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Today numerous internet [http://ardentspace.com/blogs/entry/-A-blog-all-about-managed-hosting-that-contains-very-important-details hosting] companies give you the the option about leasing your own Windows 2003 Virtual Private Server (VPS) running on the Virtuozzo platform. You obtain your own dedicated logical server to some fraction about the cost of an actual server. Unfortunately, Virtuosso is never a "accurate" VM. They have reduce some corners in most aspects about hardware emulation inside order to have any scaled-down footprint. In particular, the SWSoft network adapter does not appear seeing that some correct network adapter to Windows. Because regarding this you cannot configure VPN by means of Networking and Remote Access, nor can you put in 3rd party software such because OpenVPN or Hamachi. This document offers any workaround on the way to establish some secure, VPN-like connection from your Windows conputer to your remote VPS.

Instructions

VMWare Server (free version)
copSSH, or other SSH Server
BitVise Tunnelier, or other SSH client
A spare copy regarding Windows (2000/XP/2003)

1 Login to your VPS. Typically, you will do this through Remote Desktop around the online . Once logged in, download and install the free copSSH server.

2 Open up the firewall on your VPS to permit incoming requests to cpSSH. In default, copSSH listens on port 22. With reliability explanations, I would strongly recommend changing this port to anything else.

3 Configure the user you will use to link to cpSSH. With user authentication, I would recommend using certificates. cpSSH comes with utilities to create some root CA from which you can self-hint certs. If environment up certificate-based authentication yous unfamiliar to you, you could still make use of username-password authentication. It is simply a tiny less safe.

4 On the local computer that you will use to link to the VPS, download and install the free of charge VMWare Server software. Make use of version 1.0 if stil available like it remains more lightweight than model 2.0.

5 Create a virtual machine with roughly 256MB RAM and 8GB regarding disk space. The virtual network adapter on the VM can either be Bridged or NAT'ed. Although, to avoid several capability problems (that I won't descibe here) use a NAT'ed virtual adapter. Install a stripped down copy of Windows (2000/XP/2003 Web) into this VM. Turn away all services, including Workstation, Server, Remote Desktp and NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Basically, you don't want the VM to be listening on any port that you want to tunnel to the VPS. It moreover assists if you give your VM the identical Windows omputer name as your VPS.

6 Log in to the VM also download and install BitVise Tunnelier, an SSH client that is is available for free for non-company use. Inside my viewpoint, this is one the very best SSH clients available. Configure the client to connect to the CopSSH server on your VPS.

7 Configuring client-to-server forwarding of desired ports through SSH tunnel

Determine the IP address of the VM. By default, this remains dynamic and assigned by VMWare's DHCP server, except practically it never modify unless you add additional VMs and/or adapters. Once you have the IP, on the C2S tab of BitVise ahead any ports that you want from the VM's IP address to the VPS's IP address. Various excamples:
139 - Windows file sharing,
1433 - SQL Server,
3389 - Remote Desktop

8 Once C2S forwarding is setup, you may access those ports because although they were exposed on the local VM's virtual adapter. For the examples I provided in the earlier action, you don't need to configure S2C forwarding. To more sophisticated setups where you experience any application on your local host listening to connections from the VPS, you will additionally require to configure S2C forwarding.

Tips & Cautions

Via giving your VM and VPS identical computer identify, you can connect to network shares or to SQL Server on the VPS by name without having additional configuration to your hosts or lmhosts files.
Once you possess established the SSH tunnel and forwarded port 3389, you ought to avoid using Remote Desktop around the open web whereas that is is not very protected. Use the tunnel instead.
On the SSH tab of BitVise Tunnelier, Never test the "none" choice for Encryption.
You ought to by no means require to open awake the forwarded ports on the VPS firewall.

Resources

BitVise Tunnelier
copSSH

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