Windows 7 L2TP/IPSec Manual Setup Instructions

You can create a connection using the L2TP protocol manually using the following instructions: 

To add a necessary registry setting:

1. In the Start menu search box, type "regedit" and press ENTER
   • You will be prompted to allow Administrator rights, click Yes.
2. Locate and click the registry subkey named HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\PolicyAgent
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and click DWORD Value
4. In the New Value #1 box, type "AssumeUDPEncapsulationContextOnSendRule" (this is case-sensitive and contains no spaces), and press ENTER.
5. Right-click AssumeUDPEncapsulationContextOnSendRule, and select Modify.
6. In the Value data box, type "2" and click OK
7. Reboot the computer

To configure the L2TP/IPsec connection:

1. Open Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel
   • Go to the Windows Menu, then Control Panel
   • Click on Network and Internet
   • Click on Network and Sharing Center
2. Click Setup a new connection or network
3. Choose Connect to a workplace then Next
4. Click Use my Internet Connection (VPN)
5. Enter the desired VPN server address in the Internet address field. View the server addresses here.
6. In the Destination name field, type a descriptive name.
7. Check Don't connect now then click Next
8. Type in your Giganews Login (username) and Password in their respective fields; leave Domain blank
9. Check Remember this password
10. Click Create and then Close
11. Open VPN Connection Properties
    • In the Network and Sharing Center, click Change adapter settings
    • Right-click your new connection and click Properties
12. Configure for L2TP/IPsec
    • On the Security tab, change the dropdown box from Automatic to Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with IPsec (L2TP/IPsec)
    • Under the Security tab, click Advanced settings and select Use preshared key for authentication. Next to Key enter: thisisourkey 
    • On the Security tab, change the Data Encryption to Maximum strength encryption to enable 256-bit encryption.

To Connect:

1. In the Windows Taskbar, click on the Network icon
2. Click on your new connection, and then click on the Connect button
3. Type in your Giganews Login (username) and Password in their respective fields and click Connect

To Disconnect:

1. Click the Network icon on the taskbar
2. Click the name of your VPN connection, then Disconnect