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A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is used to securely create a tunnel for data between your local computer to a remote server. On Windows Server 2019, you can configure a VPN to provide network access to connected clients and allow connected devices to communicate securely.

This guide explains how to set up a fresh Windows Server 2019 as an L2TP over IPSec, or a PPTP VPN, using the routing and remote access feature. Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) with IPSec offers robust encryption for connections to the server. On the other hand, the Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is simple to deploy but not as secure.

To set up the VPN server, we shall use the built-in Routing and Remote access feature, which offers a graphic interface to configure remote networking features such as Dial-up, LAN routing, NAT, and VPN.

Requirements

• Deploy a Windows Server 2019 Instance on Vultr

• Remotely connect to the server and log in as an Administrator

Create a New VPN User

For the VPN service to work well, it must authenticate with a valid user account to the server. So, you need to create a new user on the server.

Click Tools under server manager and select Computer Management from the drop-down list to create a new user.

Once the computer management window pops up, expand Local Users and Groups from the left pane and right-click Users to select New User on the sub-menu.

Under the New User dialog box, enter a username, full name, and password for the VPN user, then click create and close the window.

The new user will now be listed on the list of active server users, right-click on the new user and select properties.

Under the user properties window, navigate to the Dial-in tab and click Allow access under Network Access Permission. Click OK for changes to take effect.

Install the Routing and Remote Access Features

Procedure 1: Through Server Manager

From the Windows start menu, open Server Manager, click Manage, then select Add Roles and Features from the drop-down list.

From the open window, click next and select Role-based or feature based installation, then select your server from the pool. Select Remote Access, Remote Access Administration from the list of server roles.

Next, select DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) and Routing from the features list, then click to Install IIS, which is required for remote access to work well.

Procedure 2: Using Windows PowerShell

You can also install Remote Access from Windows Powershell.

From the Windows start menu, open an Administrative Powershell, then install Remote access by pasting the following code to the console.

Install-WindowsFeature RemoteAccess

Install-WindowsFeature DirectAccess-VPN -IncludeManagementTools

Install-WindowsFeature Routing -IncludeManagementTools



Your output should be similar to:



PS C:UsersAdministrator> Install-WindowsFeature RemoteAccess

>> Install-WindowsFeature DirectAccess-VPN -IncludeManagementTools

>> Install-WindowsFeature Routing -IncludeManagementTools



Success Restart Needed Exit Code      Feature Result

------- -------------- ---------      --------------

True    No             Success        {Remote Access}

True    No             Success        {RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit...

True    No             Success        {Routing}

Configure Routing and Remote Access

Open Server Manager and click Tools on the top toolbar. From the drop-down list, select Remote Access Management.

In the open Routing and Remote Access window, right click on your server name just below Server status, then select Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access from the drop-down menu.

Now, select Custom configuration to configure remote access manually.

Select VPN Access and NAT as services you want to enable on your server, click next to finish the configuration, and start the service.

Setup a PPTP VPN

Now that Remote Access is running, you can set up your PPTP VPN. To get started, you must assign connected clients** static IP Addresses to avoid possible connection issues. To do this, right-click on your server under the Routing and Remote Access window and select Properties from the drop-down list.

Click IPV4 in the Open Window, then select Static address pool. Now, click Add to craft a new IP Address range from the open pop-up window. In this guide, we use the range 10.0.0.1 to 10.0.0.50, and the server will automatically calculate the number of available addresses.

Click OK to save your static IP Address configuration. You will be prompted to restart Routing and Remote Access for changes to apply; simply click OK.

Configure NAT and enable PPTP

We need to configure Network Address Translation (NAT) for connected clients to use the Internet. On the left pane of the same routing and remote access window, expand the IPv4 options under your server. Right-click on NAT and select New Interface.

Under the open dialog window, select Public interface and enable NAT on the interface.

Next, navigate to Services and Ports and click VPN Gateway (PPTP) from the drop-down list.

Click Edit to set a Private address for the VPN service, change the current address 0.0.0.0 to 127.0.0.1, and click OK to save.

Finally, click OK to save all changes, then right-click on your server from the left pane and click Restart under the All Tasks sub-menu.

