increase data transfer speeds, because most likely it is not used on your VPN server (unless specified otherwise). Now single-click on “Internet Protocol Version 4...” and select its “Properties”. Click "Properties" with the cursor over "Internet Protocol Version 4..."
  7. In the window that opens, select “Advanced...” You should not change the DNS server addresses here, as we will set them next to match your VPN. Click “Advanced...” to go to additional. menu
  8. In the window " Additional parameters TCP/IP” on the “IP Settings” tab, uncheck the words “Use the default gateway on the remote network”. If this is not done, Internet traffic will pass through the VPN server, which will reduce the data transfer speed. Uncheck "Use the default gateway on the remote network" to increase connection speed

    If you are just connecting to a remote server, go to the DNS tab. In the “DNS connection suffix” column, enter the suffix provided by the administrator. This way, you don't have to enter it every time to go to a specific site.

  9. In all previously opened windows, click “OK”. The VPN connection is ready to use! You can launch it from the “Desktop” if you created a shortcut earlier.

Video: how to install and connect to a VPN in Windows 7

Possible connection problems

There are a number of errors that can cause your VPN connection to not work or not work properly. But before we move on to their descriptions, let’s look at the most common problem: when you turn on the VPN, the Internet connection disappears.

What to do if the Internet connection disappears after startup

This problem is relevant if you are connecting to a certain server, and not to the provider. It doesn’t matter how you are connected to the Internet (cord, Wi-Fi, another VPN), the connection drops for the same reason. And restoring it is quite simple.

As we indicated above, enabling this option may slow down the speed of your Internet connection, since traffic will pass through the VPN server. If the connection is completely lost, it means that the gateway to the server is closed. remote connections. After unchecking the box, the Internet will work again.

VPN connection problems and their solutions

Errors when trying to automatically connect to a VPN connection are numbered with a three-digit number - an error code. This code appears in a separate window as shown in the screenshot.

VPN connection error window; V in this case error 807 popped up

Here are ways to correct the most common errors.

400 Bad Request

This error means that the request from your computer contains some information incorrectly.

  1. Try turning off all additional network programs.
  2. Refresh your browser and reset its settings.

Error 624

Error 691

This error can have many causes, but they are all similar to some extent. So, it appears if you have not paid for the services to the provider, entered an incorrect login or password, incorrectly specified any VPN connection settings, or the connection has already been established. One way or another, check all the entered data in the connection properties or simply create it again, as we did above.

Error 800

This error indicates that there are problems with the VPN server itself. Perhaps it receives too many requests that it does not have time to process, or there is a load directly on your virtual network segment. In this case, you can only report the problem to the server provider/administrator and wait for a solution from them.

Error 800 means the VPN server is overloaded

Error 650

If this error occurs, you need to check the health of your equipment: network card and cable. To do this, it is better to call a specialist. Before doing this, go to “Properties: Internet Protocol Version 4...” (see the item “What should I do if the Internet connection is lost after turning on the VPN?”) and set the switch to “Obtain an IP address automatically.”

Turn on automatic selection IP addresses

Thus, the server itself will provide you with an IP address from the list of available ones with each new connection.

Error 735

The appearance of error 735 indicates that the VPN connection is configured incorrectly. Most likely, a specific IP address is specified. Set it to be selected automatically, as in the case of error 650.

Error 789

In this case, you need to enter the properties of the VPN connection and go to the “Security” tab (we have already described how to do this earlier). From the VPN Type drop-down list, select Automatic. This will solve the problem.

Set automatic selection VPN type to check network health

Other errors

In addition to the above, there are many others local errors. If you are an advanced user, sometimes you can solve them yourself (for example, open some ports in the firewall so that the server works), but most often they must be resolved by your ISP or server administrator. The only thing you can do is to go through all the points we suggested and check that the VPN connection is configured correctly. If the connection worked before, but is now lost, the problem is definitely on the server side.

How to disable automatic VPN connection

Sometimes you may need to disable your VPN connection for a while. For example, to connect to another network or check the ability reconnection. To do this, go to Control Panel from the Start menu. Open the list of settings “Network and Internet” -> “Network Center...”. Click on "Change adapter settings" on the left. Your connection will be displayed in the window. Right-click on it and select Disable.

To disable VPN, select the appropriate context menu item

Additionally, once disconnected, you can remove the VPN connection completely. This is necessary if you have configured it incorrectly or you no longer need it. Just click "Delete" in the same context menu.

Creating and masking your own connection

In this section we will talk about the possibilities of masking a VPN connection for the average user. This may be needed in different cases. For example, if you want to create your own small server to control your home computer from your work computer, which would be maximally protected from outsiders. Or you need to mask your IP address through a remote VPN server to gain access to online sites and stores in other countries.

