Installing and using a VPN-client

Step-by-step

Note: This guide was created in early 2013. It might be that something has changed since then. If you realize that this guide is different from reality please inform us.

The steps on Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows XP are pretty much the same. The exceptions are listed explicit in below step-by-step guide.

1. Download the OpenVPN-Windows-Installer

   Open the OpenVPN-site in your preferred browser and download the installer.

   

2. Execute the installer with Administrator privileges

   Navigate to the folder to which you downloaded the installer (normally C:\Users\USER\Downloads in Windows 7 and Windows 8 and C:\Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\Downloads in Windows XP ) and run the installer with administrator privileges (Right-click on the installer and choose Run as administrator).

   

3. Follow installer steps

   Now the installer starts. You can just click through it leaving every option as default.

   

   During the installation you will be asked if you accept to install a device driver of an unknown publisher. You have to confirm this, it isn't doing anything harmful to your computer. This device driver is necessary for the VPN-connection. The first of the following pictures shows the request in Windows 7 and Windows 8, the second in Windows XP.

   

   Installing goes on ...

   

4. Now OpenVPN is installed on your computer. You should have an icon on your desktop called OpenVPN GUI.

5. Download configuration files and place them in the right folder.

   Navigate to the site from which you can download the configuration files.Download them. Unpack them. Then you have to place them in the right folder (normally C:\Program Files (x86)\OpenVPN\config in Windows 7 and Windows 8 and C:\Programs\OpenVPN\config in Windows XP) with Administrator privileges.

   

6. Start the OpenVPN-GUI with Administrator privileges

   For all three Windows versions: Run as administrator.

   

   Another possibility for Windows 8: right-click on the OpenVPN-GUI-icon on your Start screen and choose Run as Admin.

   

7. Choose the right profile and connect to the VPN

   Now an icon appears in the lower right corner. Right-click on it. You will see a menu with two TF-profiles. Choose the right one (normally TF-normal) and click on Connect. For Windows 8: this icon is only shown on the desktop.

   

8. Authenticate using your TF-Account

   The OpenVPN-Client asks you for your credentials now. Enter username and password of your TF-Account and click OK. While the client tries to connect the icon in the lower right corner turns yellow.

   

9. You are connected!

   Hopefully everything went fine and you are connected now. The icon in the lower right corner turned green. The client informs you about the IP your computer was assigned.

   

10. Give in the name of the data share

    As a last step you have to give in the name of the data share you want to connect to into the address bar of the Windows Explorer. For your homedrive (known as u: inside the faculty) you have to give in the full name of your workgroup server followed by your username. Example: If your workgroup server´s name is wgserver and your username is abcd, then you give in: \\wgserver.tf.uni-kiel.de\abcd into the address bar.