Configuring the Birkbeck VPN for Windows Vista

Please ensure that you have read the background information about the VPN service and configuring your computer.

Create a New Connection

In Networking and Sharing Centre select ‘Set up a connection or network’

Select ‘Connect to a workplace’

Select ‘Use my Internet connection (VPN)’

Enter 193.61.20.50 for the Internet Address, give the connection a sensible name (e.g. Birkbeck College VPN connection), and make sure that ‘Don’t connect now….’ is ticked, then click next:

Enter your CCS username and password, make sure the domain is set to ‘CCSACADEMIC’, and tick ‘Remember this password’ if you wish, then click create:

You’ll then be told that ‘The connection is ready to use’, but it isn’t, we still have to make some changes, so click close:

Back in the Network and Sharing Centre select ‘Manage network connections’:

Right-click on the VPN connection we just setup and select ‘Properties’:

Select the ‘Security’ tab, select ‘Advanced (custom settings)’ then click settings:

Set Data Encryption to ‘Maximum Strength…” and make sure that MS-CHAP v2 is selected (it should be by default), click OK:

Back in the Connection Properties, select the Networking tab and untick File and Printer sharing for Microsoft Networks:

Then click OK to close the Connection Properties:

The VPN connection is now configured. To start the connection just click on the Icon, or right-click and select ‘Connect’:

Then click ‘Connect’ again:

You’ll see a couple of dialog boxes saying ’Checking username and password…’ and ‘Registering you computer on the network…’:

When the connection is complete you’ll see it’s status as ‘Connected’:

After a few seconds this will change to ‘birkbeck.ac.uk’:

You can now use the VPN once your Internet connection is connected. When you are connected to the VPN you can use CCS facilities as normal

To close the connect just right-click the Icon and select ‘Disconnect’:

If you want to use your VPN connection to access files you have saved at Birkbeck to your N: drive (your personal storage area, including My Documents folder) see these additional instructions:

Mapping your N: Drive to your PC using the VPN in Windows Vista