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TICKET ARCHIVE -> VPN into Corporate Network

beachhoppr - Dec 22, 2006 - 4:31 am

Hi.
I am a new Windows to Mac user (yey!) I would like to VPN into my office network and then launch a "remote PC" type program so I can work on my work Windows PC at home. Can this be done and if so, how?

Thanks

stottm - Dec 22, 2006 - 7:53 am

Depends entirely on how your corporate VPN is set up. You may need to load third party drivers/software such as Nortel or Cisco. Or you will need your IT staff to tell you the information you need to connect. This information is usually not given out.

The Mac supports L2TP over IPSec and PPTP VPN. You might need to know a particular password that the IT staff won't give out. You may need a hardware device like an RSA SecureID or CryptoCard, or a digital certificate, etc.

The VPN options are in the Internet Connect icon under /Applications. You will need to check with your IT staff for the necessary information. In large corporations, you will probably have to talk to a network engineer as the normal help desk or deskside support won't have access to the passwords and configurations. The deskside support staff installs a prepackaged automatic application where the technical details are protected. They may not be willing to tell you what you need to know. They may not want you connecting a Mac to their network. It's entirely up to your IT staff.

As far as remote control of a Windows computer goes, you can install an application like UltraVNC on the PC and then connect to that on the Mac via a program called Chicken of the VNC. Both applications are open source and free.

http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net
http://cotvnc.sourceforge.net

You can also use Microsoft's Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac that allows you to connect to Windows Server 2003 Terminal Services as well as WindowsXP. (Free)

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherpr...edesktopclient

If you have to connect to Citrix servers you can download a free Mac (PowerPC or Intel) Citrix client.

http://citrix.com/English/SS/downloa...D=3250&pID=186

If you are not connecting with VPN you can use SSH to create an encrypted tunnel between your Mac and a PC. The Mac comes with SSH but Windows computers need to use a program called PuTTY. Unix servers all come with SSH.

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

The setup and configuration of SSH is not that simple, but extremely flexible and powerful. Here's some links for further reading:

http://www.macdevcenter.com/lpt/a/4996 - Inside SSH Part 1
http://www.macdevcenter.com/lpt/a/5001 - Inside SSH Part 2
http://www.macdevcenter.com/lpt/a/5022 - Inside SSH Part 3
http://www.macdevcenter.com/lpt/a/5071 - Inside SSH Part 4

Additional SSH utilities:

http://www.sshkeychain.org/ - Automatically manages SSH passwords and stores them in the Apple keychain. Also can create tunnels for routing network traffic such as VNC or a database connection, etc.

http://projects.tynsoe.org/en/stm/doc.php - SSH Tunnel Manager - is more flexible and easier to setup tunnels then SSHKeychain. You can use both SSHKeychain and SSH Tunnel Manager together.

Once you have a secure connection via SSH you can then run VNC through the encrypted tunnel and it's just as secure as VPN. You can also run other remote control systems through a tunnel such as Remote Desktop Connection, etc.

You could bypass everything and have your Mac at home waiting for a connection via SSH and connect your PC at the office to the Mac via SSH then go home and connect. The PC would setup a reverse SSH tunnel that forwards data back to the PC. However, your IT staff won't see what's in the tunnel they will see the connection and it may concern them. i.e. they might think you're a hacker. So make sure they allow this or it could get you fired in some companies.