How to create a VPN network using the OpenVPN client

If you want to create a personal small network VPN or connect to a geographically distant server, you will need the OpenVPN program and configuration files from the provider. These files should be selected according to your purposes. Please note that the VPN provider may have nothing to do with your Internet Service Provider. VPN services are paid.

  1. Download the OpenVPN installer from the developer's website. After downloading, run the installer (all actions on the computer must be performed as an administrator) and click Next.

    A program downloaded from other sites may turn out to be fake or even dangerous virus.

    Click "Next" to begin the OpenVPN installation

  2. Check out user agreement and click I Agree.
    Click the I agree button after reading the documentation
  3. A list of components to be installed will appear in the installer window. Without changing anything in it, click Next.

    Without changing anything in the list of installed components, click Next

    Specify the desired path to the OpenVPN program and click Install to begin installation.

    Select the desired path to the program and click Install

    When installing Windows programs will ask permission to install the driver because OpenVPN creates a virtual device. Just click “Install” in the window that appears.

    Install the virtual device driver, without it OpenVPN will not work

    Once the installation is complete, click Next and then Finish.
    Once the installation is complete, click Next, then Finish

    Now you need to copy the files provided by your VPN provider to a special folder in the OpenVPN program. Follow the path […]OpenVPN\config (here “[…]” is the program path you selected during installation), right-click and click on “Paste”.

    Paste the provider files into the config folder

    Go to the Start menu and find OpenVPN under All Programs. Right click on OpenVPN file GUI and select its "Properties".

    Enter OpenVPN GUI properties

    Switch to the "Compatibility" tab and make sure that the "Run this program as an administrator" checkbox is checked. Otherwise it won't work.

    Make sure that the OpenVPN GUI program will be run as administrator

    After clicking OK, launch OpenVPN GUI from the Start menu. The program icon will appear in the notification area on the taskbar. Right-click on it and select Connect.

    Right-click on the program icon and click Connect to launch

    The program will start and a log of connection data will appear on the screen.

    This window provides information about the VPN server startup

    Now you can click the Hide button to hide this window. A message will appear on the taskbar indicating a successful connection and the IP address assigned to you.

    Successful connection message

    Your VPN connection is ready to use!

Video: detailed OpenVPN setup for advanced users

Masking a VPN connection using Obfsproxy

Now your VPN connection is ready to use. Now let's move on directly to his disguise. The Obfsproxy program will help you cope with this task best.

The steps involved in installing Obfsproxy require basic programming and administration knowledge.

This program is created on the basis of Linux systems for multi-level encryption of transmitted data. Full cryptographic algorithms, of course, are kept secret, however, Obfsproxy has proven itself to be excellent among both advanced administrators and ordinary users. Therefore, its use guarantees complete isolation and protection of information transmitted over the VPN network.

As we already said, Obfsproxy is developed on Linux. Therefore, for its use in Windows environment 7 will require a Python compiler. You can download it from the official website of the Python Software Foundation. The recommended version is 2.7.13.

  • Run installation file and when choosing the installation path, specify C:\Python27\.
    Install Python on your computer
  • In addition, you will need a Visual C++ compiler for Python. You can download it from the Microsoft website. It's called something like this: Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7. Please note that the compiler version (2.7) must be the same as the Python version (2.7.13). Install the program to any folder on the C:\ drive.

    Install Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler for Python 2.7

    Install OpenSSL Light v1.0.2d

    Then it's a matter of little things. Run command line As Administrator: From the Start menu, type cmd in the search bar, right-click and select Run as Administrator.
    Run Command Prompt as Administrator

    Enter the following commands into the command line window in the given sequence (press Enter after entering each command):

  • cd C:\Python27\Scripts
  • pip install --upgrade pip
  • pip install obfsproxy
  • obfsproxy.exe --log-min-severity debug obfs3 socks 127.0.0.1:1050
  • After that, without closing the command line, run OpenVPN as an administrator, click Connect (as we did earlier) and enter the login and password provided by the provider or server administrator.
    Run OpenVPN as administrator
  • You must run the first and fourth commands from the list before each launch of OpenVPN. In this case, you do not need to close the command line, otherwise obfsproxy will not work.

    Your VPN connection is now secure and camouflaged!

    As you can see, working with a VPN is not that difficult. Any user with minimal knowledge can not only connect to an existing network, but even create his own. Besides, cryptographic protection personal data, it turns out, is also available to everyone. The main thing is to be vigilant when connecting to the traffic of foreign servers. After all, any actions performed by their administrators will be governed by the laws of the country in which the server is located.