[CentOS] Howto create a VPN connection on desktop (CentOS 6)

Wed Jul 13 11:41:44 UTC 2011
Mark Weaver <mweaver at compinfosystems.com>

On 7/12/2011 8:06 PM, John R Pierce wrote:
> On 07/12/11 4:26 PM, Mark Weaver wrote:
>>     Hi List,
>>
>> I'd like to be able to create VPN connections on my laptop to connect to
>> client locations and I was wondering if someone could point me in the
>> right direction for this information. I've checked on the wiki, but
>> didn't find anything.
>
> you would, of course, need a VPN server of some sort at the client
> locations.   If there is a linux server at each site, they could host an
> OpenVPN service.
>

Well, yes that's a given. I was a little preoccupied when I first posted 
so perhaps a bit unclear.

What I've attempting to do is make it possible for me to connect to 
clients' servers where RRAS service is already running using PPTP so 
that I can connect remotely while I'm running Linux on my laptop so I 
don't have to stop what I'm doing and boot Windows.

Last night after installing the necessary additional packages 
(NetworkManager VPN plugins) to make it possible to create a VPN 
connection using NetworkManager I can configure a VPN for use, but when 
I actually attempt to establish the connection it fails complaining 
about there not being a secret. I'll freely admit that as an IT 
consultant I've been away from Linux a bit too long and too deeply 
immersed in the Windows world due to client needs, but this one has me a 
bit puzzled.

-- 
Mark Weaver
Computer Information Systems & Services, Inc.
mweaver at compinfosystems.com
(717) 512-9718