# VPN with Virtual PC? (either networking or software?)



## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

Just want to know if this is possible before I attempt to try it.

If I load up a VPC with any VPN client can I VPN as a normal computer would?

I have used VPC in the past for other projects and checking out new software installs but I would really like to use it to seperate all my different VPN clients I have scattered on 3 different machines.

Currently I use Nortel, Checkpoint and one other the name escapes me but I have to have them loaded onto seperate machines because they don't like playing together. I could consolidate them all onto one PC and then just run VPC sessions.


----------



## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

I would think that you would need to set up the VPC in "NAT" mode, so it doesn't get it's IP address from the same DHCP pool that the host PC gets its own IP address from. (ie. if your host PC gets a 192.168.10.x IP address, the VPC should not get an IP address from the same subnet.)

HTH


----------



## StumpedTechy (Jul 7, 2004)

I don't mind the subnet being the same I am not VPNing into my own network and I am already o a scope outside the ones I am VPNing into. I was more concerned about the VPN solution just not working in the emulated world... Kind of like the fact that VPC can't do high end graphic stuff.


----------



## mrPaul (Aug 19, 2008)

Yeah, we've got a team of 12 support staff who have to connect to 60 or more customer sites via a number of different VPN applications.

Sometimes different vendors VPN applications conflict so we do it all via a bank of support PCs with Virtual PC's installed.

In total we have five physical support PCs, each have six different Virtual PC's installed relevant to the VPN vendor. Each Support PC then has an allocated static IP address applied to the six VM's copied onto it.

When a support staff member needs to connect to a customers site they MSTSC to one of the five unused Support PC's, startup the relevant Virtual PC from the six available then VPN to the customers site.

The advantage of this is the support members local PC local is still usable on the local network. Sometimes our customers VPN policies don't allow local traffic when the VPN is connected.

The only disadvantage to this solution is 35 windows licenses are required, and the management of updating and copying VM's between the SupportPC's.

I'm now looking for a way to consolidate these Support PC's into VMWare or Terminal server, as the company is growing and taking on more customers and staff.

Hope this helps.


----------



## gurutech (Apr 23, 2004)

Wow - a long lost thread!

But I actually have an answer based on experience now!

The answer is YES. You can install VPN software in a Virtual PC (I used MC VPC 2007), run the VPC and connect to the VPN through the software in the VPC. 

BUT - Only the VPC will be able to access network resources. The host PC will not be able to access network resources (but will still be able to view resources on the internet and on your own private network.) Also, any other VPC's you have running on the host would need their own VPN connection to access network resources.

The reason for this is that each VPC acts like it's running on its own set of hardware, and it gets its own IP address (whether NAT'd through the host PC, or if it gets its IP address from the same source that the host PC gets it from.)


----------

