Joining a WinGate VPN

In order to join a VPN, the remote VPN Client Node will need the necessary details so it can make the connection.

This is can be achieved in several ways:

1. Importing a VPN configuration

   The hosted VPN allows the exporting of VPN connection details to a file which can be distributed to remote VPN Nodes. This is usually by email or some other secure means. All details, excluding the username and password of the WinGate user who is permitted to join the VPN, are exported.

   Read more about exporting a hosted VPN file

   The vpn file can be imported back into the remote Node machine as a Join VPN configuration when you are on the VPN Panel. This can be achieved by selecting Import VPN config from the Tasks menu.

2. Manually creating and filling out the Join VPN configuration.

To join a VPN manually:

1. Open the WinGate Management console.
2. Navigate to Monitoring panel > VPN to open up the VPN Panel.
3. Right click on the VPN Panel and select Join VPN to open a Join VPN configuration.

   

   Close

4. If you have imported the settings then most values will already be filled in for you. It is a good idea to double check each value to ensure that it is correct.

   Remote Server

   Server IP or DNS Name

   This is the IP or DNS name of the VPN Host (Master Node) that you will connect to. This must be visible from the Internet.

   Server Port

   This is the port that the VPN Service on the Master Node server will be listening for incoming VPN connections on. The default is port 809 (TCP).

   Name of Remote VPN

   This name must match the name assigned to the hosted VPN by the administrator of the Master Node server.

   Note

   This name is case sensitive and so must match exactly the name given in Host VPN properties on the Master Node.

   Check Server Fingerprint

   Check this option so when this VPN Client Node connects to the hosted VPN, it will check and compare the Server SSL fingerprint with the VPN Host server to ensure that it is the right VPN Host that it is connecting to.

   Server SSL Fingerprint

   This is a value generated by the VPN Host server and is used by this VPN Client to validate that the correct VPN Host server is being connected to.

   User Authentication

   In this section you need to enter the credentials for a user that has permission to join this remote VPN Node to the hosted VPN. The Connect to this VPN permission can be set for users on the Permissions tab in the Host VPN configuration of the Master Node. Since the values in the User Authentication section are never exported with the configuration, you will need to enter valid user credentials (Contact the administrator of the Master Node server to find out which credentials to use).

   Read more about VPN connection permissions

   • Username

     This is the name of a WinGate VPN user that has been granted the Connect to this VPN permission to connect this Node to the hosted VPN.

   • Password

     This is the password for the WinGate VPN user configured above.

   • Domain

     This field can be used when joining a VPN located in a Windows Active Directory. When the Master Node is set to use the Active Directory user database, you can specify the username (in the Username field above) in either the full Active Directory domain format (e.g. Bob@test.com) or you can simply enter the username and enter the Active Directory domain in the Domain field. As mentioned at the beginning of the User Authentication section above, the user credentials will be for the user who has been given permission to connect to the VPN.

   Connection Options:

   1. When to Join VPN

      This determines when this WinGate VPN Node will attempt to connect to the hosted VPN.

      • On Engine Start

        Connect to the VPN once the WinGate Engine on this WinGate VPN Node has started.

      • Manually

        A user on this WinGate VPN Node machine will establish the VPN connection manually through the VPN Panel, located in the Monitoring section of WinGate Management console.

        Read more about connecting and disconnecting from WinGate VPN

      • Disabled

        Selecting this option will prevent this WinGate VPN Node from connecting to the hosted VPN.

      • Reconnect

        Selecting this option will enable this WinGate VPN Node to reconnect automatically if the connection to the VPN Host is dropped unexpectedly.

        Note

        Even with this setting checked, this joining WinGate VPN Client Node will not automatically reconnect to a VPN where the connection has been manually terminated by the administrator on the VPN Host server.

   2. Local Participation

      This determines how this WinGate VPN Client Node (and its associated network) will participate in the VPN when it connects.

      • Local machine

        Only the VPN Client Node machine will participate in the VPN.

      • Local network

        This VPN Client Node machine and all other configured machines on it's LAN will participate in the VPN.

   Tunnel Creation:

   This determines whether this VPN Node will allow the establishment of data tunnels to and from other Nodes when they are connected to the VPN. Tunnel creation allows access to VPN Participants on each remote node.

   • Allow tunnels to/from all Nodes

     All VPN Client Nodes connecting to the VPN Host can establish a data tunnel with this VPN Client and potentially access any VPN participant resources this VPN Client Node publishes. This is in addition to the data tunnel with the Master Node (VPN Host).

   • Allow a tunnel only to the master Node

     This option will NOT allow other remote VPN Client Nodes to establish a tunnel with this VPN Client Node, and so they will not be able to access VPN Participants on its network or vice versa. The data tunnel from this VPN Node to the Master Node is still established normally, giving access to VPN Participatant resources on the Master Node LAN if the Hosted VPN configuration allows it.

5. Once you have verified all the settings, click OK to close the dialog.

   The Join VPN configuration will now be listed on the VPN Panel in the WinGate Management console.