Configure and Use L2TP on Windows 8.1
You can use the Windows 8.1 VPN client to make an L2TP VPN connection to a Firebox.
Configure the L2TP Connection
To prepare a Windows 8.1 computer to make an L2TP VPN connection, you must configure the L2TP connection in the network settings.
The procedure in this topic is an example only. The steps you must follow might differ because of your Control Panel view and existing configuration. For more information about L2TP VPN connections in Windows, see the Microsoft documentation.
- In the Windows 8.1 Start page, type control panel. Click Control Panel in the search results.
- In Control Panel, click Network and Internet.
- In the right pane, click Network and Sharing Center.
The Network and Sharing Center appears. - Select Set up a new connection or network
The New Connection Wizard starts. - Click Connect to a workplace and click Next.
The Connect to a workplace page appears. - If your computer has an existing workplace connection, select No, create a new connection and click Next.
The How do you want to connect page appears. - Click Use my Internet connection (VPN).
The Type the Internet address to connect to page appears. - In the Internet address text box, type the hostname or IP address of the Firebox external interface.
- In the Destination name text box, type a name for the Mobile VPN (such as "L2TP to Firebox").
- Click Create.
The new connection is added to the Connections list. - In the Network and Sharing Center, click Change adapter settings.
- Select the VPN connection and click Change settings of this connection.
- The General tab contains the hostname or IP address you provided in the New Connection Wizard. You do not need to change anything on this tab unless the IP address of your Firebox changes.
- Select the Options tab.
- (Optional) To enable software compression, click PPP Settings. Select the Enable software compression check box.
- Select the Security tab.
- From the Type of VPN drop-down list, select Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with IPsec (L2TP/IPSec).
- From the Data encryption drop-down list, select Require encryption.
- Select Microsoft CHAP Version 2 as the only allowed protocol.
- Click Advanced settings.
The Advanced Properties dialog box appears. - If Mobile VPN with L2TP on the Firebox is configured to use a pre-shared key as the IPSec credential method:
- Select Use pre-shared key for authentication.
- In the Key text box, type the pre-shared key for this tunnel. The pre-shared key must match the pre-shared key configured on the Firebox Mobile VPN with L2TP IPSec settings.
- If Mobile VPN with L2TP on the Firebox is configured to use a certificate as the IPSec credential method:
- Select Use certificate for authentication.
- Make sure the Verify the Name and Usage attributes of the servers certificate check box is selected.
- Make sure you have imported the certificate to the client device. For more information, go to Import a Certificate on a Client Device
- Click OK.
- Do not change the default settings on the Networking tab.
- Click OK.
Start the L2TP Connection
The name of the VPN connection is the destination name you used when you configured the L2TP connection on the client computer. The user name and password refers to one of the users you added to the L2TP-Users group. For more information, go to About Mobile VPN with L2TP User Authentication.
Before you begin, make sure the client computer has an active connection to the Internet.
- In the Windows notification area (System Tray), click the Network icon.
A list of available networks and VPNs appears. - Select the VPN connection. Click Connect.
- Type your user name and password.
- Click OK.
For information about how to specify the non-default authentication server when you connect, go to Connect from an L2TP VPN Client.
Internet Access Through a Mobile VPN with L2TP Tunnel
Configure and Use L2TP on Windows 10
Configure and Use L2TP on Windows 8 in the WatchGuard Knowledge Base
Configure and Use L2TP on Windows 7 in the WatchGuard Knowledge Base