This will restart routing and remote access services making your server ready for incoming VPN connections.

Configure Windows Firewall to accept Incoming PPTP VPN Connections

Click Tools from the Windows server manager and select Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security from the drop-down list.

Under the open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security window, select Inbound Rules on the left pane, then click New Rule on the right pane.

In the open new Inbound rule wizard, click Predefined and select Routing and Remote Access from the list.

Under predefined rules, choose Routing and Remote Access (PPTP-In), click next to allow the connection, then finish for the new Firewall rule to be applied and test your new PPTP VPN server.

Test your PPTP VPN

Using your personal computer (PC) or Smartphone, go to Networks, Add a new VPN and select PPTP as the VPN type. Then, enter the VPN username and password created earlier to connect.

In this guide, we cover and test the PPTP VPN on a Windows 10 PC. To get started, click the start menu and search for Control Panel, then, click Network and Internet.

Under Network and Internet, open the Network and Sharing Center and click Set up a new connection or network.

Under the open window, select Connect to a workplace and click Use my Internet connection (VPN).

Then, enter your server’s public IP Address (Check your Vultr server dashboard), assign the connection a name, and click create.

Now, on the left pane, click Change adapter settings, then right click your created VPN interface and select Properties.

Under the pop-up, click Security, then choose Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) under Type of VPN.

Finally, under Allow these protocols, select CHAP and MS-CHAP v2, then click OK to apply changes.

Your new VPN is configured successfully. Click the network connection icon on the taskbar, select your VPN on the list and click Connect to enter the VPN username and password created earlier to establish a connection to your new PPTP VPN server.

Setup L2TP with IPSEC

Open server manager, click Tools, and open Remote Access Management, then right-click your server on the left pane to select Properties from the drop-down list.

Under server properties, navigate to the Security tab, and click Allow custom IPSec policy for L2TP/IKEv2 connection to enter your new pre-shared key.

In this guide, we use 12345678, choose something stronger, then navigate to IPV4 to set a static address pool and click OK to apply changes.

Keep note of the pre-shared key (PSK) since it will be required for every user establishing a connection to the VPN server.

From the left pane, expand the IPV4 sub-menu and right-click on NAT, then select New Interface. If you set PPTP earlier, click NAT and edit the existing interface you already created.

Navigate to the Services and Ports tab and select VPN Gateway [L2TP/IPSec], then click edit to change the private address from 0.0.0.0 to 127.0.0.1. Click OK to save changes and restart remote access from the left pane under All Tasks.

This will restart Routing and Remote Access, then save the applied L2TP configurations.

Allow L2TP Connections through Windows Firewall

Open Windows Defender with Firewall, select inbound rules and add a new rule. Select Predefined and from the list, choose Routing and remote access.

Under Predefined rules, select Routing and Remote Access [L2TP-In] and click next.

Finally, allow the connection and click Finish to apply the new Firewall rule.

Connect and Test Your L2TP VPN server

In this guide, we test the new L2TP with IPSec VPN on a mac. To get started, open System Preferencesand click Network.

Under the Network Preferences window, click the + sign and select VPN under the Interface dialog box. Then, choose L2TP with IPSec as the VPN Type and assign your connection a name.

Click create, then enter your public server IP Address (server address) and username (Account name). Next, click Authentication Settings to enter your account password and Pre-shared key (Shared secret) created earlier.

Next, click Advanced and select Send all Traffic over VPN Connection, then click Apply, and finally click Connect to establish a connection with your new L2TP VPN server.

Conclusion

You have set up a VPN on your Windows server 2019 instance; you can choose to create both PPTP and L2TP VPNs with different users connecting through your server without any limitations.

For every connected device, they will be able to access the Internet through your server and interact with other connected computers.

In this article we will show you how to install and set up a VPN server with Windows Server 2022. We will go through the setup step by step.

This article is based on the article VPN Server with Windows Server 2019 (RAS) and has been updated for Windows Server 2022.

