The Internet is a vast world inhabited by the potential dangers and risks of all kinds. How then, in this context, calmly share documents confidential or sensitive information? It is the purpose of a VPN, Virtual Private Network. With a few adjustments that we will expose you to connect two remote computers (or more) as if they belonged to the same LAN. You can share documents, printer and Internet connection without risk. That's how.

On the server side
To establish a VPN connection, a server, which opens a connection, and a client, which connects. Start by giving the procedure for the computer server, in imagining the first Windows XP, and then in Vista.

Under Windows XP
  1. Go to the Control Panel via the Start menu for example.
  2. Double-click the Network Connections You should see the elements that are present on your computer, Ethernet, Wi-Fi or FireWire.
  3. Find the link Create a new connection to the left of this window.
  4. Then select Configure advanced connection as the connection type network. The next screen indicates that you accept incoming connections, so good.
  5. Click Next to see your network connections in a new element. Select Allow virtual private connections and go to the next step.
  6. Select the users who will have access to this connection. You can also choose to create new accounts for this, use the Add button.
  7. Do not change anything in the window if you're unsure of yourself: it indicates what services will be enabled for this connection, such as sharing files and printers for example.
  8. Your setup is complete, your PC is ready to receive requests from authorized users.


In special cases, it will be necessary to modify some parameters of the service Internet Protocol (TCP / IP). To do this, and click the Properties button. Here, specify the TCP / IP addresses that are valid on your private network, such addresses 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.0.5, which means that 5 computers (including your own) can be simultaneously connected to your network.

Under Windows Vista
Things get a little bit under Vista, because the service associated with such a connection is not run by default. It will need to do it manually.

Enabling Routing and Remote Access
  1. Open the Control Panel from the Start menu.
  2. Double-click Administrative Tools, then click the Services shortcut.
  3. Look in the list that appears when the Routing and Remote Access.
  4. Select Properties from the context menu you get by right-clicking on the line.
  5. Click the Startup Type dropdown in the General tab, and select Automatic.
  6. Click Apply, then click the Start button which is now accessible. Finish by clicking OK.


Creating the VPN connection
  1. Go back to the Panel and enter the Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Click Manage network connections in the side panel.
  3. Update the display by right clicking your mouse to see a new element connections.


Configuring the connection
  1. Right-click on this new connection and select Properties.
  2. Check the box authorizing the connection virtual private network (VPN) to your computer in the General tab.
  3. Choose the Users tab, user accounts allowed to connect through it. You can obviously create a new account by clicking New and entering a username and a password.


Like Windows XP, the Network tab is useful only in special cases, eg if your server is behind a router. In this case, you must define the IP addresses that will be accessible via your VPN network, which must be different from those used by your router For example, if your computer is part of a local network with 192.168.0.x type address, select your VPN network IP from 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.0.x, x represents the number of computers can be found simultaneously on your virtual network.

On the client side
The server is ready, your computer is ready to receive incoming connections. It remains to be set on the client or the connection to the server. The handling is easier than the creation of the server, as we shall see immediately.

Under Windows XP
  1. Go once more in the Control Panel and in the management of Network Connections.
  2. Select the Create a new connection, as when creating the server.
  3. Select the After Connecting to a corporate network.
  4. Then check Virtual Private Network connection to access a VPN.
  5. Fill the window next to a name for this connection. This step is not mandatory.
  6. Enter the address of the server you want to connect. This one is obviously necessary. To obtain this IP, ask the person running the server, which may help this site.
  7. Your connection is ready, you just double-click it to connect your computer to the server in question.


Under Windows Vista
  1. Go to Control Panel and the Network and Sharing Center.
  2. Select the link Set up a connection or network on the left.
  3. Select Connect to your workspace in the window that appears.
  4. Click Use my Internet connection (VPN).
  5. Enter the IP address of the server you want to connect. Your contact can easily give you this information by going to this address. Also add a name to this connection.
  6. Enter at this stage the user name and password set by the server (see step 3.3 of the server configuration under Vista).
  7. Click Connect to establish the link between your computer and the server.


What does such a network do?
Create a private network can provide many benefits. On the one hand, it obviously allows to share documents so simple. Indeed, simply right-click on a folder and choose the "Share" so that people connecting to your private network can access without necessarily able to modify its content, you choose. You can also share a printer, as well as folders. This will have checked this option in the connection properties.

In addition to sharing a VPN network can also play via the Internet to a title that only function in a local area network (LAN). However, this type of software is increasingly rare. Finally, if you connect to a server in a foreign country, you will also receive all the services that can be limited (by IP address) to this country, like the computer you are connected.

Also note that there is some software in the field, like the famous Hamachi.