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How to Setup a VPN Connection to our Servers
You would use a VPN connection to our server if:-
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You want to have a "native" connection between Outlook and
Exchange and your computer doesn't have a version of Windows or
Outlook that supports
Outlook Anywhere connections.
Outlook Anywhere requires Office 2003, or later, and Windows XP, or later.
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You are operating behind a firewall that is blocking the
type of email protocol you want to use to access your Arrowmail mailbox.
This could be POP3, IMAP or SMTP.
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In the location you're accessing the Internet from, the
firewall you are behind only permits unencrypted protocols to
access your Arrowmail mailbox and you want to keep this traffic
encrypted. |
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Additionally, if you've taken out a Professional Account with us,
you can make a
Loop-Through VPN connection which permits you to:-
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Access websites and use protocols, such as VOIP, that are
being blocked by the firewall or ISP that you are using.
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Strongly encrypt all your Internet traffic
including hiding all the destinations you're
visiting on the
Internet. |
Not all firewall administrator configure their firewalls to allow the protocols required for
VPN connection to pass through them.
If this is the case, you're stuck.
If a firewall doesn't permit outgoing connections using TCP Port
443 (secure HTTP) then many common websites will be blocked or lose
functionality so it's a pretty safe bet that
Port 443 will work on any
firewall you come across.
More likely, in fact, than VPN protocols!
Arrowmail Mailboxes and On-line file storage can be accessed using
Outlook Anywhere, Outlook Web Access, Direct Push, Outlook Mobile Access
and Web Folders/Mapped Drive which all use Port 443.
VPN access is still a good trick to have up your sleeve if something
won't work.
The ability to make a Standard VPN connection is included with every
Arrowmail Mailbox account at no extra cost.
If you have a Professional Mailbox account then you'll be able to
make Loop-Through VPN connections.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Up a VPN Connection
From the Windows Desktop, click on:-
Start - Control Panel - Network Connections - Create a new connection
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The method of
establishing a Standard VPN and Loop-Through VPN
connection is
identical.
The hostname, username and
password you use determine
the type
of VPN connection that is made. |
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Click Next >
Select:-
Connect to the network at my workplace
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Click Next >
Select:-
Virtual Private Network connection
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Click Next >
Give the new connection a name.
This is what the new VPN icon on your Desktop will be called - you can
choose any name you like:-
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Click Next >
Enter the hostname of the server you are connecting to:-
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Click Next
It's usually a good idea to select:-
Add a shortcut to this connection on my desktop
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Click Finish
When the VPN Connection screen
appears, enter your Arrowmail username and password.
If you are using a computer that only you and trusted colleagues have
access to, then it's safe to select:-
Save this user name and password for the following users:-
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Click Connect
If all goes well you should see the following
message:-
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Whenever the above connection icon is showing, all the network
traffic between your PC and the Arrowmail servers in Central London pass
over a strongly-encrypted connection.
If you've taken out a Professional
Account, our server will also route any requests to other websites and
services on the Internet back out to the Internet and then on to their destination.
Right-click on the VPN icon and choose Disconnect to break the
VPN connection.
Internet Access While the VPN is Connected
There's a setting, on the VPN connection properties, that tells
Windows whether to access the Internet normally or via the VPN, and the
default setting for this is "via the VPN".
In some circumstances you want this and in others you don't.
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If you've made a Standard VPN connection to
our servers then
you can't access the Internet via the VPN.
The purpose of making a VPN connection, with a standard connection,
is only to access your mailbox or on-line files.
While you are connected, with a standard VPN connection, you
will therefore be unable to access the Internet unless you tell
Windows to access the Internet normally, and so this is what you
should do - see later.
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If you have a Professional Mailbox account then
you will automatically make a
Loop-Through VPN connection and
so be able to access the Internet whether Windows accesses the
Internet normally or via the VPN.
There may be some unwelcome side-effects from accessing the
Internet via the VPN if the purpose for making the VPN is only
to access your mailbox and on-line files and not to bypass a
firewall that is blocking your Internet access:-
1 - |
As the VPN connection connects or disconnects, any
current Internet connections will be broken so if, for
example, you're downloading a file at the time, this may
fail. |
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Your PC will appear to be located in Central London. |
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Internet access to some sites may be slower ( or
faster!). |
If you are only using the VPN connection to access your
mailbox or on-line files then you should tell Windows to access
the Internet normally.
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If you have a Professional Mailbox account
and you are making a Loop-Through VPN connection in order to
access Internet sites or services, other than Arrowmail's, that are being blocked by a
firewall in your location then you must tell Windows to access
the Internet through the VPN.
This is the default condition but it helps if you know how to check this.
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How to tell Windows to access the Internet Normally or via the VPN
With the VPN disconnected, double-click on the shortcut to the Arrowmail VPN connection that you
created previously on your Desktop and, don't click Connect, but instead click - Properties
Select the Networking tab
Select Internet Protocol(TCP/IP), then click Properties
followed by Advanced.
You should now see the window shown below:-
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That tick in the box labelled "Use default gateway on remote network" is
what you're looking for:-
If this box is ticked, Windows will
only attempt to access the Internet via the VPN connection.
If the box is unticked, Windows will ignore the VPN connection and
continue accessing the Internet by the normal method, such as via your
Broadband connection.
Click OK, OK, OK to finish.
To
summarise:-
If you have a Standard Mailbox account, "Use default gateway on
remote network" should always be unticked.
If you have a Professional Mailbox account it should also be unticked,
unless your purpose in using the VPN is to bypass a
firewall that is blocking your access to other websites and services
besides Arrowmail. In that case the box should be ticked.
^ Top of Page ^ |
If you prefer, you can, instead, email your comments to
support@arrowmail.co.uk
^ Top of Page ^
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Arrowmail is owned and operated by
Rhebus
Limited, a UK-registered company, number 4079706.
We welcome any comments about this website, good or bad. Send them to
webmaster@arrowmail.co.uk
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