FTP and VPN into Windows Server 2008

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account73

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Hi
I decided to install windows server 2008 onto a virtual machine and play around with it and try to learn.
I've messed around with lots of stuff on it. The two things I would like to get working are FTP and VPN into the server. I've sort of managed to get ftp working. I can access it using the private ip address of 192.168.2.13, but when I try to access it with my public IP this is where the problem starts. Port forwarding is set correctly on my wireless router, port 21 is being forward to 192.168.2.13. So when I go type ftp://publicipaddress into my web browser it pops up asking for the username and password. This is where I’m stuck. I have no idea what it is, I’ve messed with lots of the settings and whatever I do it still asks for this username and password, even though if I access the ftp server through my LAN using the private IP address it doesn’t ask for a username or password, it's only when using the public ip that it asks. Anyone got any idea's how I set the username and password to something I actually know?

Secondly.
I would like to be able to VPN into the server. I did follow a guide, but it didn’t work when my friend tested. Could someone point me to a nice guide on how to achieve this?
I'm more interested in getting the ftp to work for now.

Thanks all!
 
the Virtual server is run under a specific user-id; I think you need that id and password

<ctl><alt>del will get the task manager and the column name User Name is what you need.

scroll to the process controlling the VM

you may need to alter the settings for the VM to force it to run under another
specific user which you can set the pwd
create new account
set new password for it
login to that account to create the %profile% area​
then assign the VM to run under that login
 
Thanks jobeard for the reply.
I'm not sure I entirely understand you though.
I've gone into task manager and found the processes which are running the virtual machine and they are all under my name. I created another account on my computer (Not the virtual machine) and gave it a password and then logged into it as you said. How do I force the virtual machine to run through this other user once I’ve logged back into my usual account?
If I remember correctly back on windows XP you right clicked the programme and then clicked 'Run As' and selected the user. I'm running windows 7 and only have the 'Run as Administrator' option. I am a little confused as to how it would be this though since I know the password for the account I use every day and that one doesn’t work.

I will run through what I’ve been doing in more detail to see if it gives any more ideas.
Ok so on server 2008 on the virtual machine I do the following;
*Open IIS manager
*Select my server on the left menu, then right click ‘sites’
*Add FTP Site
*Give it a name, select folder for the FTP
*On the next page all I click is 'Allow SSL'
*On the next page I select 'Basic authentication' and then 'All users' for read and write.

Ok so that’s set up.
I minimise the virtual machine and back into windows 7. In IE I type ftp://192.168.2.13
It now actually asks for a password ( not sure why. I recreated the FTP site this morning and now it also asks for a password when accessing using private address) I use the username and password for the account on windows sever and it logs me in fine.
Now I try access it using my public IP.
ftp://myipaddress
It pops up asking for a user name and password. I input the same username and pw as before, but this time it tries to load for a minute or so and then displays 'this page cannot be displayed'
I'm not sure if this helps any, but I used wireshark to see what was happening and this is what it's doing for FTP packets.

Using ftp://192.168.2.13
http://i42.tinypic.com/v7qgde.jpg

using ftp://publicipaddress
http://i44.tinypic.com/xoo1at.jpg

On the public ipaddress one all the packets are being sent to 192.168.2.14 instead of .13 where the server is.
Do I need to do something to make my computer send these packets on to the virtual machine? I don’t fully understand how VM work so I may be going in the complete wrong direction.


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Hmm ok I tried something else.
I installed IIS on windows 7 and created a ftp site with it exactly like I was doing in server 2008. Again I can access it using my private ip address and windows login details, but when I go to do it using the public ip address it accepts the login details and then tries to load and then displays the ' this page cannot be displayed'
Could it be my router? ISP? I was fairly sure it was going to work now because I was attempted to do it outside of a VM. Now I’m totally confused and out of idea's of what’s going


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Ok i have even more info now.
None on the LAN can access the ftp site using ftp://192.168.2.14 in a web broswer apart from my own computer which the ftp site is hosted on, however it can be accessed through the ftp command line.
start--run--ftp--open--192.168.2.14--username and password--dir

That works fine for all users on the LAN. I've not had chance to try this for users on a different network yet. Anyone have any idea's why other LAN users cant access the site using their web browsers? ( tried IE and firefox )
 
I've sorted my ftp issue :)
The problem was an option in internet properties.
I had to go internet properties -- advanced -- and then untick the box that says 'Use passive ftp(For firewall and modem compatiblity)'
Once did that all worked good!! =) other uses can now access the site through a web browser and it can be accessed using the public ip address.

Now onto the next target :) Hope i've not bored you all with all the updates i'm giving.
I would like to get VPN access set up on the server. First i have a few questions about VPN.
Is VPN like RDP? i can see the screen and full control of the server screen? My objective is to be able to VPN into the server and then use the mstsc command to remote into my pc.

Can anyone point me to a guide that will help me set VPN up on the server? I've been reading it's best if you have two network cards, i do, but i only use the wireless card as i cant used wired. Do you have to use two network cards to get VPN working?
 
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