"Sooner Al [MVP]" <SoonerAl@somewhere.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:76DE7303-ED39-4EF3-BB85-34A1CDF6C8B3@microsoft.com...
> "DCLYNDS" <dclynds@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:15B2AF33-69D1-4548-8CB0-F7BB9F6DD5FF@microsoft.com...
>>I keep reading that a VPN requires one PC has to act as a Server and the
>>other PC to act as a Client. Is there any way to configure the VPN so that
>>both computers act as both server and client? So that they are equal? Or
>>do I have to setup each computer as a VPN server for the opposite
>>computer? Also, how do I find the specific IP address of the computer if
>>it hides behind a router w/ a DHCP server that assigns it an address like
>>192.168.1.102?
>>
>>
> In your case setup the VPN or SSH server on the desktop. The client (ie.
> the laptop) would then be able to access files/folders on the server.
> There is no need to setup a VPN or SSH server on the laptop. These
> illustrate this concept (I hope)...
>
> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.or...-HomeUser.html
>
> http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.or...-HomeUser.html
>
> The client can upload or download files to/from the server PC. The server
> PC and get files to the laptop simply by putting them into a know location
> (ie. folder) on the server PC.
>
> --
>
> Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)
>
> Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
> mutual benefit of all of us...
> The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights...
>

I forgot to add that the VPN/SSH server PC really needs a static IP on the
LAN behind the router. Then you can setup port forwarding for either VPN or
SSH to that private LAN IP.

http://www.portforward.com/networking/static-vista.htm

You would call using the public IP of the router. If you get a dynamic IP
from your ISP, and that is what most folks have with a residential type
account, then you could use a free service like DynDNS or No-IP.com to get a
fully qualified domain name (FQDN) that maps to the dynamically assigned IP
address. Some routers, including the Belkin F5D7230-4 I currently use, have
built-in support for DynDNS for example. Setup an account and the router
will automatically contact the DynDNS servers on a time scheduled basis. The
DynDNS servers then map your current IP to your FQDN. You call the server
using the FQDN. That works quite well. If your router does not support
DynDNS or No-IP.com natively you can download and run a small program on the
server PC that does the same thing.

http://www.dyndns.com
http://www.no-ip.com

So, checking your router to see if it supports something like DynDNS is the
first step. Then setup a static LAN IP for your server and port forwarding.
--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...