Chapter 14

MCDST 70-271: Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System

Chapter 14: Troubleshooting Remote Connections

Guide to MCDST 70-271 2

Objectives

• Understand remote access and remote access configuration

• Connect to the Internet• Connect to the network via My Workplace• Troubleshoot VPN connections• Create advanced remote access connections


Remote Access

• Components of remote access configuration – Clients– Protocols– WAN connectivity – Security– Server– LAN protocols


Remote Access (continued)

• Remote control – Employs remote client as dumb terminal for the

answering system– Keyboard entries and mouse movements are

passed to a host system• Remote access

– Establishes actual network connection between a remote client and the answering computer system

– Keyboard entries and mouse movements occur locally


Remote Access (continued)

• Terminal Services – Allows thin clients to participate in a rich

computing environment– Employed in situations where budget restrictions

prevent purchase of fully capable desktop systems• Remote computers that exist as independent

systems – Use remote access to make connections over

some type of communication link to a system


Remote Access Configuration

• Remote access– Configured and managed from the Network

Connections window• Network Connections window

– Accessed through the Start menu


Remote Access Configuration (continued)


Installing Remote Access Hardware

• Hardware required must be physically present and its drivers properly installed

• Windows XP inspects the hardware and attempts to identify any new devices– If a new device is recognized, Windows XP

attempts to locate and install drivers for it– When Windows XP is unable to identify a device,

you are prompted to provide a path for the drivers or you need to use the Add/Remove Hardware applet or the Phone and Modem Options applet

– For some specialty hardware, you might need to use the vendor-supplied installation routine to install the correct drivers


Phone and Modem Options

• Dialing Rules tab – Lists the defined dialing locations– Dialing location

• Collection of remote access properties used to govern how links are established

• Modems tab– Lists all currently installed modems and their

attached ports• Advanced tab

– Lists all the telephony providers present on the system


Connecting to the Internet

• Options in the Connect to the Internet Wizard– Choose from a list of Internet service providers

(ISPs)– Set up my connection manually– Use the CD I got from an ISP


Connecting to the Internet (continued)


Using a Connection Object

• Click the Dial button to test the new object– If modem was properly configured, phone line was

attached, and there was no busy signal, you should have established an Internet connection

– Default home page should be displayed in Internet Explorer

• Double-clicking the connection icon opens the connection status dialog box


Using a Connection Object (continued)

• General tab – Displays connection status, duration, speed,

packets (LAN connections), bytes (dial-up connections), compression (dial-up connections), and errors (dial-up connections)

– You can access the connection object’s Properties dialog box or disconnect the link

• Details tab – Lists data relevant to the connection, such as

server type, protocols, and IP addresses of server and client


Properties Dialog Box

• Used to configure settings that were not offered by the New Connection Wizard

• General tab– Used to configure devices and dial-up numbers

• Options tab– Configures the behavior of the connection object

while establishing a connection


Properties Dialog Box (continued)





• Security tab– Used to define the connection object’s security

requirements• Networking tab

– Used to configure the network communication components employed by the connection object

• Advanced tab– Used to configure Internet Connection Firewall

(ICF) and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)






Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

• Used to share a single network connection with a small group of networked computers

• Enabled on the Advanced tab of a connection object’s Properties dialog box

• Incorporates – The Network Address Translation (NAT) function – A Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)

address allocator– A Domain Name System (DNS) proxy


Internet Connection Firewall (ICF)

• A security measure for protecting network connections from unwanted traffic

• Can set restrictions on traffic in and out of your network to an external network or the Internet

• A stateful firewall• By default, silently drops all traffic that is not

allowed to enter the private network


Troubleshooting Internet Connectivity

• Check the configuration settings of the connection object

• Verify that the ISP’s modems are answering• Verify that:

– Your modem or other connection device is properly installed and connected correctly

– Necessary drivers are installed and the latest versions are used


Connecting to the Network at My Workplace

• Virtual Private Networking (VPN) – Employs the Internet as a long-distance carrier to

enable distant, secure LAN connections– Enables mobile or remote computers to establish

a connection with a LAN over a local connection to an ISP

– Encrypts authentication credentials and data transferred


Troubleshooting VPN Connectivity

• Ensure that your network or Internet link is up and fully functioning

• VPN client and VPN server must have public IP address if connection is being made over the Internet

• If a firewall, proxy, or NAT server is located between VPN client and VPN server, devices must be appropriately configured to allow VPN link to occur


Setting Up an Advanced Connection

• Windows XP Professional can act as a remote access server for a single incoming connection

• Process of configuring an incoming connection object includes:– Selection of devices that answer incoming calls– Whether to allow VPN links– Which users can dial in– Which networking components are supported over

a dial-in link


Accepting Incoming Connections

• Windows XP Professional can act as a remote access server for a single incoming connection

• Connection can be made over a modem, an existing Internet/network connection (a VPN link), or a direct access cable

• Use this feature only for special-purpose applications– Accepting a dial-in connection can be used to

access your home system while traveling


Accepting Incoming Connections (continued)


Connecting Directly to Another Computer

• Serial connection– Method of communication that transfers data

across a medium one bit at a time– Usually adds start and stop bits to ensure reliable

delivery• To employ direct connection:

– Attach cable between the two systems– Create a direct connection object on both systems


Summary• Windows XP can be used to dial out to other

systems, such as an ISP, company network, or link to a VPN

• Network Connections tool is used to create and manage most of the remote access features of Windows XP

• Connecting to the Internet over a modem involves creating a new connection object that includes: – Phone number of the ISP, username, and password– Any customized (ISP-specific) configuration

requirements


Summary (continued)

• ICS can be used on any connection object to share connectivity offered

• ICF is used to protect any connection object• Troubleshooting an ISP link involves:

– Verifying modem hardware connection and installation

– Configuring the connection object itself– Testing to ensure ISP is functioning


Summary (continued)

• Connection to a LAN through a VPN requires a pre-existing network connection between the client and the LAN

• Troubleshooting VPNs involves checking that: – Internet connection is functioning– VPN client connection object is properly

configured– Windows XP supports advanced connections

Documents

Chapter 14