To access the corporate network and access corporate resources while on the road, there is rarely any way around a VPN. A virtual private network is one of the dial-up and connection options of a remote access server (RAS). Since modem and ISDN dial-up connections are rather extinct today, these systems are almost only used for VPN dial-ups. Nowadays, integrated solutions from firewall providers such as Juniper, Cisco, Unfiy and others are often used for this purpose.

As a basis for my installation I take a VM with 2 vCPU and 4 GB Ram, for the few VPN connections that are needed here this is perfectly sufficient.

Here’s another warning for safety

This is for my test environment, accordingly the security requirements are not as high as for an enterprise RAS server. For companies, I recommend a hardened reverse proxy in a DMZ, for example a Kemp Loadmaster, which still provides some security. Also, multi-factor authentication should be considered.

You should also think about the structure in advance. RAS implementations range from very simple to highly complex. It is important to find the right one for you.

Operating system installation

After installing Windows Server 2022, the system should first be provided with the latest updates. Start with the installation of the server role “Remote Access”, which includes not only the RAS services with VPN protocols such as PPTP, DirectAccess, SSTP and L2TP/Ipsec, but also a reverse proxy for web applications or a routing service. You should not install the latter as well.

You must select which of the 3 function types you want to use in the role services. Select “DirectAccess and VPN (RAS)” here.

After the selection, the required dependencies are displayed. Please confirm them.

No further configuration is required for easy installation.

Start the installation and restart the server if necessary. A restart should not actually be necessary.

After installing the roles, the “First Steps Wizard” must be executed.

For most scenarios, a VPN connection is perfectly adequate. In addition, DirectAccess also brings IPv6 dependencies with it. So for now, we will only deal with VPN.

The “Routing and RAS” console opens, which has not changed since Windows Server 2008.

Right-click on the server and select “Configure and activate routing and RAS”.

Click on “Next” in the setup wizard

In the next step you have to specify more precisely which scenario you want to set up. Next, I choose the “Custom Configuration” because “RAS (Dial-up or VPN)” expects certain requirements that we do not need.

In the next step, select “VPN access”

In the next step, you complete the configuration selection.

Confirm the message to start the service.
Afterwards, the VPN protocols can be configured.

Configuration of the VPN protocols

Supported protocols

• PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) the first implementation was in Windows NT 4.0. Communication takes place via port 1723 TCP and the protocol 47 GRE. PPTP is widely used, but is no longer secure enough today, see also Microsoft security recommendation 2743314.
• L2TP (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) which is used by Microsoft together with IPsec. Communication takes place via port 1701 TCP and 500 UDP.
• IKEv2 (actually “Internet Key Exchange V 2”, but here a synonym for IPsec, IP Security). Communication takes place via port 500 and 4500 UDP.
• SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol), a Microsoft own protocol based on port 443 TCP. Thus, it gets through all firewalls as long as the HTTPS tunnel is not broken. The protocol requires a functional SSL tunnel. Disadvantage: only available on Microsoft devices.

Protocol selection

The choice of protocols depends on several factors. Each protocol has strengths and weaknesses.

For me personally, the best thing about SSTP is that it works everywhere. Even in free hotel WLANs, which actually only allow VPN in paid WiFi. The disadvantage is that I need a valid certificate from a trusted CA with a public revocation list. This rules out most internal certification authorities, because they do not have public spear lists. Alternatively, a regkey can be set in the client so that this is ignored. SSTP is also only supported by Microsoft operating systems.

PPTP is too insecure for most people, but is supported by almost all end devices.

L2TP is compatible with most devices, depending on the configuration. But in this configuration is the tricky part.

The same applies to IKEv2 / IPsec, depending on the type of authentication, there is quite a bit of work to be done here.

Basic configuration of the protocol ports

The wizard initially created 2 ports for each protocol, except for PPPoE, which only has one. Depending on the selection of protocols and the expected connections, I would disable unused ports or add new ones. With Windows Server 2022, the number of standard ports has been significantly reduced; with previous versions, up to 128 ports were created.

To do this, right-click on “Ports” and select “Properties”.

In my case, I switch off the protocols I don’t need and reduce the ports to 1. For the protocols I do need, I leave the number of ports at 2, which is enough for me.

