Virtual private networking servers

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Virtual private networking servers

You can use Routing and Remote Access to configure a VPN server, view connected users, and monitor remote access traffic.

For virtual private network access from the Internet, the server typically has a permanent connection to the Internet. A nonpermanent connection to the Internet is possible if the Internet service provider (ISP) supports demand-dial connections; the connection is created when traffic is delivered to the VPN server. However, this is not a common configuration. If the VPN server provides access to a network, you must install and connect a separate network adapter to the network to which the VPN server provides access.

On Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, you can create up to 1,000 Point-to-Point Tunneling protocol (PPTP) ports, and you can create up to 1,000 Layer Two Tunneling protocol (L2TP) ports. However, Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, can accept only one virtual private network (VPN) connection at a time. Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, can accept up to 1,000 concurrent VPN connections. If 1,000 VPN clients are connected, further connection attempts are denied until the number of connections falls below 1,000.

You can configure remote access servers after the Routing and Remote Access Server Setup Wizard is run.

For more information about installing the Routing and Remote Access service, see Enable the Routing and Remote Access service.

For more information about deploying a remote access VPN server, see Setting Up Remote Access VPNs.