Configuration of the IP address ranges

The clients that connect remotely need a private IP address. The DHCP server in the network can be used for this, or a static range can be assigned. This is managed by the RAS server.

Firewall configuration

Since the RAS server is not located in the DMZ and does not have a public IP address, port forwarding must be set up on the firewall for the ports of the selected protocols. It is important that the RAS server has a static IP address or a DHCP reservation.

Assigning rights for users

It is also important that the users have the necessary rights for remote access.

Read also our article: SSTP VPN with Let’s Encrypt certificates.

On Windows Server 2019, a virtual private network (VPN) is a convenient method to allow users to access resources using an encrypted connection from a remote location and through the internet.

Typically, organizations use VPN to extend their private network to allow employees to work from home or another remote location to access files, apps, intranet websites, printers, and other resources through a public network as if they were directly connected into the company’s network.

The way you set up a VPN server hasn’t really changed in many years, which means that the same instructions to configure a virtual private network on Windows Server 2019 applies to older versions, including Windows Server 2016, 2012 R2, and older versions. If you have a Windows 10 device, you can use the “Incoming Connection” feature to set up a VPN server to connect remotely to your home network to access your computer’s files and peripherals, and even other computers in the network.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to set up a VPN server on Windows Server 2019.

• How to add VPN role feature on Windows Server
• How to set up VPN server on Windows Server
• How to allow VPN connections through firewall on Windows Server
• How to allow users access through VPN on Windows Server
• How to set up port forwarding on router to enable VPN access
• How to set up a VPN connection on Windows 10
• How to set up a VPN server on Windows 10

How to add VPN role feature on Windows Server

To add the Routing and Remote Access role to set up a VPN server on Windows Server 2019, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Server Manager and click the top result to open the utility.

3. Click the Manage menu button from the top-right corner and select the Add Roles and Features option.

   

4. Click the Next button.

5. Select the Role-based or feature-based installation option.

   

6. Click the Next button.

7. Choose the Select a server from the server pool option.

8. Select the server name.

   

9. Click the Next button.

10. Check the Remote Access option.

    

11. Click the Next button.

12. Click the Next button again.

13. Click the Next button one more time.

14. Check the DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) option.

    

15. Click the Add features button.

16. Click the Next button.

17. Click the Next button again.

18. Click the Next button one more time.

19. Click the Install button.

    

20. Click the Close button.

Once you complete the steps, the VPN server module will install on the device, and you can proceed to configure the remote access feature.

To configure a VPN server on Windows Server 2019, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Server Manager and click the top result to open the utility.

3. Click the Manage menu button from the top-right corner and select the Routing and Remote Access option.

   

4. Right-click the server name and select the Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access option.

   

5. Select the Custom configuration option.

   

6. Click the Next button.

7. Check the VPN access option.

   

8. Click the Next button.

9. Click the Finish button.

10. Click the Start service button.

11. Right-click the server name and select the Properties option.

    

12. Click the IPv4 tab.

13. Under the “IPv4 address assignment” section, check the Static address pool option (recommended).

    

    Quick note: If you have DHCP server configured, you can use the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) option to handle the distribution addresses. However, if you want to control the access to the network, or you don’t have a DHCP server, then the static pool option is your best option. When using this option, make sure to assign an IP range it won’t assign to other devices in the local network.

14. Click the Add button.

15. Specify a start IP address.

16. Specify an end IP address.

    

17. Click the OK button.

18. Click the Apply button.

19. Click the OK button.

20. Right-click “Remote Access Logging & Policies” and select the Launch NPS option.

    

21. Select the Network Policies option from the left pane.

    

22. Double-click the Connections to Microsoft Routing and Remote Access server policy.

23. Under the “Access Permission” section, select the Grant access. Grant access if the connection request matches this policy option.

    

24. Click the Apply button.

25. Click the OK button.

26. Double-click the Connections to other access servers policy.

27. Under the “Access Permission” section, select the Grant access. Grant access if the connection request matches this policy option.

    

28. Click the Apply button.

29. Click the OK button.

30. Close the Network Policy Server console.

After you complete the steps, the VPN server will be created on Windows Server 2019, but you’ll still need to configure the users who are allowed to connect, and you need to configure the firewall to allow connections.

Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012 R2 and older versions include more options to set up a more secure and advanced VPN server. In this guide, we’re only covering the fast and secure way to get started with the remote access feature.

How to allow VPN connections through firewall on Windows Server

While configuring the Routing and Remote Access feature on Windows Server should automatically open the necessary Windows Firewall ports, you want to make sure the firewall is properly configured.

To allow VPN connections through the firewall on Windows Server 2019, use these steps:

1. Open Start on Windows Server 2019.

2. Search for Allow an app through Windows Firewall, and click the top result to open the experience.

3. Click the Change settings button.

4. Scroll down and make sure Routing and Remote Access is allowed on Private and Public.

   

5. click the OK button.

After you complete the steps, the Windows Server VPN server should be able to receive connections remotely from other computers.

How to allow users access through VPN on Windows Server

To allow users access through the virtual private network, use these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Server Manager and click the top result to open the utility.

3. Select the Active Directory Users and Computers option.

   Quick note: If you don’t have Active Directory configured on your server, select the Computer Management option, expand the Local Users and Groups branch from the left pane.

4. Click on Users from the left pane.

5. Double-click the user you want allow remote access.

6. Click the Dial-in tab.

7. Under the “Network Access Permission” section, select the Allow access option.

   

8. Click the Apply button.

9. Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, you may need to repeat the steps to enable other users to access the network using a VPN connection.

These instructions show you the steps to allow remote access on each user individually. If you need to configure access for a lot users, you can also create a group to configure VPN access for users more easily. 

How to set up port forwarding on router to enable VPN access

To be able to connect through a public network (such as the internet) to the VPN server, you’ll need to forward port 1723 (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP)) to allow VPN connections.

Here are the instructions that will help you set up port forwarding on a router. You can also visit your router’s manufacturer website for more assistance to configure Port Forwarding.

In addition to the forwarding the required port, you’ll also need to know the public IP address assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). You will need this information to contact your VPN server remotely.

To find out if your current public IP address, open your web browser, and using any search engine, perform a search for “What’s my IP”, and your information will appear in the first result.

If the network uses a dynamic public IP address, which can change at any time, then you’ll need to configure DDNS (Dynamic Domain Name System) in your router to avoid having to configure the VPN setup every time your public IP address changes.

Here are the instructions that will help you set up DDNS on your router. You can also visit your router’s manufacturer website for additional help to configure DDNS.

How to set up a VPN connection on Windows 10

After setting up the VPN server on Windows Server 2019, you’ll need to configure the devices that will be accessing your local network remotely. You can set up any device, including your desktop, laptop, tablet, and even phone (for example, Android and iPhone). Here are the instructions to set up a VPN connection on Windows 10.

After adding a VPN connection on your computer, you have to adjust the settings with these steps:

1. Open Control Panel.

2. Click on Network & Internet.

3. Click on Network and Sharing Center.

4. Click the Change adapter settings link from the left pane.

5. Right-click the VPN adapter and select the Properties option.

   

6. In the General tab, make sure you’re using the correct domain you created while configuring DDNS — or at least you’re using the correct public IP address.

   

7. Click on the Security tab.

8. Under “Type of VPN,” select the Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) option.

9. Under “Data encryption,” select the Maximum strength encryption (disconnect if server declines) option.

   

10. Click the OK button.

11. Click on the Networking tab.

12. Uncheck the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) option.

13. Check the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.

14. Select the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.

15. Click the Properties button.

    

16. Click the Advanced button.

    

17. Clear the Use default gateway on remote network option.

    

    Important: We’re disabling this option to prevent your web traffic to go through the remote connection, which can slow down your internet connection. However, if you’re looking to access the internet through a VPN connection, then don’t change this last setting.

18. Click the OK button.

19. Click the OK button again.

20. Click the OK button once more.

21. Open Settings.

22. Click on Network & Internet.

23. Click on VPN.

24. Select the VPN connection option and click the Connect button.

    

Once you complete the steps, the device should be able to connect to VPN server from a remote location.